Yang Tai Chi 108 Form: Right Separation Kick (Move 39)

This video shows instructions for the movement "Right Separation Kick" from the Yang Tai Chi 108 Form. This is the 39th movement of this form. 

Yang Tai Chi 24 Form: Marital Application #3

Here is the latest addition to our Yang Tai Chi 24 From martial application series.  This is based off of a variation to the "Begin Taiji" posture at the beginning of the form.  It's a very simple application, but a good one to have in your martial toolbox.  Enjoy!

And if you're looking for natural ways to support healthy joint function, check out Joint Tea at:
https://andrew.puretrim.com/joint-tea.cfm

Yang Tai Chi 108 From Instruction: Video #28, Left Brush Knee and Push

Here is the latest addition to our Yang Tai Chi 108 Form instruction series.  The movement is one that we've done before several times, "Left Brush Knee and Push".  This video should be any easy refresher for this move since you've done it so many times before.  Stay tuned for the next movement, "Needle at Sea Bottom".  We hope you all enjoy this video!  Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel to be notified when we post a new video.

Yang Tai Chi 108 Form Instruction Video #27: White Crane Spreads Its Wings

This video brings us back to a movement that we have already learned, so this is essentially a review.  The transition and direction of this movement is the same as 5th movement of this form, so I have included the instruction video for move 5 here as well in case this review is not detailed enough.  However, it is my hope that if you are ready to watch the 27th video in this series, you are familiar enough with the previous movements of this form that a quick review is all you will need to move forward.

Here is the 27th video in this series:





Here is the video that describes the 5th movement of this form (also White Crane Spreads Its Wings) in greater detail, in case you need a more in-depth review:

Yang Tai Chi 108 Form Instruction Video #26

This video teaches the movement "Raise Hands & Step Forward" from the Yang Tai Chi 108 Form.  It's part of our free instruction series on the Yang 108 form and we hope you all find it very helpful in your training.   Enjoy!

Yang Tai Chi 108 Form Instruction Video #25

We are now past the Repulse Monkey movements and have new movements.  Here is our latest instruction video from the Yang Tai Chi 108 Form instruction series.  It explains the movement Diagonal Flying.  We hope you all find it useful in your training.  Enjoy!

Yang Tai Chi 108 From Instruction Video #24

Here is our most recent addition to the Yang 108 Long Form instruction series.  We hope you all find it useful!  Train well!

Tai Chi Applications: Begin Taiji - Application #2

Here's another video exploring the use of the movements of the Yang Tai Chi 24 Form. Stay tuned for more videos like this in the future.

New Video: Step Back & Repulse Monkey Left

Here is out latest video in the yang Tai Chi 108 Form instruction series.  It is from move 21 "Step Back & Repulse Monkey."  Stay tuned for more videos in the future and subscribe to our YouTube channel to receive an automatic notification when we post a new video.  Enjoy!

10 Myths About Naturopathic Medicine

As some of you may know Andrew Plitt is currently in school to become a Naturopathic Doctor (ND).  Because of this we will be adding a Natural Medicine component to this site where we will post articles about naturopathic medicine that we find interesting or useful, to help raise awareness and understanding about what naturopathic medicine is.  Below is a link to our first article posting along these lines titled, "10 Myths About Naturopathic Medicine."  This article discusses common misunderstandings about naturopathic medicine and helps set the record straight.  If you're new to naturopathic medicine and are curious about it, this is a good starting place.  We hope you all find this article informative. Enjoy!

https://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/blog/10-common-myths-about-naturopathic-medicine

Tai Chi Applications: Begin Taiji - Application #1

Here is our first Tai Chi application video.  Enjoy!

Tai Chi Tip: The Right Way and the Wrong Way - Part 2

....(continued from last post)....Most people that practice Tai Chi Chuan (hereafter simply referred to as Tai Chi, which is the commonly used nickname.) are doing so for the health benefits associated with Tai Chi training.  So we will address Tai Chi practice for health, first.  When a person is learning Tai Chi movements for health it is true that many of the fine details that are important for the fighting applications of Tai Chi are not a major point of focus in their training, but rather the focus is placed on large scale movements that are going to promote movement of the body in ways that will promote increased balance, coordination, etc.  So it is not necessary to follow a specific partner of movements with a high degree of precision to receive many of the health benefits of Tai Chi.  However, even when practiced for health, the basic Tai Chi principles should be adhered to for better results.  For example, proper alignment should be emphasized to avoid injury and to aid balance.  When a new student practices the movements of a Tai Chi form, it is not uncommon for knee injuries to occur due to poor knee alignment.  If it were true that one cannot practice Tai Chi incorrectly, this could not happen.  However, as with any other physical activity, there is a "right" (safer) and "wrong" (more dangerous) way of performing the movements.  So, the statement in question, does not hold true for Tai Chi when it is practiced for health.

How about for the fighting applications of Tai Chi?  Is it possible to do them wrong?  Oh yes, it is possible, and you will know immediately when it happens.  However, there is a high degree of variability in how each techniques is applied because every person with which you practice will be different and the technique must be adapted to fit each situation.  However, the fundamental principles of the technique do not change, only the way in which the principles are applied.  Even in Tai Chi form practice for martial arts there are a number of variations in how each move is practiced, and these variations are simply ways in which to emphasize a particular aspect of the fighting technique.  So long as the basic principles are correct, and we are only considering variations of correct techniques, then I believe it is safe to say that there is no right or wrong way to practice, because each variation serves its purpose.  However, without those restrictions, it is very possible to practice wrong in the case of Tai Chi training for martial purposes.

So, from where would such a statement come?  Why would it be passed around so often and repeated so frequently by Tai Chi players?  There are a few of different applications for this statement in the world of Tai Chi, but they are not without specified boundaries.

One such application is, as I mentioned before, when referring to different technique variations, or even different styles of Tai Chi.  Saying that there is no right or wrong way serves as a reminder that while there may be some methods that are preferred by some styles over others, as long as they are useful, and adhere to the principles of Tai Chi, they are valid.  It can be used to unite Tai Chi practitioners of different teachers and different styles, because we are all practicing Tai Chi here.

Another application of this statement is in reference to mastery.  When one has sufficiently internalized the principles of Tai Chi, to a point at which they no longer have to concentrate on maintaining those principles, because they have become second nature, then they are no longer confined to specific "right" techniques.  They are free to be creative and adapt to any new situation, by inventing their own techniques if necessary.  For them, there is no right or wrong way of doing...... it is just a matter of doing, because their mastery of the basic principles opens up a whole new world of possibilities to them.  However, few people truly reach a place in their understanding of Tai Chi where they can actually improve on the generations of training and experience that have gone into the creation of the various styles of Tai Chi that we know today.

Saying that there is no right way or wrong way to practice Tai Chi has its applications, beyond what we have even discussed here.  However, as with any skill, there is a great amount of time and training that must go into developing a deep understanding of the basics before the practitioner has a firm enough grasp on the skill to begin to truly express herself/himself in an new ways.  And in Tai Chi, as with any skill, there are correct ways to practice and incorrect ways.  So, appreciate the uses for such a statement, in appropriate settings, but do not let it become an excuse to ignore foundational principles that are necessary for good Tai Chi training.

Yang Tai Chi 13 Saber Form (18 of 26)

Tai Chi Tip: The Right Way and the Wrong Way - Part 1

One of my most memorable experiences from teaching Tai Chi classes was when a student brand new to my class simply refused to practice the basic movements I had shown her.  She insisted on following along with the students who were practicing a form.  I tried to explain that the reason I was showing her basic movements was to help her avoid building bad habits and possible practicing incorrectly.  After I finished my explanation, she shook her head, looked at me and said, "No, there is no right way or wrong way to do Tai Chi."  At first I thought she was joking, but when I realized she was serious, I simply nodded, said, "okay" and let her do whatever she wanted to for the rest of the class.  Looking back, I wish I had asked her a few more questions and engaged her in a conversation to find out what that statement meant to her, but at the time my only thought was that, with her mindset, there simply was not room for an instructor in her training.

However, I would like to address her comment here, as it is one I have heard repeated by various people on the subject of Tai Chi practice.  Let us start by establishing a distinction between Tai Chi (Taiji 太极) and Tai Chi Chuan (Taijiquan 太极拳).

Tai Chi is a concept that refers to the interactions and relationships between Yin energy and Yang energy.  It is a concept of balance between these energies as well as an understanding of how one neutralizes the other and also turns into the other.  It can be applied to pretty much every aspect of life.  For an oversimplified example, think of an extremely active person as being Yang and a sleeping person as being Yin.  If a person is always on-the-go and never stops to rest, he/she is out of balance and the results will be less than favorable.  Therefore, and active (Yang) lifestyle can be balanced by adequate rest (Yin).  To live a long healthy life, balance is necessary and, in a similar manner, the concept of Tai Chi can be used in nearly every aspect of a person's life.  In this regard, I would almost agree that there is no right way or wrong way to do Tai Chi, so long as one is seeking balance.....although, to be fair, it would not be a very strenuous mental exercise to think of ways in which even the concept of balance could be used incorrectly in daily life.

Since Tai Chi is a concept, why do we say that people are practicing Tai Chi when they are doing a set of slow movements or practicing push hands?  The answer is quite simple.  What those people are actually practicing is Tai Chi Chuan.  The term "Chuan" in Tai Chi Chuan means "fist" or "fighting style."  It is a term that is added to the names of many Chinese martial arts to identify them as fighting styles.  Shaolin Chuan would mean the Shaolin (A Buddhist monastery) fist, or the fighting style of the Shaolin Temple.  Wing Chun Chuan means, the fighting style of a woman named Yim Wing Chun.  So when we say Tai Chi Chuan, what we are saying is, "The fighting style based on the concept of Tai Chi."  One of the most popular concepts of Tai Chi Chuan is to yield and redirect (Yin) an opponent's attack (Yang), thus demonstrating the interplay between Yin and Yang in the concept of the maritial art.  When we say that people that are practicing slow movements are practicing Tai Chi, we are really saying that they are practicing movements based on the martial art Tai Chi Chuan, whether they are practicing for martial training purposes or simply for health.  Now, the actual physical practice of Tai Chi (Chuan) is where "correct" practice is very important.

To be continued...

Yang Tai Chi Saber Form Instruction Video (16 of 26)

Tai Chi Tip: Take a Moment - Part 2

(Continued from previous post)...Even bending the knees and stepping out to the side is not as simple as it seems.  As you bend your knees, you can see if the movement disrupts the preparations you have just made.  If it does, return to your starting position, readjust, then don't think of bending the knees, think of sinking.  Continue to listen to your body as you sink to make sure that your alignment stays true and your knees do not push out past your toes.  When you finish sinking, shift your weight to one foot (typically the right foot) and stay aware of your root and alignment.  If you feel unstable, shift the weight back to both feet and try this shift as many times as is necessary to feel that your root and alignment are maintaining your balance as you shift.  Then, eventually, take it to another level.  When you shift to one foot, do you simply feel balanced, or do you feel that if someone pushed against you they would have a difficult time pushing you over?  Focus on sinking into your root so much with this shift, that even though you have put all of your weight on one leg, you feel solid enough on that leg, that when you imagine someone pushing against you, you feel confident that you would remain solid.  

As you maintain the root in one leg, pick up the other foot (usually the left foot) and slowly....sloooooooowwwwwwly move it out to its new position.  This is not a simple step out, although it bears a striking resemblance to one.  This step prepares you for how you will be moving through the whole form.  Which is, to always maintain a solid root in one leg while stepping with the other.  No weight shifts and no root shifts until the foot in motion has touched the ground.  Then, and only then, can you begin to shift your root and your weight to that foot.  

The same amount of care should be placed in closing the form.  When you go through "Close Taiji" as you are lowering your hands and straightening your legs you should begin to do an inventory.  Is your alignment still correct?  Is your root still strong?  Is your mind still focused?  Is your weight still sunk into your base?  These should all be maintained throughout practice and if you find that this check point reveals any missing components, it allows you to recognize what was lost during your training.  Sometimes, while one practices, she/he will begin to focus so much on one thing, relaxing for example, that he/she will forget to maintain another thing, good structure for instance.  As I mentioned in a previous tip, it is a good idea to pick one thing to focus on, then add other points of focus as it becomes easier to do so.  The really important part is to make sure that you begin the form and end the form with the same number of Tai Chi principles intact.  In other words, if you begin the form focusing only on alignment, when you do your mental inventory at the beginning of the "Close Taiji" movement, you should find that you are still maintaining good alignment.  Likewise, if you begin with good alignment, relaxation, and rooting, you should still have each of these principles in your inventory at the end of the form.  This mental checklist helps you locate weak points in your form training.  That way, the next time you practice, you can keep an eye out for what exactly caused you to lose one of your key Tai Chi components.  

When you have finished checking yourself for any lost Tai Chi fundamentals, and are ready to bring your feet back together, go through the same rooting and alignment practice that you did at the beginning of the form.  If you find that you can finish strong with the same strength of root, the same alignment and balance, then it shows a proficiency and fitness in those skills, which allows you to carry them through the whole form and finish without them being diminished.  But if you find that you feel fatigued, your root does not feel as strong, your alignment feels shaky, and your balance is unsure, it indicates that your body and mind are still not used to the form and are still developing their Tai Chi fitness.  It is not a bad thing, it is just an indicator that there is work to be done and it gives you a way to measure your progress.  As time passes, and as you continue to train consistently, you will gradually see improvement at this stage of the form.  

After your feet are together and you begin to straighten your legs and return to your starting position, allow yourself to release your practice time and return to the "real world."  Allow as much of that practice session to stay with you throughout the rest of the day as feels natural, but do not try to force any of the feelings to stay with you.  Gradually, more and more will stay with you, but let it happen naturally.  Don't forget the lessons that you learned during your training, but also do not obsess over them.

Both of these sequences at the beginning and end of the form, though they may seem very simple, are actually very involved (as you can see) and they are crucial for preparing you to practice your form correctly, allowing you to gauge your ability to carry Tai Chi principles through the whole form, and allowing you to truly close the form.  These are where you change from "every day mode" into "Tai Chi mode" and back again.  You will find that the more you practice, the easier this transition will be.  Eventually, you will start to realize that there is less of a transition because the Tai Chi principles that you practice in the form are becoming a part of how you function in everyday life, but it all begins with slowing down and taking a moment to appreciate these seemingly insignificant little portions of your daily practice.

Tai Chi Tip: Take a Moment - Part 1

When you go through a Tai Chi form how much time do you spend on starting the form and finishing the form?  That may seem like a strange question, but very often the importance of preparing for the form followed by the "Begin Taiji" movements, and the "Close Taiji" movements followed by the closure of the form are ignored.  Students who are new to Tai Chi tend to rush through the portions of the form to get to the "good stuff."  I remember when I was first learning Tai Chi, the beginning and end of the form were not important to me.  Those movements just seemed like fancy ways to start and finish the practical-training portion of the form.  Fortunately, I was taught the importance of these segments and grew to appreciate them.  It is my hope that by the end of this tip, you will value these small portions of your training time as well.

If I were to ask you, "How do you start your Tai Chi form?" and you were to respond with, "I start with my feet together, I check my alignment, then I bend my knees slightly, and step out with one foot to the side." then you would have answered correctly (for most forms).  However, there is an entire world of training that exists in the movements that you just described and, believe it or not, you could spend several minutes on just this portion of the form. If you find that hard to believe, read on for a sample of the depth of these seemingly insignificant moves. 

As soon as you decide to practice Tai Chi you have automatically begun to prepare your mind and body to practice (to some extent) simply by developing the intent to practice, but that is certainly not where the preparation ends. When you bring your feet together and check your alignment, before you do any other movements, take a moment.  Pause.  Feel.  Listen.  Become aware of your environment.  Become aware of your body.  Every sensation.  Are your shoulders tight? Is your lower back bothering you?  Do you feel more relaxed than usual?  Are you feeling distracted?  It doesn't matter what you are feeling at this point and you should never feel disappointed by any of those sensations that would be considered undesirable for practicing Tai Chi.  At this point, you are simply becoming aware.  

Once you have become aware, it is time to actually prepare yourself for your Tai Chi practice.  This is where you take care of the things that might effect your training.  Begin with deep abdominal breathing to help quiet the mind, then take your attention to one problem area, the tense shoulders for example.  With your attention on the shoulders, inhale deeply and as you exhale imagine the tension releasing from the shoulders with that breathe, and repeat until your shoulders no longer feel tense.  If your lower back is tense, focus on relaxing those muscles and adjust your hips and overall stance to one that helps the lower back relax (this should have been taken care of when you checked your alignment, but sometimes you won't notice subtle misalignments that are causing issues, like a tense lower back, until you take a moment to listen for them.)  If your mind does not want to stay focused, imagine that you can see the air that you are inhaling travel in through your nose, all the way down to your lower belly.  Then watch it travel up from your lower belly and back out your nose as you exhale.  Continue to watch this breath-trek until it absorbs your attention the way watching a tv show would.  This will help quiet the mind and allow you to focus, which is necessary for directing your intent into your form practice.  As you relax, you should feel that it becomes more easy for your body's energy to flow freely, to exchange with the energy of your environment, and to fill you up so that it can support the structure of your movements. 

Next, sink.  Imagine that your body weight is sinking down into your lower belly, down into your legs and feet, and see yourself growing roots into the ground.  While this is happening the upper body will feel as though it is becoming lighter.  Think of yourself as a tree with big heavy roots anchoring you to the ground and supporting light flexible branches that are reaching up to the sky.  Become increasingly aware of your lower belly (more specifically the Dan Tian) and feel the connection between it and every other part of the body.  Understand that it is the director (like a steering wheel) for all of your movements and take time to mentally establish it in that role in your body.  Again, take a moment, allow all of these mental and physical adjustments to feel natural.  Do not worry about moving, don't think about the form, don't be in a hurry.  When you feel comfortable, you are ready to bend the knees and step out........(to be continued).

Special Announcement for September 2015

Yang Tai Chi Saber Partner Flow Exercises (video)

Here is the first video in a new series we have begun uploading to Youtube.  In this series we will be teaching several different partner flow exercises for the Yang Style Tai Chi Saber.  We hope you all enjoy this series!

A Natural Approach to Trigger Finger & Arthritis (Video)

Here's a short video we put together in response to some questions we have received from students about trigger finger and arthritis.  Enjoy!  :)