Tai Chi Training Techniques: Movement Requirements

The requirements of the overall movements of Tai Chi are also known as "training techniques." Although different styles of Tai Chi have their own specific characteristics, their training techniques are similar.

Posture - When practicing Tai Chi, you must stay calm and relaxed. First, calm your mind, loosen your body, and relax your muscles, joints, and internal organs. Second, hold your body naturally straight, so and exhale, keeping your stomach full and chest empty. that the crown of your head is lined up with your perineum. To do this, avoid sticking out your chest, stomach, or buttocks, lowering your head, bending your waist, or arching your back. Third, breathe naturally, using the stomach muscle to inhale

Performing the Movements - Tai Chi movements should be soft, even, and done with ease and agility; do not use muscle power. The movements must follow an arc or circle, moving every muscle and joint smoothly. When practicing, you must slowly exercise your inner layer of muscle as well as the outside layer. The movements must have equal force, and be linked together slowly and continuously.

The Waist - The center of all movements is the waist, which makes it crucial for the waist to stay loose, steady, and erect. Your waist must not sway, and your sacrum must be steady and powerful, resulting in a low center of gravity. When moving, turn your waist slowly, moving your arms and legs with it.

The Head and Neck - Keep your head straight; the Baihui (located directly above the middle point of the anterior hairline, at the middle point connecting the apexes of both ears) must always point up. Your neck should turn with the direction you are looking. The neck must not be stiff, but yet be powerful. Your lips should open or close naturally, with the jaw slightly pulled inward. Press your tongue gently against the ceiling of your mouth. This causes an increase in the secretion of saliva, which helps to keep the tongue moist when training. Make it a habit to inhale and exhale with your nose.

The Arms and Shoulders - Your shoulders must be relaxed and parallel. Your elbow must be loose and slightly bent. This will make the movement of the arm light and sensitive, yet strong when moving forward, backward, or turning. The wrist must be flexible, yet powerful.

The Back and Chest - Empty the chest and stretch the spine. Emptying the chest means relaxing the chest muscles and pulling the rib cage slightly inward, so that no tension is present in your inner body. Both shoulders push slightly downward, and the spine should be kept straight while the back muscles are relaxed. Once you have done this, both shoulders should feel linked together and full of internal energy.

Tailbone - The tailbone has to be in line with the spine at all times and should be curled slightly upward. This will help you to keep your body straight and center your balance. It will link the energy in your body from top to bottom, unifying your entire body as one.

Legs - The legs must show the weight distribution of heavy and light. The hip joints have to be relaxed and the knees must be slightly bent. When stepping forward, your weight should be shifted to either the front or the back of one foot. Stepping movements must be light and sensitive, and should follow the shifting of weight.

Stances - The same form can be trained at three different stance heights: high, medium, and low; which height you choose will be determined by performance speed, physical strength, and how well one knows the movements. Higher stances or a faster training speed trains the body less. Lower stances and slower training will build up more physical strength. The height and the speed must be even from the beginning of the form to the end.

Speed and Dynamics - When practicing the form, each movement follows another. They should be linked together smoothly and with liveliness. Movements performed slowly will allow the body to feel each movement and sensation. You should practice breathing deeper, longer, slower, evenly and naturally, so that the internal organs can be strengthened. Not to be over looked some styles of Tai Chi Chuan can and do practice medium and fast forms as well as execute kicks, strikes, grappling and throws. So any yin or yang way you choose to use it, Tai Chi is an all around body - mind - spirit, fitness system.

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