Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Chen 18 Form Name in English and Chinese


Chen 18 Form Name in English and Chinese


Number
English
Chinese Pinyin
Chinese Simplified
1
Preparing
yù bèi shì
预备式
2
Buddha’s Warrior Attendant Pounds Mortar
jīn gāng dǎo duì
金刚捣碓
3
Lazy About Tying Coat
lǎn zhā yī
懒扎衣
4
Six Sealing And Four Closing
liù fēng sì bì
六封四闭
5
Single Whip
dān biān
单鞭
6
The White Crane Spreads It’s Wings
bái hè liàng chì
白鹤亮翅
7
Walk Forward Diagonally
xié xíng ào bù
斜行拗步
8
Brush Knee
lōu qī
搂膝
9
Stepping to Both Sides (Three Steps Forward)
qián táng ào bù
前螳拗步
10
Cover Hands and Strike with Fist
yǎn shǒu hōng chuí
掩手肱捶
11
High Pat On the Horse
gāo tàn mǎ
高探马
12
Kick With Left Heel
dèng yī gēn
蹬一根
13
The Jade Girl Works At Shuttles
yù nu:3 chuān suō
玉女穿梭
14
Wave Hand
yùn shǒu
运手
15
Turn Body with Double Lotus Kick
zhuǎn shēn bǎi lián
转身摆莲
16
The Cannon Fist Over Head
dāng tóu pào
当头炮
17
Buddha’s Warrior Attendant Pounds Mortar
jīn gāng dǎo duì
金刚捣碓
18
Finishing Form
shōu shì
收势

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Taichi 24 Form Name List

1.   Commencing (Qǐshì, 起势), Preparation, Beginning
2.   Part the Wild Horse's Mane (Zuoyou Yémǎ Fēnzōng, 左右野马分鬃), LEFT and RIGHT
3.   White Crane Spreads Its Wings (Báihè Lìangchì, 白鹤亮翅), Stork/Crane Cools Its Wings
4.   Brush Knee and Step Forward (Zuoyou Lōuxī Àobù, 左右搂膝拗步), Brush Knee and Twist Step, LEFT and RIGHT
5.   Playing the Lute (Shǒuhūi Pípā, 手挥琵琶), Strum the Lute, Play Guitar
6.   Reverse Reeling Forearm (Zuoyou Dào juǎn gōng, 左右倒卷肱), Step Back and Drive Monkey Away, LEFT and RIGHT
7.   Left Grasp Sparrow's Tail (Zuo Lǎn Què Wěi, 左揽雀尾), Grasp the Bird's Tail
1.  Ward Off (Peng, )
2.  Rollback (Lǚ, )
3.  Press (Jǐ, )
4.  Push (Àn, )
8.   Right Grasp Sparrow's Tail (You Lǎn què wěi, 右揽雀尾)
9.   Single Whip (Dān biān, 单鞭)
10. Wave Hands Like Clouds (Yúnshǒu, 云手), Cloud Hands, Cloud Built Hands, Wave Hands in Clouds
11. Single Whip (Danbian, 单鞭)
12. High Pat on Horse (Gāo tàn mǎ, 高探马), Step Up to Examine Horse
13. Right Heel Kick (Yòu dēng jiǎo, 右蹬脚), Separate Right Foot, Kick with Right Foot
14. Strike to Ears with Both Fists (Shuāng fēng guàn ěr, 双峰贯耳)
15. Turn Body and Left Heel Kick (Zhuǎnshēn zuǒ dēngjiǎo, 转身左蹬脚)
16. Left Lower Body and Stand on One Leg (Zuo Xià shì dúlì, 左下势独立)
1.  Single Whip Squatting Down, Snake Creeps Down,
2.  Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg, Golden Bird Standing Alone
17. Right Lower Body and Bird Stand on One Leg (You Xià shì dúlì, 右下势独立)
18. Shuttle Back and Forth (Yòuzuǒ yùnǚ chuānsuō, 右左玉女穿梭), Fair Lady Works with Shuttles, (Walking Wood), Four Corners, RIGHT and LEFT
19. Needle at Sea Bottom (Hǎidǐ zhēn, 海底针)
20. Fan Through Back (Shǎn tōng bì, 闪通臂), Fan Penetrates Back
21. Turn Body, Deflect, Parry, and Punch (Zhuǎnshēn Bānlánchuí, 转身搬拦捶)
22. Appears Closed (Rúfēng shìbì, 如封似闭), Withdraw and Push, as if Closing a Door
23. Cross Hands (Shízìshǒu, 十字手)
24. Closing (Shōushì, 收势)


Friday, February 20, 2015

Important tips for taichi beginners

Tai Chi Chuan is, to Western eyes, an unusual way to exercise. It is not the usual sweaty workout expected in order to build muscle and lose weight.

The first and most common impression that young students have upon seeing this slow and almost-no-impact exercise is “this is for elders, not for me.”

Tai Chi is an ART; a slow cook, not a deep fry. It’s not fast food or a magic supplement. Young students often do not stay in class long enough to digest this art which can maintain the body for a lifetime.

If you are a student who has hesitated to try Tai Chi, or if you are ready to leave class after just one try or a look or two, we suggest that rather than just quitting, you try some of the following guidelines and go to your teacher for some advice and encouragement.

Tip: Watch for Details During Class

The biggest challenge for beginners is trying to quickly grasp each movement seen in class. That is a difficult challenge which can require great patience when progress seems so slow. The trick is to watch your instructor!

A good teacher will put together slow, segmented movements to let you see the details. Watch closely, and try to replay them in your mind after you have left class.
Here are the details you can watch for:
1. Step: Watch which foot holds the body’s weight. (The other foot should be weightless.) Notice how the body weight changes with a step forward or a step backward. Notice the direction the toes are facing and how that changes with each step. When the foot is lifted, notice if it turns with the ball or with the heel, and if it lands on the ball or the heel.
2. Body: Notice whether the body turns to the left or the right as it moves forward and backward.
3. Hands: Notice when the hands move from left to right or right to left, from up to down or down to up, from inside to outside or outside to inside. Notice which direction palms are facing.
4. Eyes: The eyes should not stare, but should gaze through the upper, moving hand most of the time.
5. Coordination: As you become more familiar with the movements of the step, body, hands, and eyes, look for how they coordinate with one another. For example, one hand will move forward and the other hand will move down.
Tip: Class Structure
Our classes are carefully designed to have:
Warm Up to limber up all joints.
Easy Energy Development to practice fixed step movements that extracted from the forms.
Single Movement Practice to learn details and develop expertise in a particular movement.
Form and/or Routine Practice to gain familiarity with an entire form.
Movements are carefully explained for your level, then reviewed again in the next session to make corrections and to allow you to catch up if you miss an occasional class.
Tip: Names of Movements
Click here to get the name list for the Yang style 24 form.
Ask your teacher for a list of names of the movements for any other forms you are studying.
Our Chinese ancestors created these names in order to help students memorize the “body vocabulary” of each movement. In the old days, Tai Chi Masters required students to sing aloud the name of each movement while practicing. If you will do the same, it will help you master the sequence of the form quicker until you can perform it on your own.
Each name actually describes a posture that connects two movements. Each posture is a slight pause. In Chinese, this is called Ding Shi, the Pause Posture. All names are vivid descriptions or analogies. “White Crane Spreads its Wings,” “Wave Hands like Clouds.”


Tip: Visit with Other Students
Always feel free to ask the students around you in the class for advice or explanations. They have also been beginners, and are always glad to help others. Discussions between students will always expose some interesting thoughts, insights, and questions.
Tip: Class is not Equal to Practice
Because a class has very limited time, a common problem for new students is lack of practice. Sadly, attendance at and learning in class is not enough of a commitment. Students should take what they can from class and repeat it at home on their own. To master even the rough appearance of a movement, the movement should be repeated at least 100 times a week.
Practice, practice, practice -- for yourself and for your teacher. Tai Chi teachers never want their students to say “I learned a new thing today, but I already forgot what I learned yesterday.”
Take notes if you can, very few students prepared to take notes!