Tai Chi Warm Up
Breathing:
·
Prepare for Tai
Chi
o
Stand with good
posture
o
Drop tail bone
o
Knees are soft
o
Shoulders are
relaxed
o
Head lifted
·
Crane Breathing
#1 (about 8 seconds for each pair)
o
Hands cupped at
the lower dontien
o
Finger tips are
touching
o
Raise to heart
level and then lower twelve times
·
Crane Breathing #2 (about 8 seconds to perform each full action.)
o
Heals together,
feet in U shape
o
Arms at the side,
palms facing outward
o
Raise and lower
arms twelve times with palms up when going up and palms down when descending
o
You can add soft
knee bends
Joints:
·
Head and neck
o
Feet shoulder
width apart
o
Shoulders relaxed
o
Rotate head from shoulder
to shoulder by drawing a half circle with your head and then moving your head
straight across your shoulders.
o
Do the rotation 6
times in each direction.
·
Shoulder
o
Draw circles with
your shoulders taking care to squeeze shoulders at the apex front and back. Add
small knee bends when shoulders move down five times.
·
Wrists:
o
Clasp hands as if
you have a ball in them. Roll wrists around the “ball” going both directions
six times.
o
Holding Plates:
§
Hold hands palm
up in a supplicant manner with palms about shoulder height.
§
Pull elbows
behind back keeping palms up.
§
Circle arms
inwards and then outwards causing the pinky of one hand to touch the other with
palms up.
§
Pull fingertips
towards your nose and touch.
§
Rotate fingers
outwards in a circle until your hands return to the supplicant position.
o
Waist (each full
action takes about 90 seconds)
§
Place one hand on
the front dotien and one on the back dontien.
§
Create circles
within your body and let them expand out wards until it feels natural to move
your hips in the same circle.
§
Continue to
expand your circles allowing your upper body to counter balance for the
movements of your hip.
§
After reaching
the apex of your stretch, begin to make the circles smaller until the circles
are so small that your hips are still. Allow the circling to continue within
yourself until the circles end.
§
Switch the
placement of your hands, and begin the process again, but in the opposite
direction.
·
Knees [about
thirty seconds for each direction, for a total of one minute]
o
Stand with your
heels close and your toes pointed outwards to achieve balance.
o
Bend at the waist
and the knees, to place your palms face down on your knees.
o
Slowly, draw a
circle in a clockwise direction with your knees. The circle you draw can
expand, but not at the expense of ease of movement.
o
Slow your motion
to a stop and reverse the circles.
·
Ankles [about
thirty seconds each way for each foot for a total of two minutes]
o
Shift your weight
to your left foot.
o
Raise your right
heel, but leave your toes on the ground to establish your balance. If you feel
comfortable, lift your toes off the floor.
o
Gently move your
ankle in a clockwise direction.
o
Stop, and then
move your ankle in a counter clockwise direction.
o
Return your right
foot solidly to the floor.
o
Shift your weight
to your left leg.
o
Raise your left
heel, but leave your toes on the ground to establish your balance. If you feel
comfortable, lift your toes off the floor.
o
Gently move your
ankle in a clockwise direction.
o
Stop, and then
move your ankle in a counter clockwise direction.
o
Return your left
foot solidly to the floor.
Stretches
·
Spinal Stretch
o
This stretch
starts much like Crane Breathing with your hands cupped at your dontien, palms facing up and fingertips lightly touching.
o
Lift your palms
to the height of your chest, and then rotate your arms outwards and upwards so
that your palms face the ceiling.
o
Continue your stretch
overhead.
o
When you have
stretched as far as you are comfortable, and then slowly rise up on your toes,
stopping where you feel comfortable.
o
To reverse, lower
your heels to the floor, bring your palms to the level of your chest, and then
rotate your inwards and downwards so that your palms are facing upwards.
o
Continue your
path back to the dontien.
§
Variation of this
stretch is to move your arms independently in opposite directions.
·
Side Stretch:
o
Place your feet
shoulder width apart and lift one arm up over your head in a
arc that starts at your hip and culminates with your arm perpendicular to the
floor, palm in. Gently bend towards the opposite side of your body, keeping
your entire body in a single plane until you feel a pull. Relax and then extend
your stretch on an exhale by moving your opposite palm further down you leg
while stretching your overhead arm further.
o
Return to your
original position using slow movements.
o
Repeat on the
opposite side, and repeat for a total of four times on each side.
·
Spine Stretch:
o
Move your feet to
a shoulder width distance. Lift your arms to your sides so your body now looks
a star like form.
o
Rotate both palms
towards the right, and then slowly move your arms to the right causing your
spine to rotate, to a comfortable position. This movement should be slow and
deliberate as if you are in water and needing to move your hands to part the
water.
o
Turn your palms
to the left and turn towards the other direction stopping when you reach your
comfort level.
o
Repeat this stretch
for three more times, so that you have completed four stretches on each side.
·
Front Leg
Stretch:
o
Stand in a bow
stance with one foot in front of their other, making sure your feet are well
grounded. The further apart your stance, the deeper the stretch you can make.
o
Shift your weight
forward until your knee is perpendicular to your ankle.
o
Hold for a count
of ten seconds.
o
Shift your weight
back to center and turn your feet until you are facing the other direction.
o
Repeat as above.
·
Thigh Stretch and
Balance
o
If you would
like, move to a wall to help with your balance.
o
Stand in the
preparation stance, and move your weight to your left foot.
o
Slowly lift your
right foot up so that you can grasp it with your right hand.
o
Keeping your
spine perpendicular, pull your right foot upwards to create a stretch.
o
Release your
foot, and place on the floor
o
Repeat for your
left side.
§
Variation: Grasp
your right foot with your opposite hand.
·
Shake out your
limbs and begin the Tai Chi Form.