Tai Chi Long Form - Lift Hands

17 June 2024 Lift Hand

Rock back onto your right foot turn your torso to the right until you are facing 10:30, rotate your left foot, turning on your heel. Shift your weight onto your left foot. Move your right foot forward (toward 10:30) into a right foot forward cat stance, with the toes up. Your hands move into the “Play the Peipa” position, with your left hand slightly above the level of your right.  

From Boonchai

  “The moves are not harder than the short form, you just repeat them.  The trick to practicing the long form is that you need to remember which one is after which. After single whip then could be different you need to remember what is next. The moves aren’t more difficult. During practice even if you practice wrong its better than if you don’t practice.  If you never practice you will never learn.  Practice.  Practice for yourself.  Practice to remember.  Practice to get it. Just practice what I teach you.  Until you can do it smoothly.  Practice until you forget it. You practice until you don’t need to think just let your muscles move.  Practice to get it, practice to forget it.

  The long form is not really long, just repeat moves.  The long form movements are different than short form movements.  When I mention each move try to memorize what I teach you.  You may not be able to get it in class just practice at home.  Try to bring up the memory of what you did in class.

  Keep adjusting your body and muscles will learn and it will memorize it. Keep reminding yourself and correcting. People practice the same form forever. One form is enough for whole life. Can always find mistakes. My teacher when I learned it with him he was 84 years old he started in his early 20’s when he was in college he practiced the form for 60 or 70 years. I asked him how he feels? He says the more I practice the more mistakes I find. Understand? We always find mistakes we can’t be perfect. When you watch people do tai chi it always looks different.”