T’ai Chi can be practiced fast or slow, and if one is in
balance the form is basically the same, although when one moves very fast, the
form consists of smaller circles, which take less time to execute. Practicing
fast can give one a feel for the flow, and helps one to relax and see the big
picture. Practicing slowly allows for
more attention to be given to the movements, and can be applied to the
precision of the form, accuracy of balance, and general awareness. There is a
place for both in the study of T’ai Chi, but usually practicing slowly is the
more difficult task, and is the more neglected practice.
It is suggested that
one practice slowly at least some of the time in order to change and improve
one’s form. If one practices fast one often moves by habit and likely will
repeat the same mistakes each time. By
slowing down and allowing time to see and correct any imperfections in one’s
form during practice, the perfecting of one’s form is encouraged and fostered.
If two students study for a math test and one spends fifteen
minutes on the task while another studies for three hours, it seems obvious
that the one who studies longer will probably benefit more. In simple terms,
twelve times the attention can be applied in three hours over a quarter of an
hour session, without having to concentrate better or work harder. One doesn’t
have to be a rocket scientist or a super athlete to learn T’ai Chi, but like
any worthwhile endeavor, an investment of time is usually required.
If one is in balance the form can be done fast or slow. When
one is out of balance for parts of the form, if you move fast you pass over
these parts by tensing up and usually don’t even notice them. Try slowing down and they become obvious,
sometimes making the movements difficult to perform without falling or at least
breaking out of the form. Also, when the balance is good, any movement can be
done backwards as well as forward. This is not as feasible when the balance is
not good. These “Tells” which can tell you when your balance could be improved,
are very useful in improving one’s form.
Some tips to check where the weight is:
(Weight is usually on the bent leg, and no weight on the
straight leg.) If weight is on the front (bent) leg and one turns from the hip,
the front knee will remain stationary. If there is some weight on the back leg
also, one is “double weighted”, and the front knee will move around as one
turns from the hip, in order to adjust for the shifting of the weight between
the legs and to keep the knee under the weight as it moves. (If one is balanced
on the weighted leg, the weight will not have to shift, and the knee will remain stationary.) Watching this front
knee can be useful to rid one’s form of this double weighted condition.
When the weight is on the back leg, (back leg bent), if one
raises the front toe as much as one can, this will take all the weight off the
front leg and center the weight over the back leg. Often when “sitting back”,
beginning and intermediate practitioners do not always sit back completely and
shift all the weight to the back foot before continuing to the next step, and
thereby begin the next step slightly out of balance.
Hand position tip:
The form is simplified by adhering to some useful standards,
one of which is that the wrists and shoulders are often held at equal height.
This helps correct “upper body floating around” problems, as slight
unintentional raising and lowering and other movements of the arms as one does the form sometimes
shifts a small but significant amount of weight enough to unconsciously change
the balance and create unnecessary tensions which can cause dysfunctional
resistance to energy flow between body parts (lessening the power of the form).
