Martial movement training
The hand forms are normally learned in the order Square Form, Round Form, Mirror Form and Reverse Form.
Weapons training
Weapon forms are also learned and performed as Mirror Form.
- Sabre Form – Xuan Xuan Do (太極玄玄刀)
- Sword Form – Qian Kun Jian (太極乾坤劍)
- Spear Form – 13 Techniques Spear (太極十三勢搶)
Freefighting & self defence
San Sau (散手) self-defense applications are divided into the following subdivisions
- Die Pu (跌撲)
to make the opponent fall and then hit him (or hit him so that he falls) - Shuai Jiao (摔角)
grappling techniques including throwing, sweeping and tripping - Qin Na (擒拿)
seizing and holding, including locking and grip strike techniques - Dim Mak (Dian Xue) (點穴)
- attacking vital points with locks, strikes, etc.
Basic Combat drills – 四十八散手
奔雷手 – running thunder hand
虎抱頭 – tiger embraces head
雙抽腿 – double seizing legs
五行肘 – 5 element arm
單抽腿 – single seizing leg
折臂式 – break arm style
先鋒臂 – vanguard arms
太極起式 beginning style
出手 extend hands
七星勢 – seven stars style
攬雀尾 – grasping bird’s tail
單鞭 – single whip
斜飛勢 – flying oblique high and low
提手上勢 – raise hands and step up
白鶴涼翅 – white crane flaps its wings
摟膝拗步 – brush knee twist step
手揮琵琶 – stroke the lute
搬攔捶 – parry, deflect and punch
如封似閉 – as if shutting a door
抱虎歸山 – embrace tiger, return to mountain
十字手 – cross hands
肘底看捶 – fist under elbow
倒攆猴 – step back repulse monkey
海底針 – needle at sea bottom
扇通背 – fan through the back
撇身捶 – swing fist
雲手 – cloud hands
高探馬 – pat the horse high
分手 separate hands
左右披身 – drape body to left and right
左右分腳 – separate legs left and right
轉身蹬腳 – turn body and kick
進步栽捶 – step forward punch down
翻身撇身捶 – turn body and swing fist
卸步七星 – step back seven stars
打虎勢 – to beat the tiger
披身踢腳 – twist the body and kick
雙峰貫耳 – box the ears
野馬分鬃 – parting wild horse’s mane
玉女穿梭 – fair lady works shuttle
蛇身下勢 – snake creeps down (low style)
金雞獨立 – golden cockerel stands on 1 leg
撲面掌 – slap the face
擺蓮腿 – single hand sweep lotus leg
指擋捶 – punch the groin
上步七星 step up seven stars
退步跨虎 – step back to ride the tiger
雙擺蓮腿 – double hand sweep lotus leg
彎弓射虎 – draw the bow to shoot the tiger
迴旋手 – gyrating arms
白蛇吐信 – white snake spits out tongue
飛花掌 – flying flower palm
Internal Strength training (Neigong) (內功)
Advanced exercises taught to committed students for the development of higher level skills.
Comprising 12 Yin (十二陰內功) and 12 Yang (十二陽內功) Exercises
YIN SYSTEM
金龜式 Golden Tortoise 2-20 minutes, development of toughness of entire body
抱一式 Embrace The One 2-10 minutes to develop power of the arms and shoulders
捧金盤 Holding up the Golden Plate 2-10 minutes to increase power of arms, shoulders and wrists
玉兔朝華 Jade rabbit facing moon 41-333 repetitions to strengthen deep breathing pattern and diaphragmatic breathing
仙鶴舒爪 Red capped crane stretching its feet 41-333 repetitions to developing expansive power and to open and stimulate the lungs
靈 捕鼠 Civet cat catching rats 41-333 repetitions to enhance spiralling and explosive driving force
左右揚鞭 Flick the whip 111-1001 repetitions to developing whipping explosive power and heavy hands
白猿推掌 White ape pushing out paws 41-333 repetitions to develop rotational power combined with gravity
燕穿雲 Swallow piercing through clouds 111-1001 repetitions to escape grappling positions
順牽羊 Leading a goat smoothly 111-1001 repetitions to strengthen diverting skills and uprooting skill
巨蟒翻身 Giant Python turning its body 41-333 repetitions to strengthen the kidneys and heart (and more vigour and vitality)
象搖頭 Elephant swings it’s head 111-1001 repetitions to develop relaxation of the entire body
YANG SYSTEM
虎爪 Tiger paw 41-333 repetitions to strengthen explosive forward force
金龍盤柱 Golden dragon coiling a pillar 41-333 repetitions to strengthen the lower body and develop hip and waist flexibility
白馬揚蹄 White horse pounds it’s hooves 41-333 repetitions to augment crushing force
左右柵欄 Plant the fence 8-60 minutes to strengthen immovable frame and ‘fence’
Wu Gang cutting laurels 111-1001 repetitions to train core rotational power
犀牛望月 Rhino facing the moon 2-15 minutes to strengthen Kidneys (source of vitality)
臥虎伸腰 Recling tiger stretching its waist 111 – 1001 repetitions to enhance integrated rising power
山君出洞 Monarch of the mountain exiting cave 1 – 5 minutes to develop strength and structure of the lower body
艄人推櫓 Boatman rowing 41-333 repetitions to train fluid and powerful weight shifting
餓鷹覓食 Hungry eagle looking for food 5-30 minutes to develop upper body power and stretch the lungs
獼猴蹤 Macaque monkey leaping through trees 41-333 repetitions to enhance integrated lower body explosiveness, balance and cardiovascular endurance
老叟燒丹 Old Man Makes Medicine (puts mind and spirit in Unity) breathing awareness training to integrate mind and spirit for tranquility and stillness
Grappling skills – 推手
Training in understanding jin (勁) – force. This includes 13 tactics (十三勢) which comprises the 8 forces (八勁) and 5 steps (五步), ting jin (聽勁) – listening for jin, hua jin (化勁) – using jin to redirect the opponents jin and fa jin (發勁) – discharging jin.
fixed step – 定步
- 4 Directions (四正推手) – Peng, Lu, Ji, An (掤,(手履),擠,按)
- Zhou Lu (肘履推手)
- Fu Yang (俯仰推手) – bow down, look up
- Reeling Silk (纏絲推手)
moving step – 活步
- Da Lu (大履步) – big diversion – Cai, Lie, Zhou, Kao (採,(手列),肘,靠)
- also called as 4 corners pushing hands (四隅推手) also called 8 gates, 5 steps (八門五步)
- 9 Palace Step (九宮步推手)
- 7 Stars Step (七星步推手)
- Gather the Wave (採浪推手)
Auxiliary Exercises*
- single hand pushing hands (單推手)
- push absorbtion training
- fixed step pushing hands (自由定步推手)
- restricted step pushing hands (自由限步推手)
- moving step pushing hands (自由活步推手)
Current class schedule:
Monday 1800-2100 Tai Chi Chuan
Wednesday 1800-2100 Tai Chi Chuan
Saturdays 1100-1500 Workshops
£25 per session
ALL LEVELS WELCOME
16 Kentish Town Road, Camden, London Nw1 9NX
T: 0751 552 2950 (Booking)
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