This workout reviews the material from lessons 1-24.
You should complete lessons 1-24 before attempting this workout.
https://sinclairinternalarts.com/courses/tai-chi-lessons/
This workout reviews what I covered in Lessons 1 – 24. Be careful that you do not over do it. It is more physically demanding than it seems. If you do this correctly, you will be working your thighs for a full hour. So, take as many breaks as you need.
The 4 Directions:
At the core of all tai chi styles is what is often called the 8 trigrams, also known as the “4 directions and the 4 corners.”
The four directions are called Peng, Lu, Ji, and An. I call them “boing, roll, cram, and press.” The four corners are called Zai, Lieh, Zhou, and Kao. “Plucking, Rending, Elbowing, and Abutting.” These are often translated as techniques. But the are really just archetypal representations of the different ways that one can engage an opponent.
The 4 directions teach the students to deal with linear momentum, while the four corners deal with angular momentum. However, you should realize that they are not exclusive, and most actual techniques involve more than one, if not all, of the 8 trigrams.
The practice of the four directions and the four corners is meant to teach you to deconstruct the elements of a technique, so that you can be aware of what is happening during an engagement.
In the first 24 lessons, available at https://sinclairinternalarts.com. In those lessons, I have given detailed instruction in the Yang Style Tai chi version of the four directions.
This one-hour workout is a way for you to practise what you have learned.
Be careful, and take as many breaks as you need to . It looks easier than it is. If you do it correctly, you will be working your thighs for a hour. If your thighs get too tired, you knees will suffer.
Practise in a way that you can practise every day. If you are too tired or sore to practise tomorrow, it could mean that you over did it today.
Also, I am in pretty good shape for a fat man. So, don’t feel like you have to keep up.