The first video contain instruction similar to how this tai chi form is taught during my classes, the 2nd video is of all the movements joined together filmed from front and back to make it easier for you to learn.
31. Cloud Hands - right side, left side, right side, left side, right side32. Single Whip - left hand foot towards left side, balanced33. High Pat the Horse - weight in right leg, right hand on top
To learn how to use your waist properly during your practice first stand with your feet parallel, knees slightly bent, shoulder width apart and raise your right arm so that your wrist is in front of you. By turning your waist only, move your right wrist to the left hand side of your body, and then move it back to the right hand side again. Do not use the muscles in your arm or shoulder to do this; they are only there for support to hold the arm up. Do the movement again and observe how a very small turn of your waist makes a big movement with your wrist.
Try again only this time moving your wrist from your shoulder height to your waist height and back again, and then see if you can move your arm in large circles. Once comfortable with this you can use two arms, circle one high and one low, both of them passing on one side and swapping the movement with each other as in cloud hands. Notice how as the right hip moves forward it pushes the right wrist to the left, and at the same time the left hip is drawing back moving the left wrist to the left of your body. Article Continued Below
Through doing this you can learn to move your arms anywhere you want independent of your upper body. In the same way you can study how your waist movement affects your legs and feet. Notice how you can move your feet by turning your waist; observe how when turning your feet with your waist the movements become one where usually it is separate. Article Continued Next Lesson
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This article was written by Stephen Procter, instructor from Tai Chi Health for Life, Australian College of Tai Chi & Qi Gong and Meditation Instructor from Meditation in the Shire, Kirrawee NSW, Australia. If you wish to post this article on another website or in a publication please respect the author and reference / link back to this website, thank you
