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THE
TEN
1. Qi shi - Commence
Stand facing 12
o'clock with feet together and arms hanging naturally by your
sides. Step to your left about shoulder width. Let your extended
arms ascend to your front, led by the wrists, fingers pointing
down. As the wrists come level with your throat, gently bend
your wrists down so that your fingers point up. Sink arms back
down to waist level.
2. Lan que wei - Grasp sparrow's
tail
Shift your weight to your
LF while making the ball with the LH on top. Step out and back
with the right foot to 3 so you have a good channel. The left
hand comes down near the right. Shift the weight to the R leg,
square the body up toward 3 o'clock as the L hand overtakes the
R, and drop the elbows. Then move the R hand by using the waist
so it's in front of the R shoulder. Bring the L hand back using
the waist as you shift the weight back on your LF. Swing the
hand by relaxing the elbow, square off, and then shift your
weight to the R leg for the second time. The LH goes out to meet
the R. Shift back when they touch. Bring the weight back on the
L leg while drawing the hands back at throat level. Then press
down, and extend the hands out to 3 o'clock as the weight shifts
to the R leg for the third time. Sink the body while dropping
the wrists.
3. Dan bian - Single whip
Pivot on both heels,
weight mainly on the RF. Go out into Double Palm Split. Swing LH
under R. Make the t'ai chi ball with the right hook on top. Move
the left foot back to 9 o'clock. Leave the hook where it is
before shifting the body toward the left foot. The left hand
comes up and swings in an arc at chest level toward 9 o'clock.
Turn the right foot toward 11 o'clock as the waist turns. Relax
and pivot at the left elbow. When the left hand is above the
left foot the palm rotates so that it faces away. Seventy
percent of the weight is on the left foot. The shoulders are
relaxed and balanced, 70 degrees to the side (11 o'clock). The
right arm is almost fully extended, the top of the right bent
wrist even an area between with the top of the right ear and the
top of the shoulder. The middle fingertip of the left hand is
level with the nose. The left wrist bends at the wrist as the
body sinks slightly.
4. Ti shou shang shi - Raise hand
and foot
Turn the LF in slightly and relax the L
forearm. Shift your weight fully on to the LF as you bring your
R arm across and then up until the hand points straight up. At
the same time raise the R knee and point it at 12. Look at 9
o'clock. Then hand goes out and foot goes down. Turn head 90
degrees to face 12.
5. Kao - Shoulder stroke
Swing arms back and then put LH on outside of R
bicep as weight goes forward to 12, shoulder leading. RH is
about 8 inches below L elbow. Look at 12.
6. Bai he liang chi -
White crane spreads its wings
Turn your RF in slightly and
shift your weight to it. Turn to nine, bend at the waist, and
throw your wrists at the toe of your LF. Then come erect again
as the R arm crosses the centerline and swings up, finishing
with the RH directly above your forehead.
7. Lou xi ao bu - Brush knee
The right hand above your
head pivots so that the palm faces you and then descends in an
arc to form the underside of the t'ai chi ball. The left hand
rises from beside your left knee and comes over the top to form
the t'ai chi ball. The body twists at the waist so that the
lower body faces 9 o'clock while the upper body faces 10:30.
At the same time a) the left knee comes up, b) the body
sinks down, c) the right hand swings out from underneath the
t'ai chi ball in a "swing hand" that ends near the right ear,
and c) the left hand goes down in an arc to a point near the
inside of the left knee.
Step out with the
left foot, plant, let the right forearm go flat, and then shift
the weight to the left. When the weight is in the middle, pivot
at the waist so that the upper body also faces 9 o'clock. Turn
the right foot to 11 o'clock as the waist twists. The left hand
"brushes" the left knee (actually it just goes around it), while
the right hand moves toward 9 o'clock at shoulder level, fingers
leading. When the body faces 9 o'clock, it sinks slightly and
the right wrist bends downward. The middle fingertip of the
right hand is in front of your nose. The left hand remains
horizontal outside the left knee, pointing at 9 o'clock.
8. Jin bu ban
Ian chui - Step forward, deflect, intercept, punch
Make a loose fist with
the RH. Wrist goes up and then down. Turn the LF out as you
shift the weight forward toward 9 o'clock. The right fist goes
under the left armpit. Step with the RF toward 9. Keeping the
weight back on the left foot, deliver a chopping backfist to 9
o'clock. The left hand comes down to hip level at the same time.
Turn the
right foot out. Shift the weight to the right foot. The left
hand comes up the head; the right hand is in a loose fist at
belt level on the right side. The right elbow is well out. Step
toward 9 o'clock with the left foot, heel down first, and parry
(as if covering an opponent's eyes) with the left hand. The
weight stays back on the right foot. Turn to the right with the
waist, which moves the extended left hand 15 degrees across the
front of the upper body until it's in front of the right
shoulder.
Shift the weight forward to the left foot as you pivot
the left arm at a point midway in the forearm so that the upper
arm is horizontal and elbow to wrist is vertical. The right arm
extends in a punch with the loose fist in front of the right
shoulder. The weight is 70% on the left leg.
9.
Ru feng si bi - Apparent close up
Relax the left wrist,
then the left elbow. Turn the right fist over so it's
horizontal. Sweep the right arm wide to the left above the left
arm as you shift the weight back to the right foot. Press down,
then up and out. Push by bending the wrists as the body sinks.
10. Shi zi shou - Cross hands
Pivot the weighted left foot on
the heel so that it points to 12. Step back and slightly out
with the right foot. Make a big H (arms held up like in a holdup
and legs in a horse stance). Then extend the arms so they're
horizontal (palms thumb up). Look to the right as the weight
shifts to the right foot. Look back to 12 o'clock. Raise the
left knee. Relax the wrists, then elbows, and finally shoulders.
Scoop as you squat. Stand with wrists crossed, the right on the
outside. Rotate the palms outward as they pass eye level.
Separate the hands. Lower them to the sides, fingers pointed
slightly inward. The left foot moves beside the right foot. And
the fingers finally point down. |