By careful breathing, I made my morning tai chi last 30 minutes this morning. OK, 28 minutes… but who’s counting? Among other things, Snake Creeps Down must be broken into three separate motions — the sink, the sweep, and the rise. Otherwise it’s impossible to do slowly. The kicks need to be broken into the thigh-lift, the kick, the return, and the drop. I’ll have to work on adding fluidity to these motions, but I now know exactly how fast or slow to go to make the whole series work for its designated time. I wound up sweating lightly during the set, and the chi was flowing quite successfully. I’m definitely stronger for the workout and stretch every morning, and I think I’ve also boosted my immune system. Normally by this time of the year I’ve gotten every cold and flu to come down the pike. Instead I’m in great shape, and getting better. By the end of school, I should have not quite 200 days under my belt.
Several of my colleagues have asked me to do a tai chi set with them on the patio outside the dining hall during lunch this spring. I’d like to do that, but we’ll see if we can get away with it. January 17 will mark 50 days of tai chi. Now I just have to get there.
Re: Do you know a form?
If you remember any of the basic postures, you can create a mini-form. Hold each posture for 6-8 inward breaths, and move on to the next one you remember. You won’t harm yourself, and you may discover you remember more postures than you thought you did.
Having your iPod or other music source set to a semi-random selection of trancey or motion-y non-vocalized music will give you something to move to, and you can set some goals for yourself about how many songs are going to play before you move.
Re: Do you know a form?
Unfortunately I don’t know a form. I’ve forgotten much of what I was doing when taking classes and need to start the form mostly from scratch.
Do you know a form?
I’m not taking classes with an instructor — I’m doing the form I learned eight years ago, and it’s proven valuable to me to say — I’ll do this for 100 days. The classes are free, because the form teaches me what’s right and what’s wrong.
At present I’m doing no exercise of any kind. I will resume running sometime this month. I’m not sure when I’ll take up taijiquan again as I’m not in an adequate financial position to pay for the classes.
That’s good to know. Do you keep up with any sort of regular practice? I think the breathing itself is the best help. And between fencing, running, and tai chi on a daily basis, I’m definitely in better shape. I’m currently wearing size 38 pants that didn’t fit two weeks ago.
Even though I haven’t been studying taijiquan for the last few years, what study I did took very well. Just the breathing alone has helped keep me from getting sick as much as I typically do over the course of a few years.
Even though I haven’t been studying taijiquan for the last few years, what study I did took very well. Just the breathing alone has helped keep me from getting sick as much as I typically do over the course of a few years.
That’s good to know. Do you keep up with any sort of regular practice? I think the breathing itself is the best help. And between fencing, running, and tai chi on a daily basis, I’m definitely in better shape. I’m currently wearing size 38 pants that didn’t fit two weeks ago.
At present I’m doing no exercise of any kind. I will resume running sometime this month. I’m not sure when I’ll take up taijiquan again as I’m not in an adequate financial position to pay for the classes.
Do you know a form?
I’m not taking classes with an instructor — I’m doing the form I learned eight years ago, and it’s proven valuable to me to say — I’ll do this for 100 days. The classes are free, because the form teaches me what’s right and what’s wrong.
Re: Do you know a form?
Unfortunately I don’t know a form. I’ve forgotten much of what I was doing when taking classes and need to start the form mostly from scratch.
Re: Do you know a form?
If you remember any of the basic postures, you can create a mini-form. Hold each posture for 6-8 inward breaths, and move on to the next one you remember. You won’t harm yourself, and you may discover you remember more postures than you thought you did.
Having your iPod or other music source set to a semi-random selection of trancey or motion-y non-vocalized music will give you something to move to, and you can set some goals for yourself about how many songs are going to play before you move.