Beginners of Tai Chi often quickly discover that while Tai Chi appears easy, it is difficult to learn. Not to mention the more technically challenging movements (such as “lower stance”, stepping, and generating force), even many movements that seem slow and steady can become chaotic when practiced, often leading to confusion between the upper and lower body.
Practicing footwork and individual movements is the foundation of mastering Tai Chi
There is a martial saying: “Before learning the fist, first learn the steps; before practicing martial arts, first practice the stance.” This highlights the importance of footwork. The study of footwork may seem simple, which is why it is often overlooked by beginners. Proper footwork is key to stabilizing the center of gravity. Incorrect foot placement or improper stepping can lead to instability, such as taking steps that are too small or narrow, or incorrect positioning, direction, or angle of the foot, which can result in an unsteady upper body and center of gravity.
Therefore, foot placement must be accurate, and stepping must be moderate, whether moving forward, backward, or turning. Always maintain a vertical alignment between the Baihui (百会) point and the Huiyin (会阴) point. As the boxing theory states: “No excess or deficiency, follow the bend and extend, stand like a pole, move like a wheel.” Thus, practicing footwork is beneficial for the stability of lower body movements and helps cultivate the coordination of body shape and footwork, laying a foundation for further learning of Tai Chi.
Beginners should not rush or be careless; if they rush and form incorrect habits, it will be difficult to correct them later. Incorrect postures, such as protruding hips, can lead to issues like a forward-leaning waist and chest, and tight abdominal muscles, which are not only detrimental to the body but also a major obstacle to improving martial arts skills in the future.
Therefore, beginners should start from the basics, learning each individual movement carefully.
For example, some movements in Tai Chi such as Left and Right Wild Horse Parts Its Mane, Left and Right Grasp the Bird’s Tail, Left and Right Roll Back, Left and Right Cloud Hands, Left and Right Single Whip, and Left and Right Shuttling can be extracted for individual practice.
Practicing these individual movements one by one not only facilitates “dynamic shaping” but also helps focus on the details of the movements. These individual movements are the core and framework of the routine; mastering them is equivalent to building a solid structure for the routine. From a fitness perspective, repeating individual movements can also achieve the desired effects, as these movements encompass the essence and functions of the complete routine.
Thus, beginners should not rush; they must patiently experience the essence and feelings of each individual movement, mastering each one and being able to apply it for fitness training. Another advantage of practicing individual movements is that it is not constrained by time or space; whether indoors or outdoors, for a short or long duration, one can repeat them three to five times or even dozens of times, as desired, truly embodying the saying “the fist strikes where it stands.” Once these individual movements are practiced proficiently, one can then learn the complete routine.
Practice of the Complete Routine
After mastering footwork and individual movements, one can begin to learn the simplified Tai Chi routine by incorporating some transitional movements. The practice of the routine can be divided into three stages.
First Stage: Shaping
In the shaping stage, it is essential to stand upright and maintain a calm mind. The term “upright” means that the body should be straight and centered, without leaning forward, backward, or sideways. The tailbone and spine should be aligned in a straight line, always maintaining an upright posture.
When practicing Tai Chi, it is crucial to grasp the importance of maintaining an “upright” posture; only by standing upright can one stabilize the center of gravity. Beginners may initially exhibit stiff and inflexible movements, but with diligent practice, they can transform clumsiness into skill, seeking roundness and smoothness based on a centered foundation. “Calmness of mind” refers to a peaceful state of mind; “relaxed body” means the body should be comfortable and extended. During practice, one should strive to eliminate all distractions and maintain a quiet mental state, focusing the spirit on every small movement, ensuring that muscles, joints, and ligaments are in a naturally relaxed state, free from any constraints or pressure.
Second Stage: Even Force
As the brain gradually establishes a complete and correct concept of technical movements, and the physical form meets the technical requirements of Tai Chi—namely, standardized movements, upright posture, calmness, relaxation, and proficiency in the routine—one should then focus on achieving even force in movements. To express even force, one must pay attention to the practice of “smooth and round” and “upper and lower coordination”.
“Roundness” means that movements should not be direct; during practice, movements should be flexible and natural, with smooth transitions, and the movement path should follow different arcs repeatedly. It is particularly important to focus on using the waist and back to drive the limbs, experiencing waist turns, arm rotations, relaxed shoulders, drooping elbows, bent knees, and relaxed hips.
“Smoothness” refers to the seamless connection between movements, without pauses, abrupt changes, or interruptions. The entire set of movements should flow continuously, like a silkworm spinning silk, unbroken and fluid, akin to flowing clouds and flowing water, seamlessly interconnected and executed in one breath.
“Upper and lower coordination” means that the coordination of the upper limbs, lower limbs, and torso must be harmonious and unified, with smooth connections, wrist movements following the arms, and the whole body moving in coordination; during movement, it must be rooted in the feet, initiated by the legs, governed by the waist, and executed by the fingers, with a complete flow from feet to legs to waist, with the waist leading the movement, and hands and feet following, with the gaze accompanying, creating a unified whole.
This segment of practice should begin with theoretical study, reading literature on Tai Chi theory, and watching videos of renowned Tai Chi practitioners to gain a better understanding of the characteristics, methods, and key points of Tai Chi. Next, repeatedly practice the routine, elevating from sensory practice to rational practice, gradually allowing movements to achieve even force.
Third Stage: Seeking IntentThe stage of seeking intent is the highest stage of practicing Tai Chi
In this stage of practice, the emphasis is on the coordination of consciousness, breathing, and movements, hence the saying “intent, qi, and spirit in unity”. Natural breathing and clear distinction between emptiness and fullness are two essential principles in the process of seeking intent.
Because “soft, even, fine, and long” abdominal breathing aligns with the requirements of Tai Chi movements. A fundamental principle in Tai Chi practice is to “follow nature, inhale fully when exhaling, and exhale completely when inhaling, maintaining even breathing”.
According to the characteristics of Tai Chi movements, it generally follows the pattern of “inhale when rising, exhale when falling, inhale when opening, exhale when closing”; typically, one inhales when completing movements such as raising arms outward, expanding the chest, lifting shoulders, and extending the body, and exhales when performing the opposite of these actions. In Tai Chi, “emptiness” refers to flexibility and softness, while “fullness” refers to tension and solidity.
Emptiness is softness, fullness is tension; emptiness and fullness in Tai Chi movements are complementary and mutually restrictive, representing a unity of opposites. From a movement perspective, the final position of a movement is generally “full”, while the transitional process of movement is “empty”; generating force is “full”, while storing force is “empty”; the supporting leg is “full”, while the moving leg is “empty”; the arms embodying the content of the movement are “full”, while the arms assisting in coordination are “empty”.
By distinguishing between the emptiness and fullness of movements, one can practice with tension and relaxation, treating them differently. Of course, this guideline is not applicable in every situation, as the forms of Tai Chi movements are diverse.
Sometimes one may store force when striking, and release force when withdrawing; sometimes one may sink and drop force, and lift and release force; sometimes one may continuously release force or continuously store force, repeatedly neutralizing the opponent’s intent to seize the opportunity to strike, etc. Therefore, knowing when to be “full” and when to be “empty” should be based on the true intent in action, in order to complete the movements well, allowing consciousness, breathing, and movements to harmonize naturally, achieving a balance of emptiness and fullness, hardness and softness, lightness and stability, with force and intent flowing seamlessly.
Important Considerations for Practicing Tai Chi
When practicing Tai Chi, it is essential to follow a gradual and consistent approach, as this is determined by the characteristics of Tai Chi practice. The entire body must be coordinated and complete, demonstrating the style of “using the mind to move qi, using qi to move the body”, which requires long-term practice.
Because the source of energy material in the human body is “compensated” during the process of practice through “consumption”; the more one consumes, the more one compensates; without consumption, there is no compensation. If practice is interrupted, the energy material in the body will not be replenished, leading to a decline in athletic skills.
When practicing Tai Chi, one must pay attention to correct posture and natural breathing. Some practitioners may exhibit shoulder shrugging, stiff necks, protruding elbows, or jutting hips during training, which severely disrupts the prescribed movements; furthermore, improper posture can lead to breath-holding during practice, necessitating deep breaths after several movements.
This can force changes in movement speed, causing breathing to become irregular and movements to be uncoordinated, which not only affects practice effectiveness but also hinders the improvement of technical skills. Therefore, only with correct posture and natural breathing can the strength of movements be effectively transmitted, remaining relaxed and natural.