For beginning Tai Chi students our Yang & Chen style curriculum starts with learning the basic Tai Chi postures and movements. Tai Chi forms training then gradually progresses to more advanced hand and weapon forms for intermediate or advanced Tai Chi class levels.
For students who are already further along in their forms practice the focus shifts to learning the intricate details of the various forms, as well as feeling the unity of body & mind and of connectedness and flow. The integration of Tai Chi forms and Qigong exercises into the classes also helps students appreciate and experience the meditative aspects of Tai Chi Chuan very early in their practice.
Learning Tai Chi is also a great addition for any external martial arts student currently studying Kung Fu, Wing Chun, Karate, Judo, Taekwondo or Mixed Martial Arts by helping students to integrate a Yin (soft) component to their mainly Yang (hard) practice and therefore achieving balance and completeness and becoming a more rounded & skilled martial artist. Chen Style Tai Chi in particular combines internal principles with very pronounced external/physical martial arts aspects making it a very well suited entry point for students coming from predominantly external martial arts. The highly dynamic Yin/Yang component of Chen Style forms also makes them a little more athletic & visually dramatic compared to all other styles of Tai Chi.
Please see below for our complete curriculum:
Yang Style Tai Chi
Hand Forms
- 24 Form
- 108 Form
- 48 Combined Form
Weapon Forms
- 32 Jian/Gin (Straight Sword) Form
- 13 Dao (Broadsword) Form
- Plum Blossom Fan Form
- Wind Chasing Fan Form
Chen Style Tai Chi
Hand Forms
- 18 Form
- 56 Competition Form
- Lao Jia Yi Lu
(Old Frame First Routine, 74 Form)
Weapon Forms
- 24 Fan Form
Silk Reeling
- Silk Reeling is a set of neigong (internal) movement principles that are continuous, cyclic, spiraling patterns performed at constant speed with the "light touch of drawing silk".
Other
Qigong
- The 8 Pieces of Brocade also referred to as the "8 Jewels" (Ba Duan Jin)
- Standing Postures & Meditation
Stretching
- Flexibility and light cardio workouts