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Tai Chi Chuan  Online Playshop  Lesson Page
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LESSON 16:
              
             BODY TURNS AROUND, HEEL KICK (left)
             BRUSH KNEE TWIST STEP (right)
             BRUSH KNEE TWIST STEP (left)

 please read the following text information while the images load on the page
 JUST CLICK ON ANY LESSON # BELOW TO VIEW IT 
    LESSON #1          LESSON #6       LESSON #11   
    LESSON #2        LESSON #7       LESSON #12   
    LESSON #3          LESSON #8       LESSON #13 
    LESSON #4       LESSON #9       LESSON #14
      LESSON #5       LESSON #10     PREVIOUS LESSON 
   LESSON  #15
    NEXT LESSON:   
    LESSON #17   
      NAMES     
   OF POSTURES

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)

     [This is similar to the
brush knee twist step (right) in previous lessons.]

     Brush knee twist step (right) begins as your left hand starts to descend in an arcing motion, as your right palm pushes (15) toward your left at shoulder level (East); this occurs as your center starts shifting your weight [W= 70R] back to your left side.  As you push to your left, your body (from the tan tien, or center) dips very, very slightly down and back up in an arc [W= 60R], and you lower your left toe down (15,16) [W= even]².
     As the right palm pushes the imaginary opponent at the shoulder level (15-21), your left hand drops to a few inches in front of and above your left knee (hence...
brush knee), with your palm facing in toward the knee (17) [W= 70L]. As the momentum forward (East) concludes [W= 80L], the right foot (with its weight mostly on the heel, pivoting) twists (hence... twist step) slightly forward to the corner, forming an acute angle with the left foot of about 30° (be comfortable.)
     At that point, the left hand rests just outside of the left leg, palm facing backward, fingers down; the right palm faces away (
East) in a "push", fingers to the ceiling; both elbows are slightly bent, and your left kneecap is aligned directly above (but in no case further out than) your left toe. (21)

Brush knee twist step  (left)    
(21 through 31)

     [The first part of the instructions for
brush knee twist step (left) that follows here is similar to the instructions for step forward in previous lessons.]

     Brush knee twist step (left) begins as you step forward by turning on the ball of the left foot and pointing your left toe (21,22), and your entire upper body, to the corner (NE). [Now your left foot points NE, forming at about a right angle to your right foot which is still pointing SE.]  Next shift your weight forward completely onto your left knee (which unbends slightly as you step forward) as you lift your right foot, heel first (22), then toe (24), and lift your right leg up and move it forward [W= 100L], stepping through (24). 
Then plant your right heel (25) at a comfortable distance ahead of you, with your knee slightly bent. [W= 90L] Throughout this
step forward, your arms and hands retain the same position, simply moving as one along with your motion.
     Next, your right hand begins to descend in an arcing motion (26), as your left palm pushes to your right (
East) at shoulder level (27-31); this occurs as your center starts shifting your weight [W= 80L] back to the right side.  As
you push to the right [W= 70L], your body (from the
tan tien, or center) dips very, very slightly down and back up in an arc [W= 60L], and you lower your right toe down (29) [W= even]².  As the left palm pushes the imaginary op-
ponent at the shoulder level, your right hand drops to a few inches in front of and above your right knee (29) (hence...
brush knee), with your palm facing in toward the knee [W= 70R].  As the momentum forward (East) concludes, the left foot (with its weight mostly on the heel, pivoting) twists (hence... twist step) slightly forward to the corner (30-31), forming an acute angle with the right foot of about 30° (be comfortable.) [W= 80R]
     At that point, the right hand rests just outside of the right leg, palm facing backward, fingers down; the left palm faces away (
East) in a "push", fingers to the ceiling; both elbows are slightly bent, and your right kneecap is aligned directly above (but in no case further out than) your right toe. (31)

                     
                     do not over-do     do not under-do                     

           ~   ~   ~   ~   ~

(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.)


notes:

¹   And this height may vary considerably depending upon how stretched out (relaxed) your muscles are when you perform this, or any, move.  
_
go back_

²   This return to
weightedness on the opposite side allows the upper and lower torso to again move as one in the same direction (East).  _go back_
                        
                        The links back to the above footnote numbers
will only return you to
                                       the
very first use of that number in the above text,
                   not to the subsequent references on this page to the same footnote number.
                                  Use the "Back" button on your browser when in doubt.

                        do not over-do     do not under-do

 JUST CLICK ON ANY LESSON # BELOW TO VIEW IT 
    LESSON #1          LESSON #6       LESSON #11   
    LESSON #2        LESSON #7       LESSON #12   
    LESSON #3          LESSON #8       LESSON #13 
    LESSON #4       LESSON #9       LESSON #14
      LESSON #5       LESSON #10     PREVIOUS LESSON 
   LESSON  #15
    NEXT LESSON:   
    LESSON #17   
      NAMES     
   OF POSTURES

FUNDAMENTALS OF
TAI CHI CHUAN
breathing
moving as one
being grounded
tan tien (center of balance)
ding jin (common axis)
continuity
single weightedness
double weightedness
yin/yang duality
bent knees and elbows
fist space/separates
moving on a curve
moving slowly

as time permits i will explain these
concepts and expand the list of
fundamentals


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)


    

A
different
angle
of
this
lesson
as viewed
from
the East

 JUST CLICK ON ANY LESSON # BELOW TO VIEW IT 
    LESSON #1          LESSON #6       LESSON #11   
    LESSON #2        LESSON #7       LESSON #12   
    LESSON #3          LESSON #8       LESSON #13 
    LESSON #4       LESSON #9       LESSON #14
      LESSON #5       LESSON #10     PREVIOUS LESSON 
   LESSON  #15
    NEXT LESSON:   
    LESSON #17   
      NAMES     
   OF POSTURES


~   ~   ~   ~   ~

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.

TAI CHI CLASSES
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 :)

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~   ~   ~   ~   ~

Only you yourself will know if you have stretched
your chi 'enough', 'too much', or even 'not enough'.  What we desire to achieve with Tai Chi is balance: to get there, moderation, not excess, is required.

~   ~   ~   ~   ~

Keep in mind while upon this new journey that we do it for our health, for our joy, for our spiritual reawakening...not to suffer more, but to complete ourselves
as beings, and rejoice of the universe.

~   ~   ~   ~   ~

With gratitude to Li Lida      (1922-1982)



SPECIAL THANKS
to Ruth, David, Lydia, Michael, Shar'n, Harold, Eileen, Robert,
and all of the other people who have helped me learn Tai Chi...

                                     



injoy.       heartLove!



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page last updated on November 27, 2006 at 5:20 P.M.


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~   ~   ~   ~   ~

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