The Tai Chi Healthways Discussion Board

Q: as a beginner in taiji I often spend much effort focussing on postures, alignment and round movements. But after finishing the form I feel tensed and not relakse at all as I thought it shuold be when doing taiji.

Am I doing it wrong?

as a beginner i exsperience many things while doing taiji, but i don't know what feeling I shuold continue following and what to stop.

What is the feeling of doing right taiji and the feeling of doing wrong taiji?

phamminhthat wrote:Q: as a beginner in taiji I often spend much effort focussing on postures, alignment and round movements. But after finishing the form I feel tensed and not relakse at all as I thought it shuold be when doing taiji.

Do you feel tensed when you follow a class and concentrate on the postures your teacher is showing you, or when you are trying to follow and correct your postures?
Or
Do you feel tensed when you are practicing alone?

I think that if you focus on getting the move right and watch your teacher like a "hawk" to "get the move", like we all do it is quite normal that you feel not relax - as you put it. Try and let go and ride the energy wave you may feel with the taiji colleagues and teacher.

ALone and in class, focus on your shoulders, if you feel they are up and tensed, relax them. Keep your shoulders down and rounded and feel that you are like an energy ball floating on the ocean waves.

phamminhthat wrote:as a beginner i experience many things while doing taiji, but i don't know what feeling I shuold continue following and what to stop.

What is the feeling of doing right taiji and the feeling of doing wrong taiji?

I would say happier and energized. Leaving the class with a big smile on your face
--isabelle

phamminhthat wrote:What is the feeling of doing right taiji and the feeling of doing wrong taiji?

Hard question! It's a bit like: what is the feeling of doing right piano or doing wrong piano?

If you were learning the piano, you would not expect to play perfectly hard pieces in a month. First, you learn the fingering for right hand, then left hand, then you learn how to play them together. First slowly, then faster, then more complex pieces, .... After a few years, you can play the same pieces with much less effort.

Taiji can be a bit overwhelming in the beginning. Take it easy!
Each time you do the form, concentrate on one single thing at a time. One time the shoulders, one time the footwork, another time relaxing the kua, another time the breathing, etc. After a few months, it should start feeling a bit easier. Little by little, you will see other details in the form, and you will work to incorporate them in your form.

Taiji is an effective martial art, but the martial training happens as we work on the HEALTH part. Relaxing is most important, and as Isabelle said, the best feeling of doing Taiji right is when you feel happy and in a good mood after a class or practising the form.

Oh, that piano analogy reminds me of something Franz Listz (I think) said about learning piano: the muscle memory builds faster when we go slow.

One more thing: in Taiji, the upper body and the kua are relaxed, but the legs will get sore, even in a high posture.

Hope that helps. Tell us how it goes!

Do you feel tensed when you are practicing alone?


ALone and in class, focus on your shoulders, if you feel they are up and tensed, relax them. Keep your shoulders down and rounded and feel that you are like an energy ball floating on the ocean waves.

happier and energized. Leaving the class with a big smile on your face
--isabelle[/quote]

I feel exspecially tensed following the teacher because he does to fast, and eventhough i know the sequence there is no time to focussing on relaksation.

the comment about the shoulders and the SMILE is great I will follow these advice

alain:


thank you for youradvise, I will follow your advise about focussing on one thing at a time and try not to expect myself to be able to do everything right at the first time .

During last seminar Chen Zhenglei said that sometimes we feel good after taijiquan practice sometimes not - it's all normal So my guess is don't expect to feel good every time you practice it:)

phamminhthat wrote:What is the feeling of doing right taiji and the feeling of doing wrong taiji?

I can only give you my own example. After spending 6-7 years practicing on my own with help of DVDs from known Grand Masters I came to Master Guo (www.chen-taiji-la.com). He's classes were not very popular in LA. After first practice I've realized why. First hour of two we were just standing still doing so called zhan zhuang (http://www.yiquan.org.uk/art-zz.html) meditation.

Second hour we were going through Lao Jia emphasizing on different areas every time. But the main point was always - keep correct body structure and internal work during each move. Believe me or not but after doing Zhan Zhuang for about a year (at least for 15-20 min every night) I started filling much better about my form. Even Er Lu (2nd frame) which is more energetic became relaxing for me. It's all about right body structure!

Don't make common mistake. Do not underestimate standing meditation effect. Check this guy - http://www.geocities.com/tukylam/
His book "Demystifying Tai Chi Chuan" is my Bible now.

-Roman

phamminhthat wrote: But after finishing the form I feel tensed and not relakse at all as I thought it shuold be when doing taiji.

I can't really add much to the above responses as far as how it is supposed to feel, since "feeling" can be very subjective for each individual, but I would like to add a piece of advice to help you in possibly relaxing more when doing the form(s).

I primarily practice in the evening after the end of my day, so I'm usually tense as it is from a long stressful work day. For a long time I would begin practicing my taiji forms straight away to help me relax, but I noticed I was still tense when doing the form. I wasn't giving my body and my mind a chance to "cool down" and de-stress from the days events. For me, I discovered Master Tsao's "Tai Chi Warm-Up 18 Forms" DVD and began practicing the warm-up exercises for about 15-20 minutes before my form practice. I personally felt immediate results in greater relaxation during my form(s) practice. I too focus on getting the principles and postures correct, but I was more relaxed when I did it after a warm-up. And after my forms practice I would feel very relaxed yet energetic and focused at the same time. As Master Tsao says on the DVD, it "setup my body's condition" for practicing taiji.

You don't specifically need to do Master Tsao's DVD per se, but I think a low-impact relaxing warm-up before doing your form(s) practice will help you to setup your body and mind for taiji practice, help to reduce your tense muscles and stress, and improve your concentration while doing the form(s) practice. At least it has worked for me, anyway!?

You are right, a good warmup is very important. I remember a workshop with Chen Zhenlei, where he had us warmup up for maybe 45mn, going slowly through each joint (neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, spine, hips, knees, ankles). After that long warmup, the form felt really good and relaxed.
It's hard to take the time to do a long warmup with a busy life, but it's well worth it!