The Tai Chi Healthways Discussion Board

I would be greatly appriciative is someone could critique my tai chi form, I do practice yang style 24 form, and I would also like to know what im doing wrong.

This video is me showing my friend how to use fa jing to break boards with out use of muscle power,and doing some push hands with him. He recently started learning from a diffrent master, he just started, I have been doing it for 6 years. "Im the one with the tai chi shirt."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysbg_oUtyD8

here is a video of my form " I dont know why but I looked down the entire time tisk tisk maybe it was becuase I was on video"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PapVQm0Pxa0


thanks appriciate your critiques. Sorry if I mis spelled anything my wifes chinese is wearing off on me.

Hi Zukeru,

Watch your knees. As a rule, the knee of the leg that is "full" should not extend beyond the toes. You may hurt your knees and loose your root.

Hello,

Why don't you keep your head upright while practicing the form ? : look here, this video of Master Tsao, you should see the difference
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q77p16rEX7o

at 1:51 when you seem to push, it looks like you were not really pushing something.

on the same demo, master Tsao explains this movment,

at 3:48 when you punch with both hands, it also looks like you do not know what you are punching.

Maybe would it be interesting for you to know (I do not say practice) the martial applications, because by knowing why you do a movment, you understand more easily how to do this movment more correctly

just my opinion once again, but when you try to break boards, it seems ( seen from my lack of experience of course) your shoulder does not really follow your hips.

Watch closely your friend : his whole body is moving, and watch closely yours, it seems like you move different parts of your body at different moment. at 0:31, 0:32 stop the video and you will see your arm in front of you, but your hips still on the same place.

For your friend, the shoulder follows more clearly the hips.

In pushhands, compare again your body position and your friend's : it seems you do not really try to keep the body upright, at 2:07 your shoulders are working, but not your hips.

at 1:11 when you come back to your friend, you put yourself out of balance, once again because you do not keep your body aligned.

To keep the body aligned anywhere, anytime, could be the first point to train for you.

thanks for all the critique I will try to apply it, now I know my problems I Can fix them. Ill make a new video and we will see thanks...

Hi zukeru,
I don't know Yang 24, so I can just comment on your push hands. I'm not a big expert in this field, but to me you do to much unnecessary movements back and forth. When other people do it during push hands I can easily borrow them

Congratulations for being so brave. It takes alot of guts to open up and take critique from people you don't know. I watched the video of your form. I have practised Yang form along with Chen for many years and I am assuming you don't have an instructer which is why you want some advice. I think over all you do very well. Very relaxed and smooth. There are a few things though. Like someone has already mentioned you seem to overextend yourself. It is normal to want to reach and lunge while executing some of these forms but it is important to stay within your bodies limits. Taichi is a close combat form (for the most part) so make sure you are not overextending. Also another good tip that I have found useful in the past is to go through the routine focusing on "the other" hand. You have the lead hand that is splitting, pushing, striking, ect... then you have the other hand. Focus on that hand and you will find that you will move with more coordination. Also since you have the relaxed part down good. You can focus more on moving your chi to the limbs so you will execute the moves with more purpose and strength. Just my two cents. I hope it helps.