Gilman Studio On-Line Lessons

 

 

Yang Style Tai Chi Special 34 Movement Short Form

 

This Lesson Contains:

Introduction to Special 34 Movement Short Form of Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan

Lesson Index

 

This form was created and condensed from the traditional Yang Style Long Form. It was shorted for several reasons. The most important was to fulfill the need for a form that could be learned in a short time and still retain the flavor and principles of Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan. It takes at least a year to learn the Long Form and can take less than two months to learn the Short Form.

There was also a need for a form that could be practiced in today’s busy life and still returns the benefits that Tai Chi is famous for. The Long Form takes about 20 minutes to perform, while the Short Form takes around 6 minutes.

The negatives of a short form are: not learning a full range of movements, not learning many balance movements, and not committing to a practice length that allows the greatest potential for development of chi.

So while the short form has its disadvantages, it offers many benefits for students who wish an introduction to the art of Tai Chi Chuan and are not sure if they are ready to commit to a years study. Those who find that Tai Chi is something that interests them can go on and learn the Long Form with the addition of the new movements inside of the sequence of the Short Form. This form follows the same sequence, but omits movements to shorten it. It also omits the many repetitions of the Long Form. Single Whip, for instance, has 10 repetitions in the Long Form, and only three in this form.

All that said, don’t take this form lightly. It contains the essential principles and expressions of energy that define Tai Chi as “the Supreme Martial Art”. When practiced diligently, great results are possible.

 

 

 

 

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