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LESSON
16:
BODY
TURNS AROUND, HEEL KICK (left)
BRUSH
KNEE TWIST STEP (right)
BRUSH
KNEE TWIST STEP (left)
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Letters in ( )*
stand for the eight directions=N, S, E, W, NW, NE, SW, SE.
Numbers in ( )*
correlate to the frame number in main lesson image below,
as much as possible...(some frames are 'in between' described movements,
in which case either I will try to redo the image, or you will need to
exercise
your imagination even more than is necessary to learn any movement art
from
'text and images' alone in the first place.)
Formula in brackets [W= ] denote weightedness,
which is the amount of body
weight shifted to either side (L=left, R=right, even=doubleweightedness);
example: [W=70R] means 'put 70% of your weight on your right
side.' The range
here will be approximate, ideally based on an individuals personal needs,
abilities
and experience. *You
may choose to read through the text the first time disregarding these
parentheticals...it's easier!!
We OPENED
the set (Lesson 1) facing
North(N); as you view
images on your monitor for the current postures (below),
imagine that you are again facing West(W) as you begin Lesson
16. As you end this lesson (brush knee twist step) you are facing
East(E).
| Body
turns around, heel kick (left) Brush knee twist step (right) Brush knee twist step (left) Body turns around, heel kick (left) (1 through 15) Foot divides concludes Lesson #15, as your left foot moves behind your right, resting your left toe only on the floor, directly behind your right foot, such that your two ankles are crossed. Your right foot rests flat pointing to the West. Your right hand rests between your face and your left hand, with the back of your left hand facing away from you (West) and the back of your right hand facing toward you (East), as they both form crossed fists aiming upward away from each other at diagonals. (1) [W= 90R] Body turns around begins as you pivot on your left toe, (actually, as much on the ball of your left foot as the toe) starting (2) to rotate [W= 70R] your entire torso leftward (counterclockwise) in a 180° circle. Just after you begin turning, initially to face to the South (and eventually East), your hands begin to uncross (4) as your left elbow moves leftward and your right elbow moves rightward. (As your arms separate again, you will slowly lower your hands to about shoulder level to conclude body turns around. Remember to keep your elbows slightly bent after you do.) As you halfway complete turning 180°, lower down your left heel (5), resting your foot to the ground, pointing SE. [W= 70R] As you do, lift up your right toe only [W= 60R] and start to pivot on your right heel [W= even] in the same leftward direction. Then complete the counterclockwise rotation of your right foot (pivoting on the heel), and set down your right toe (7) (your right foot then is also pointing SE, now parallel to the left). [W= 80R] Finally, after your right toe rests down, your left foot pivots leftward on its ball still more, until it rests, heel slightly off the ground (8), facing due East just ahead of you. As you conclude body turns around, your left arm swings around forward ahead of you with your left palm facing South and fingertips pointing East, and your right hand swings out to point to the South with your right palm facing toward the SE corner (though almost due East), fingertips upward. Both of your hands are at about shoulder level. Heel kick (left) begins as you lower your left arm slightly as you lift your left foot up off of the ground (9), shifting your weight fully [W= 100R] to your right side to do so. Bend your left knee more as you raise your left foot higher (10). Your right arm remains where it is as your left arm continues to drop to a point just above your ascending left knee. As your knee approaches your waist level, bring your left foot out from under it (11), moving it forward (East) as it rises as one with your whole leg. Kick your left foot out a comfortable distance ahead of you (12) toward the East once it is at about your waist level (though NEVER kick any higher up, or further out, than is comfortable for you.)¹ Next, lower your left leg back down again unbending your left knee as you do so. As your left leg descends, your left arm again rises to the position it was, at about shoulder level, following body turns around. (Again, your right arm remains relatively stationary throughout the kick.) As your leg reaches the ground, place it ahead of you at a comfortable distance with your left heel touching first (14) [W= 90R], then your toe (15) [W= 80R]. Your torso faces slightly toward the SE corner throughout this kick. Brush
knee twist step (right) (15
through 21)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ (Remember to keep your knees and elbows at least slightly bent and your pelvis tucked in throughout the set.) (If at all possible, it is suggested that someone read the text to you - or record it on a tape and play it back - while you slowly practice the form...and slowly is the best way to practice.)
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do not over-do do not under-do
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FUNDAMENTALS OF |
May I suggest the best way to see these
images in the days after
the lesson page has changed is to 'right click' on those images you want NOW
and click
'save image as', then save it to some hard drive (the loads are BIG!)
You can also freely copy/paste/amend the text. (But do not sell, please)
~ ~ special thanks
~ ~
to
Michael W and Shar'n
for making free cyberspace available for MORE Playshop lessons at
www.caliban.net
NOW all of the Playshop lessons should ALWAYS be available online
~ ~ ~
Follow my movement on your monitor.
You will be performing a Right Hand Set...
(Tai chi is practiced from both sides)
When YOU practice tai chi, move slowly
(and hopefully less jerkily than this animation)
If the pictures stop animating on your page,
hit reload (refresh)
(I've even had to "clear memory
cache" first if I interrupted initial page loading)

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notes:
I made the Tai Chi graphic images using a reverse image option so that
I could
video the Left Hand Set, then when it is viewed here on your monitor, it appears
as a mirror image of a Right Hand Set, which you can emulate by following
my movements. Most Tai Chi students only learn the Right Hand Set, and
it is a good way to start. One can practice the opposite side movements
(Left Hand) by practicing the reverse of the image(s) above. I
am fortunate that the students who instructed me at my 'tai chi beginning'
practiced both sides of the set daily. By learning the left and right
versions (identical, just reversed) of tai chi, I believe one may gain even
more.
~ ~ ~ ~
~
more notes:
Please
let me know what you like here and what really bugs you here, too
TO EMAIL HERE PLEASE MANUALLY CHANGE 'AT'
TO '@'
Is there some aspect of the movement not made clear by the images
(or the text, for that matter)?? Please tell me, and if I cannot clarify
it with words I will try to make a new image to illustrate a way out
of that confusion.
~ ~ ~
~ ~
still more notes:
It is better by far to experience learning Tai Chi of any kind
in a group setting, primarily for two reasons. First, it's more fun! and
nothing is better for learning than sharing ideas and practice with individuals
who share the same interests. By having many artisans practice together,
this allows for an excellent source of useful feedback. More than
critically watching the moves as others do them, this also affords an opportunity
that is unparalleled: by standing in the center surrounded by more advanced
students, with every movement in every direction, the novice has a rotating
view of the form. This allows the newer student to follow all the
others, even as the plane of movement tangents onto a new direction. Turn
left, a senior student is in front to follow from; turn right, another teacher
is in view;
spin around 180° and, yep, you guessed
it.
Though learning Tai Chi from pictures, and (sometimes even worse) from text,
is not the best method to use...it is what I can offer. Some people
have little or no access to teachers or classes in their area; some have
little or no money for them even if they did exist; some folk are shy and
some may be to dis-eased to go to a class; it is for all these people (the
ones online, at least) and of course for the martial arts intellectuals
(you know who you are) that I make this meager presentation.
For anyone in or near (or just visiting) the
San Francisco Bay Area, please accept our invitation to join us in our VIRTUAL REALITY
PLAYSHOP
(real people), any Saturday morning from 8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.
at 1819 10th Street, in Berkeley.
(The set usually begins @ 9:10 a.m. Saturday
Just take the outside stairs on the south side of Finnish Hall to the top
to get in--or take the disabled folks elevator inside--if you need it)
~ ~ ~
~ ~
finally! feedback
finally, your notes:
Scott, I HAVE FEEDBACK FOR YOU
and/or
I wanna get email when the lesson page changes :)
FEEDBACK FORM:
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last updated on November 27, 2006 at 5:20 P.M.
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