Articles: Taijiquan
What is Taijiquan?
Let us see what is Taijiquan, as it was written down in the past. First, we must define what we mean by “taiji.” It is stated in Wang, Zong-yue’s (王宗岳) Taijiquan Classic “What is taiji? It is generated from wuji and is a pivotal function of movement and stillness. It is the mother of yin and yang. When it moves, it divides. At rest it reunites.” More >>
YMAA Celebrates World Tai Chi & Qigong Day on April 27
Celebrate World Tai Chi & Qigong Day (WTC&Q Day)on Saturday, April 27 at 10 a.m. all over the world. Beginning in New Zealand, this event will spread time zone by time zone across the globe, and will include 70 countries. More >>
Thoughts On Tai Chi Form And Drills
During my twenty plus years of training full-time with world-renowned Chinese masters and leading Yoga teachers has rewarded me with gold medals in the solo Tai Chi form and Tai Chi sword, as well as in fighting competitions in North America, and Europe, in China, as well. More >>
Tai Chi "Fire Set" Exercises for Leg Strength
The following three exercises make up what I call the “Fire Set,” which are “Walk and Kick Back,” “Walk Like a Warrior,” and “Up Like Smoke, Down Like a Feather.” I designed this exercise after many years of experience working with martial artists as well as elders, and stumbling into many issues of leg strength, as well as osteoporosis and sarcopenia. More >>
Taiji Ball Qigong - Theory of Physical Conditioning (強身之原理)
Taiji ball qigong is able to condition the physical body and change its structure from weak to strong. In addition, it can also increase the quality of endurance of the body. Due to these reasons, taiji ball qigong can be used to enhance fighting capability, and to increase the chance of survival in ancient fighting situations. More >>
Taiji Ball Qigong Training (太極球氣功之練習)
Taiji ball qigong is a mixture of internal gong (nei gong, 內功) and external gong (wai gong, 外功). The internal gong includes the development of the feeling between the physical body and qi and also learning how to use the mind to lead the qi efficiently. More >>
Traditional Tai Chi Ball Training
The tai chi ball is a traditional training tool used to strengthen the muscles, joints, and bones. It is also a method used to open and strengthen the circulation in the belt vessel. You may use any kind or size ball or any object that will fit between your hands for this exercise. More >>
Hamstring Stretches
Because the hamstrings are the most stubborn muscles in our body, we need to constantly stretch them. If you think about it, the hamstrings are one of the muscles that do not have any strengthening exercises. More >>
Learning Tai Chi - the 24 and 48 Forms
Tai Chi Chuan is a martial art that combines martial arts movements with Qi energy circulation, breathing, and stretching techniques. It utilizes the ancient philosophy of Yin / Yang and the Five Element theories for its foundation and to establish its training principles. More >>
Advanced Taiji Ball Training (高級太極球之練習)
The following exercises are a sample of how you may take your tai chi training even further. As you will see, there is no limit as to how much you can train. It is up to you to challenge yourself to reach deeper levels of understanding and excel at taiji ball training. More >>
Celebrate World Tai Chi and Qigong Day-April 28, 2012
"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame."-Thomas Alva Edison More >>
Yang Tai Chi Family Secrets - Part 2
This is a translation of a Yang family poem titled, "The Secrets of Total Applications" by Yang, Yu (Ban-Hou). Each section is followed by commentary by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming. More >>
Yang Tai Chi Family Secrets - Part 1
Taijiquan was first introduced to the West by Master Cheng, Man-Ching during the 1960's. The original focus of his effort was to teach a method of health and relaxation. It was only after several years that the art's effectiveness in reducing stress and maintaining health became widely known. More >>
Tai Chi Ball Basic Warm-up and Stretching Exercises
The following are basic warm-up and stretching exercises are highly recommended for any and all external exercises. They are designed to prepare the body for more strenuous activity. More >>
Yang Tai Chi for Beginners
Yang-style Tai Chi is the most popular form in the world, with millions of practitioners. Since the Yang family popularized Tai Chi during the 1800s, the form has been passed down from teacher to student in an oral tradition, resulting in a wide variety in the way the form is practiced. More >>
Training Exercises for Tai Chi Ball
The first pattern in external training exercises is known as circling. There are four different methods to complete the circle. Two are related to a vertical plane and two are related to a horizontal plane. More >>
Breathing Exercises for Tai Chi
The following will highlight some fundamental techniques required for nei gong. Nei gong is also known as internal gongfu. Internal gong focuses on regulating the body, breathing, mind, qi, and spirit. More >>
Conflict-An Antithesis to Tai Chi
If someone were to engage me in one of those word association games-“Say the first thing that comes to your mind when I say...Tai Chi” More >>
The Setting Sun and Tai Chi Drills
If you have an opportunity, perform tai chi drills as well as the tai chi form in the setting sun. Relax, but do not collapse your entire body and surrender physically and mentally to the gentle warmth and to the powerful drawing and cleansing energy of the setting sun. Of course, second best would be indoors while the sun is setting. More >>
How to Practice a Taijiquan Sequence
Normally, it takes at least three years to learn the taijiquan sequence and to circulate qi smoothly in coordination with the breathing and postures. You should then learn to transport qi and develop qi balance. Even after you have accomplished this, there is still more to learn before you can be considered a proficient taijiquan martial artist. More >>
Regulating the Breath
Regulating the breath means to regulate your breathing until it is calm, smooth, and peaceful. Only when you have reached this point will you be able to make the breathing deep, slender, long, and soft, which is required for successful qigong practice. Breathing is affected by your emotions. For example, when you are angry or excited you exhale more strongly than you inhale. When you are sad, you inhale more strongly than you exhale. More >>
How Do You Learn Taijiquan?
Whether or not a person learns something depends upon his attitude and seriousness. First he must make a firm decision to learn it, and then he must have a strong will to fulfill his intention. He needs perseverance and patience to last to the end. Even if a person has all these virtues, his achievement might still be different from that of another person’s who has the same qualities and personality. More >>
More Benefits From the Sunset and Sunrise Tai Chi
Most of us are shallow breathers. Some of the mind-body prescriptions from both series, Sunset Tai Chi and Sunrise Tai Chi, will introduce you to various breathing techniques, which will develop your lungs and over time you will become a deep breathing individual. More >>
Benefits of Sunrise and Sunset Tai Chi Series
Most of us experience relief and joy when the end of the working day has come. For our own health, when the end of the day is here it is time to change pace and let go. This “letting go” can be different for each of us as it is a time to relax and recharge. The faster we let go of past activities and focus on the present to refresh, gather forces, and dissolve the tension and stress from the day, the quicker we will be able to enjoy the rest of the evening. More >>
World Tai Chi & Qigong Day Across the World—April 30, 2011
On the last Saturday of April each year, the entire world is invited to move together, to breathe together—one world, one breath. World Tai Chi & Qigong Day is celebrating its 13th anniversary day on April 30. More >>
Steps in Learning Taijiquan
Every taijiquan master has his own sequence of training, emphasizing his methods and content. The following lists general training procedures according to my learning experience with three taijiquan masters and my teaching experience of more than forty years. This is a guide only to the bare-hand training procedures of taijiquan. More >>
Introduction and Short History of Tai Chi Ball Qigong
Though the existence of taiji ball qigong has been common knowledge in both Chinese martial arts and laymen societies, its popularity has been limited due to the secrecy of the training techniques. Taiji ball qigong training, in each style, was kept secret and passed down only to trusted students. More >>
Taiji Ball Qigong for Health and Martial Arts
Since taiji ball qigong is a combination of internal elixir (nei dan) and external elixir (wai dan) qigong practice, the health benefits of taiji ball qigong can be divided into two parts, the internal and external side. Taiji ball qigong is a soft-moving meditation. Through this meditative training, you will be able to concentrate and focus your mind at a higher level. More >>
Tai Chi Intervention for Fibromyalgia
Over the past eight years I was given the opportunity to collaborate with Tufts School of Medicine researching the philosophy of Tai Chi and its effects on both arthritis of the knee and Fibromyalgia. I was asked by one of the researchers at Tufts School of Medicine to design and implement an intervention for both debilitating diseases. More >>
Daoist Breathing Improves Pushing Hands
As an instructor at the YMAA School in Boston, Mass., my students often ask, “How can my pushing hands get better?” We all want to get better. Many people spend a lot of time looking for some facet of the art that they have missed or a trick to shorten their path. More >>
Form as a Vessel for Tai Chi Principle—Part 2
Once enrolled in my class, she was all over the place swinging her arms as if dancing to imaginary music (fine at home, perhaps, but not in Tai Chi class). This woman completely lacked structure, but more significantly, she lacked any desire for structure or willingness to consider its merits. More >>
Form as a Vessel for Tai Chi Principle—Part 1
When the average person thinks of Tai Chi, the image that I expect most often comes to mind is one of some person or persons practicing a slow motion Tai Chi form sequence. This is quite reasonable given Tai Chi’s usual portrayal in the various media. More >>
YMAA Taijiquan Lineage
Thanks to a recent reunion between Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming and his first Taijiquan teacher, Grandmaster Kao, Tao, we now know the complete lineage of YMAA's Yang style Taijiquan in more detail. The most interesting discovery is that Yang, Chengfu, who is famous for teaching the health aspects of Taijiquan to the public, also had indoor disciples who trained the martial side of Taijiquan. More >>
Understanding Traditional Yang Style Taijiquan
In order to analyze the traditional Yang Style Taijiquan sequence, it is necessary to understand how martial sequences are created and the purpose they serve. Taijiquan is not a dance or abstract movement. A proper understanding of the root of the art will help you practice more effectively. More >>
History of Yang Style Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan)
When he was young, Yang, Lu-chan went to Chen Jia Gou in Henan province to learn taijiquan from Chen, Chang-xing. Chen realized that Yang had great potential and taught him the secrets sincerely. More >>
YMAA participates in World Tai Chi & Qigong Day April 24, 2010
It’s open house across the world, beginning in New Zealand, when World Tai Chi & Qigong Day will spread time zone by time zone across the globe through 60 countries and across six continents. There will be events in cities, towns, and villages world-wide embracing wisdom from all cultures of the world. More >>
Beyond Your Barehand Taiji Form (太極拳套)
Once you have learned a basic Taiji form, whether you study Yang, Chen, or another style, there is still a great deal that traditional Taijiquan training can offer. More >>
Lessons from the Taijiquan Form Seminar
I had the chance last weekend to teach at the YMAA Boston Taiji Form Seminar. I was tapped to teach the Two Person Fighting Set. YMAA canon maintains that the Fighting Set is the last thing a person trains prior to free sparring. More >>
Shaolin: the Root of Taijiquan
After Bodhidharma (Da Mo) passed down his qigong (chi kung) theory at Shaolin Temple around 550 A.D., the Shaolin monks trained the cultivation of Qi, and realized that muscular power could be enhanced to a tremendous level, which could make martial techniques more powerful and effective. More >>
Taiji Chin Na - Martial Application
Taijiquan was originally developed for combat in ancient times. Its fighting theory is to use the soft against the hard, and to use the round to neutralize the straight or square. More >>
The True Quality of Tai Chi
What is Tai Chi? How does Tai Chi improve health? People ask me these questions all the time. Some ask because they see so many people doing these exercises in the park. Others ask because they can hardly believe there can be any benefits from such slow body movements. More >>
Taiji and Qigong
Those who practice both Taiji and Qigong as separate arts soon realize that Qigong is included among the many layers encompassed by Taiji. Knowingly doing Taiji movement as Qigong not only adds the benefits of Qigong but also improves the quality of the Taiji movements. More >>
Senior Moments #2: Taiji, Happy Toes, and Piano Fingers
So how does one teach Taijiquan to seniors, rehabbers, and the generally unfit? Consult the ancients, "The best leader follows." These people are generally coming to Taiji because of a life urgency (old age, sickness, injury, etc.) which has created an opportunity for change. More >>
Senior Moments #1: "Because we can't"
Back in the day of the last millennia, I had my first venture into teaching Martial Arts to the elderly. I secured a nice gig at the local senior center. There were about twenty intrepid explorers ready for the unknown. More >>
Zhang, San-Feng and the Ancient Origins of Taijiquan part 2
How old are Taijiquan and Taiji philosophy? Recent findings indicate that the basic Taiji movements and Internal Arts theory of breathing and Qi circulation pre-date Zhang and Chen significantly. More >>
Zhang, San-Feng and the Ancient Origins of Taijiquan
The origin of Taijiquan is a controversial issue. Some trace Taijiquan to the Chen family in the 1600's and others trace the art further back to Master Zhang, San-Feng. Both are correct. And neither of them created Taijiquan. More >>
Taijiquan Theory of Reaching Enlightenment
In the practice of Taijiquan pushing hands, Taiji circle sticking hands, and Taijiquan free fighting, etc., you must practice until you have reached a stage where there is no discrimination of the opponent. More >>
Taijiquan Master Kao Tao - Dr. Yang's teacher
Dr. Yang's first Taijiquan master, Grandmaster Kao, Tao (高濤), who Dr. Yang lost contact with after leaving for college and moving to the U.S., has finally been found in Taipei, Taiwan. More >>
Tai Chi Dynamics
Those who study Taiji know that its important concepts are frequently elusive, and, for many practitioners, much of the modern Taiji literature of substantive content is difficult to understand. More >>
Taijiquan Pushing Hands
Almost every Chinese martial style, both external and internal, has its own hand-matching training similar to Taiji's pushing hands. More >>
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