A saying goes that a good beginning always means half of success; it is also the same with Tai Chi Chuan. Practicing the first stage well will not only help you to learn Tai Chi in a right way, but also will increase your confidence in learning Tai Chi well in the future.
A saying goes that a good beginning always means half of success; it is also the same with Tai Chi Chuan. Practicing the first stage well will not only help you to learn Tai Chi in a right way, but also will increase your confidence in learning Tai Chi well in the future.
In the first stage, for the foundation work, attention should be paid to the following points:
Correctness
In learning to practice Tai Chi Chuan you must, first of all, keeps your body upright and comfortable, and take the correct position. When raising the head and straightening the neck, dropping the shoulders and elbows, relaxing the waist and holding in the buttocks, special attention should be paid to keeping the spine straight and the shoulders and hips re1axed and flat to ensure an upright torso. The positions for the other parts of the body should also be executed earnestly and correctly as required. As a matter of fact, ignorance of the essential points for any one part of the body will lead to a deformation in the positions of the other parts.
Stability
To ensure that the torso is upright and comfortable, it is first of all necessary to keep the lower limbs stable. The stances and footwork are the foundation of good positions and movements. If the steps are too small and too narrow or the positions and angles of the feet are not correct, and the distinction between emptiness and solidness is not clear while executing the movements, instability of the body will result. Therefore, beginners must first have a clear understanding of the stances and footwork. You can properly grasp the timing for the change of body weight by practicing the stances and different steps separately.
Relaxation
Beginners should pay attention to relaxation when executing the movements. The body parts should be fully extended and the movements should be soft and natural. Beginners are likely to use clumsy force and become unnecessarily nervous. In laying the foundation, the body parts must be relaxed and the movements must be soft. Strive to overcome, nervousness and stiff movement.
Lightness and softness
In order to acquire lightness, slowness, softness and gentleness required by Tai Chi Chuan movements, beginners should do the exercises slowly and softly, and apply the force lightly and evenly. Generally speaking, slow movements and light force at the beginning help make correct movements at the right pace and avoid incorrect force application.