Tai Chi Long Form - Single Whip
10 June 2024 Single Whip
Correction – I had said to not shift your weight to the left foot but in fact you do shift your weight to your left foot but keep your right foot flat on the ground. Turn your right foot to the left 135 degrees (setting yourself up for the 60/40 stance that is coming). Turn your hips to the left, moving your arms in a fairly wide circle to the left, palms are facing down, and your arms are generally parallel to the ground. Once your right foot has completed its movement to the left, shift your weight onto the right foot. Bring the circle your arms are making close to your chest as you shift your weight. As you transition into Single Whip your left foot will briefly be facing 10:30 in a cat stance. Then step forward towards 9:00 with your left foot into a 60/40 stance. Your right hand moves into a crane beak as you thrust your right arm toward 1:30. Your left-hand pushes forward to 9:00 as you settle into your stance.
From Boonchai
“Relax don’t use force. Sit the wrists. Eyes look straight.
Don’t make it too straight. Bend the wrists. We call it sitting the wrist. Again from pushing. Slowly shift and then turn the foot. Turn it the most you could then shift back to the right. Move the hands in, hands out to the right make a step out. Make sure that when you make a step left that both feet are not on the same line. This is on the same line they need to be apart. Good. So if you didn’t finish turning the toes, then you push the heel back. In case you didn’t finish you just push the heel back to finish.
Try to lean 70/30. 70 in the front 30 in the back. Even if you cannot bend the knee make your weight more in the front. 70%. Push the heel back. Both go together. If you use the knee to lead the foot you will have knee pain. Just turn together. The toes and knee.
Tai chi is continuous. Don’t pause like martial arts. Keep the hands and feet moving all the time. Muscles are moving all the time, joints are moving all the time. Contrast, opposite. At the beginning of the form we start together. Then slowly goes to the opposite. At the end of the form we come back together again. In the middle the hands and feet are always opposite. Watch yourself.”
