Tai Chi Exercises

Essays

This is a series of exercises that I obtained from a workshop with Gangaji. I do a variation of them 4-5 times a week to stretch and center me in my body. Be careful…they are strenuous and can be powerful over time. Gene Brockopp

Tai Chi Warmup Exercises

Lineage

These exercises are a shortened version of the original set. The set was taught by Shirfu (Teacher) Chiang Yun-chun, of the Wen Wu School of Albany, California. Chiang learned them from Shirfu Guo. Guo learned them from Wang, the stable boy, at the fall of the ChingDynasty in China. Wang, the stable boy, learned them from Yang Ben-hou, who was the only one considered better than his father, the incomparable Yang Lu-chan.These exercises were kept a secret, during the three hundred years of the Ching (Manchu)Dynasty, by the Yang family of Quangping, Hopei Province, in Northern China. All of those mentioned above were from Quangping.

Before the invasion of the Manchus in the early 1600's, these exercises were taught and passed on from teacher to worthy student. They went underground during the Mongol invasion of China and the overthrow of the Sung Dynasty in the late 1200's. The origination is unclear, but Tai Chi can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty around 800 AD

Tai Chi Warm-Ups

GENERAL OPENING:

“Feet together, eyes closed, breathing deep into your belly. Visualizing a golden cord of energy, rising UP from the base of your spine and out the top of your head, holding you suspended effortlessly from the sky. And roots, from the soles of your feet, spiraling down to the center of the earth, solid and grounded. Relaxing all the muscles in your face, neck, shoulders, arms and hands. .•. (from head to toe). Held up from above, and rooted to the earth. Opening your eyes...”

REMINDERS:

• All movement originates in the dan tien, about two inches below the navel.

• Breathe exclusively through the nose.

• Unless otherwise stated, eyes have a “soft focus” on the horizon. Shoulders down and relaxed.

• Keep the spine straight, back flat and head up in all postures.

• Push into the ground, using your legs to come up (protecting your back).

• Listen to your body... if pain is felt, pull out of the posture just enough to not stress the body, but still receiving the maximum stretch.

1. Waist Rotations: Feet together, hands in back on your kidneys. Leading with the dan tien, 50 circles in one direction. Change.

2. Hip Rotations: Feet shoulder width apart, hands behind you on your hips. Leading with the pelvis, 50 circles in one direction. Change.

3. Knee Rotations: Squat—both feet flat on ground, relaxing lower back. Massage the knees (front, back, and sides). Coming forward, back flat and head up, hands resting on the outsides of the knees—20 circles in each direction (10 shallow, 10 deep). Massage the knees. Change. Massage.

4. Back Bends: Set of 10. Feet together. Clasping your hands together and reaching up and back (breathing all the way). On the forward bend, open the legs shoulder wide , bending the knees slightly. Reach for the backs of your legs, if you're able to. Massage.

5. Side Stretching: Two sets (10 shallow, 10 deep). Feet together, clasping your hands together and reaching up, then bending sideways from the waist, looking up at the sky (ceiling), 10 stretches, alternating sides. On the 10th stretch, drop down, flat back, over that leg (stretch). Now up, and down to the other side (stretch). Up to center again—10 stretches (down to your toes)from side to side, flat back and head up. Staying down on the last one…reach for ankle and twist, walking the hands to the other side, twist. Massage

6. Arm Circles: Feet together. Clasping your hands together, in front of your chest—10 arm circles, breathing through your nose. Then stretching up on #10 (shoulders down). Pull down to one side; arms behind your head. Change. Now, clasping your hands behind you if you can, coming forward flat back, head up. Change. Massage.

7. Forward Bends , Arm Circles: Feet together. Coming forward, back flat and head up. Hands together, pushing out from the shins—3 sets of 10 circles. Rest between each set. Massage.

8. Forward Bends, Elbow Circles: Feet together. Coming forward, back flat and head up. Clasping your elbows, pushing out from the shins—3 sets of 10 circles. Rest between each set. Then drop elbows to toes... Massage.

9. Forward Bends: Set of 3. Feet together, knees slightly bent. Bending forward, back flat. 1.. Clasping your ankles. 2. Coming forward. 3.Tuck your head. Resting between sets. Massage.

10. Head Between Your Legs: Standing with heels split, toes together. Bending forward—10 elbow circles, back flat and head up. Staying down on #10. 1. Clasping your ankles. 2. Coming forward. 3. Tuck your head. Resting between sets. Massage.

11. Chin to Toe: Heels together, toes split. One leg comes out, 45 degrees in front (front leg is straight, heel on ground and toes up, back leg is bent). Dropping down, flat back, over the front leg. Two sets of 10 elbow circles, resting between sets. Massage the front leg. Change. Repeat on other side. Massage

12. Side Squats: Feet wide apart. Massaging the inside of thighs, outside, front and back. Keeping both feet flat on the ground, squatting down with one leg straight, 4 stretches (two each side). Reaching for ankles, opposite ankles if possible, and eventually working the elbows to the ground. Massage.

13. Grabbing Your Ear: Set of 4 (two each side). 1. The right arm comes up onto the left shoulder. 2. Left arm hooks right elbow, left hand on Left side of face. 3. Looking over the right shoulder, reaching for the right ear with the right hand. Twist, keeping the torso straight. Release: 1, 2, 3. Change. Neck Rotations : Keeping the shoulders down, 4 or 5 slow circles in one direction. Change... breathing into any area where there's resistance. Pull the head gently down to one side. Change. Forward, then back. Gently twist each side.

14. Hand Stretches: 1. Twist hands (thumb by little finger). Z Pull down (stretching wrists). 3. Bending hands back. Squeezing and pulling each finger, noticing if there is any tension anywhere in the body... breathe into the center of it and let it go. Shake it out (front, back, arid circles in both directions).

15. Back Slaps: Feet together, shoulders down. Open the arms wide—20 back slaps, crossing the arms in front while slapping the back.

16. Bow & Arrow Back Slaps: In an archer pose, front leg is bent and back leg is straight, center over the dantien. Slapping the top and lower spine alternately, 20 times. Change, pivoting to other side. Repeat. Change, pivoting to other side for Arm Circles...

17. Arm Circles: Still in archer pose, hand is on the front leg, thumb on the outside of the thigh Like a wind mill, 20 circles in each direction. Change, pivoting to other side. Repeat. Massage. (total of 80 rotations)

18. Leg Balancing: (A): Starting with feet together.

1. The foot spirals up.
2. Pulling the knee to the center of the chest with forearm.
3. Pull foot to the thigh with hand.

Release: 1, 2, 3. Change. Two times each leg. Massage.

19. Leg Balancing (B): Starting with feet together, shoulders down.

1. The foot spirals up.
2. Clasping the foot.
3. Slowly coming forward, back flat and head up reaching for your ankle. Then pushing into the ground to come up.

Release: 1, 2, 3. Change. Two times each leg. Massage.

20. Standing Kicks: Feet together, hands on your kidneys. Stepping with the right foot, kicking cross-body with the left leg—20 toe, then 20 heel, alternating legs. Eyes follow the foot.

GENERAL CLOSING:

“Feet together, eyes closed, letting the breath sink deep into your belly. Visualizing a golden cord of energy, rising up from the base of your spine and out the top of your head, holding you suspended from the sky. And roots, from the soles of your feet, spiraling down to the center of the earth, solid and grounded. Relaxing all the muscles in your face, neck and shoulders, etc. (from head to toe).

Feeling the energy circulate through your whole body, and visualizing this energy as light, filling and nourishing each cell. Seeing this light shine out into the world, effortlessly, as you rest your attention on the Source of the light. Standing effortlessly on the earth, held up from above, and rooted to the earth, solid and grounded. When you're ready, you can open your eyes.”