Tai Chi update
9 Nov 2005 11:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
karohemdI haven't written about it in a while because it was difficult finding something interesting to say other than "today we practised really hard".
We're a proper regular class now and the group consists of about 15 people of varying degrees of experience. Currently, there are four (including me) beginners from last year left, everybody else are either members of the regular class that was discontinued in September due to venue issues and instructor availability or of Chris's ex-beginner's class.
Currently, a session consists of a set at the beginning, then intense practising of one or more of the foundation exercises (only tor-yu today). After the teabreak we practise the application of the previously learned foundation exercises in the set. Basically, we're starting from scratch again, looking at the moves from a different, more complex angle, paying particular attention to coordination and timing.
Today, we practised Push Hands, a partner exercise, for the first time. It's a great way of checking you're doing the whole weight/force shift correctly and helps coordination, too.
Other styles use this as the basics for martial applications but we only use it as a force application/sensing exercise. I apparently impressed my partner (a senior member and ex-instructor) because he asked me if I had done this before. And I had but only briefly at the big workshop earlier in the year (I watched some peole do it and Sam showed me).
The great advantage (and most likely the point why they were devised) of the foundation exercises is that you don't need much room (as much as you need with your arms outstretched in diameter) and practising them improves your Tai Chi as the moves in the set is just an application.
I'm quite pleased with my progress in some areas but in others I'm still lacking (e.g. squaring my hips). However, considering how badly coordinated and inflexible I was a year ago, I can be reasonably confident this will improve in the next months and years, too.
We're a proper regular class now and the group consists of about 15 people of varying degrees of experience. Currently, there are four (including me) beginners from last year left, everybody else are either members of the regular class that was discontinued in September due to venue issues and instructor availability or of Chris's ex-beginner's class.
Currently, a session consists of a set at the beginning, then intense practising of one or more of the foundation exercises (only tor-yu today). After the teabreak we practise the application of the previously learned foundation exercises in the set. Basically, we're starting from scratch again, looking at the moves from a different, more complex angle, paying particular attention to coordination and timing.
Today, we practised Push Hands, a partner exercise, for the first time. It's a great way of checking you're doing the whole weight/force shift correctly and helps coordination, too.
Other styles use this as the basics for martial applications but we only use it as a force application/sensing exercise. I apparently impressed my partner (a senior member and ex-instructor) because he asked me if I had done this before. And I had but only briefly at the big workshop earlier in the year (I watched some peole do it and Sam showed me).
The great advantage (and most likely the point why they were devised) of the foundation exercises is that you don't need much room (as much as you need with your arms outstretched in diameter) and practising them improves your Tai Chi as the moves in the set is just an application.
I'm quite pleased with my progress in some areas but in others I'm still lacking (e.g. squaring my hips). However, considering how badly coordinated and inflexible I was a year ago, I can be reasonably confident this will improve in the next months and years, too.
