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The way to learn Taijiquan is not “to spend three days fishing and two days drying nets." It takes a period of time, not just a few times, for Taijiquan to bolster fitness and health. Some people give up half way because they can't see immediate results, or they feel bored or discouraged because they fail to master the key points of Taijiquan. Other people may quit because of aches in the body from the exercise. But this is the process in which the joints and muscles are adapting to the demands of exercise, and it is common for people - particularly those who are not physically fit or who are not used to the exercises - to feel some pain in the joints and muscles after exercise, especially in the thighs. Keep practicing even if you have a few aches and pains, but let up accordingly on the intensity of exercise or straighten your legs a little bit. After a while, the pain will be gone.
2. Make Progress Step by Step
Some people want to learn quickly, so they make a detour by following along in all the movements perfunctorily with the thought of going back later to correct them. Others believe the more the better. They learn quite a few forms of Taijiquan, but not well, so they gain little from Taijiquan despite their seemingly impressive repertoire. As we know, the results of exercise are closely related to the quality of the performance. Without correct postures and movements, there will be no therapeutic benefits. Once an incorrect posture is formed, it is harder to correct that mistake than it is to learn a new posture. Also, if a movement is learned too quickly and in a perfunctory manner, the movement is easy to forget if not practiced for a few days. So Taijiquan must be learned slowly, step by step, little by little, but thoroughly. Only with a good foundation, can you achieve great results and quick progress.
3. Pay Special Attention to the Basics
Laying a solid foundation entails two things: First, it means to learn postures and techniques correctly up to standard, ensuring that every posture and movement is done perfectly. Second, it means to have solid basic skills, good physical conditioning and an ability to meet the specific physical requirements for Taijiquan. The belief that training in basic skills is necessary only for technical improvement - and that therefore beginners need not take on training in basic skills too early - is not right. We don't have to argue which comes first: Learning the form of Taijiquan or learning the basic skills of Taijiquan. What is important is that the two cannot be separated. Without basic skills, the form cannot be done right and its quality will be shaky. Without the form, basic skills will be aimless and fruitless. The best way is to combine the study of both skills and form at the early stage: Learn the form while doing the necessary specialized individual practices on skills like one-leg stance, stepping, leg-stretching, and various hand and foot techniques. This will help you master the key points of Taijiquan earlier and faster. Learning the form better with a correct start will mean making fewer mistakes, and avoiding a detour.
4. Practice in an Appropriate Way
If after doing Taijiquan you feel warm, relaxed, comfortable and in high spirits 一 you have practiced in an appropriate way in terms of time, height of posture, and precision of the performance. For instance, performing the postures at different heights puts different pressure on the legs with a subsequent difference on the amount of exercise involved. What the appropriate amount of exercise is varies from person to person. If the amount is insufficient, the lack of exercise will prevent the expected result. If the amount is too much, the exercise will make you tired and harm your health. Normally, when you feel warm and are sweating, that is enough. Those who are physically weak or are in the recovery stage of illness or injury should follow the advice of a doctor or teacher. For the elderly and those who are not strong enough, if they find it difficult to finish a whole set of movements, they can select basic parts of the movements. Those who cannot move their lower limbs can still do the basic waist and upper body movements, and if they follow the principles and practice regularly, they also will achieve good results.
5. Control Speed
Since beginners have to think about a movement before they can do it or while they are doing it, the speed of the exercise should be slow, and there can be some pauses in the process. For instance, doing 24-Step Taijiquan with proficiency normally takes about five minutes. But beginners can take eight to ten minutes to finish the form more slowly. At a slow pace, you can take care of the details of each step, check the movements and correct mistakes as they occur. A slow tempo makes it easier to calm the mind, relax the body and maintain a steady center of gravity. After becoming familiar with the movements, practice a little faster without any pause, trying to make the movements flow naturally in an even yet lively way. Different forms of Taijiquan can have different speeds owing to varying styles and number of movements. For example, the 81 -Step Yang-style Taijiquan, with its smooth extended postures and simple and steady movements, takes 15-20 minutes to finish. The Sun-style Taijiquan - close-knit and agile, with constant changes in foot and hand techniques - normally takes eight minutes even though it has over 90 movements. Regardless of its form, every kind of Taijiquan requires a consistent flow of qi, with an even speed from beginning to end.
6. Select a Good Time and Place for Taijiquan
The best time to practice Taijiquan is in the morning or evening. Doing Taijiquan in the morning helps refresh the mind, work out morning kinks, and prepare one for the day's work and study. Doing Taijiquan in the evening helps get rid of fatigue with an active rest. As it is usually quiet in the morning and evening, it is easy to concentrate the mind. After the exercise, it's good to quiet down for a while from the stimulation of the exercise before taking breakfast or rest. Also, breaks during working hours and classes are a good time for Taijiquan exercise. An ideal place for practicing Taijiquan would be one with fresh air and a quiet environment such as a park, woods or yard without wind, dust, smoke or smog. Indoors, it is better to have some sunlight and good ventilation. When doing Taijiquan, it is better to wear loose, comfortable clothing or sportswear. Shoes with hard soles will hinder the exercise. Wear a hat and gloves if it is too cold. To avoid catching a cold, dry off sweat after exercise.
7. Do Warming-Up and Cooling-Down Exercises
Warming-up exercises for Taijiquan can include slow running, gymnastics, standing on one leg, stretching the legs, rotating the waist, etc. These preparatory exercises should be done seriously and sufficiently without too much intensity. Since Taijiquan is a gentle and slow sport, many neglect warming-up and cooling-down exercises. But it is well known that warming-up exercises are necessary to prepare people for athletic activity: If the muscles and joints of the body are stiff, and the mind is still occupied with something else, it is hard to get into a relaxed and calm state of mind for Taijiquan. Warming-up includes both mind and body. Warming-up the body removes sluggishness to get the body moving into an active state from a resting state; it gets stiffness out
of muscles, joints, and ligaments; and it invigorates the spine and internal organs involved in athletics. Warming-up also reduces mental tension to help the mind calm down for its concentration on the exercise.
Cooling-down exercises at the end helps restore internal organs back to a resting state and to remove fatigue. They can be done through relaxing gymnastics, walking, games involving a light workout and massage to relieve tired knees and to work out any muscle tension. Some people have the habit of sitting down immediately or standing still to have a rest. These habits are not good ——especially in that they could harm the knees ——and should be corrected.
8. Seek a Balanced and Reasonable Training Program
Although Taijiquan is an exercise that helps maintain good health — like all other sports, it has some limitations. The most obvious limitation for Taijiquan is its lack of exercise for strengthening the arms and its lack of aerobic exercise for the body. For a comprehensive workout, those having the means and capabilities can select other appropriate sports to supplement and reinforce Taijiquan. To avoid over-fatigue and conflicts in practice, make reasonable arrangements of your time and strength for different kinds of sports. Some sports can be done at regular intervals with Taijiquan, while others may need to be done at some other time.
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