By Paul Fretter.

The basis of practice is to first learn the movement and then to put the Tàijíquán principles into the movements.  The principles referred to are the Tàijíquán Classic texts.

To properly understand Tàijíquán it is essential to study the Tàijí Classics, and apply their interpretation into your daily practice of exercises, Forms and partner trainning.

There are three levels (or should we say depths) of practice.  First there is the Human level, where we learn the external choreography of movement and begin to cultivate uprightness (centre of equilibrium), balance and rudimentary relaxation.  Then there is the Earth level where we learn systematic methods of relaxation to develop stability (grounding), the awareness to create movement from ‘within’ and the ability to discharge relaxed force.  The Heaven level is mostly concerned with developing understanding through partner work.

Our syllabus consists of solo exercises, forms and partner training (‘push hands’).

Preliminary Exercises:

Up and Down movement

5 Loosening Exercises

Standing Exercises

Forms:

37 Short Form

Refined Simplified Form

108 Long Form

Weapons (Staff, Sabre, Sword and Spear)

Partner Exercises (a.k.a. ‘push hands’):

Fixed partner training 

Moving step

Partner Form

The timing of issuing

Receiving force

Semi-free exchange

Free exchange