Form applications

Form applications are not as straightforward as they seem.
Even when you get some sense of how to apply the form, it is important to recognise that there are many layers of subtlety.

Applying the movements as an entry method is not easy.
You need to be very familiar with the form and capable of using the postures without thinking.

Invest in form

Students normally underestimate the significance of form.
Bad form = bad taijiquan.
It is that simple.
Your form highlights and determines how you move, how you use your body.
Invest as much time as you can in form practice. The better your form, the easier all aspects of the taijiquan will be to pull off.

How do you move?

Form reflects the way in which you personally move in taijiquan.
If your form is clumsy, then you are clumsy and that is useless for combat.
Your taijiquan must be fast, sensitive, alert, powerful and lively.
The cat-like grace of taijiquan encourages agile, strong movement, excellent poise, high energy levels and a feeling of vigour.

Stand or move?

Once the student is adept with taijiquan form, they can choose whether or not to continue with standing qigong.
Expert form practice essentially replaces standing qigong in terms of the health benefits.

You will begin to feel that your taijiquan practice goes beyond simple form training, and you will be able to perceive things as energetic combinations, rather than as static physical objects. Your training partners will appear to your senses as dynamic patterns of energy, rather than as clumsy physical bodies. When this happens, you can skilfully switch strategy and tactics in any situation.
 
 (Yang Jwing-Ming)

Gaps and deficiencies

It can be quite a shock for a student to find out that their form is actually a mess.
The form may look aesthetically pleasing, yet under pressure it falls apart.

Taoism advocates eating the fruit, not the flower.
The form must be functional, effective and comfortable.
If your structure and movements fail in combat, what exactly are you training when you practice your form?

Drills

The partnered exercises in the syllabus are about using the form.

Many of the skills acquired from pushing hands (and the associated exercises) are quite subtle and require significant ongoing practice.
Sensitivity, awareness, stickiness and peng are cultivated patiently.
Such drills are not directly martial.
You could not apply the drills in combat, but you would use the skills taught by the drills.

Internal training methods

Newcastle Tai Chi classes begin in a different way.
Our aim is to relax the body, release muscle tension, increase postural awareness, develop good body use, cultivate whole-body movement and bring the mind to the present moment.
Every exercise is designed to teach peng, jing, 13 postures and the use of the mind rather than force.
No one is breathing hard.

The principles and movement habits explored during the first part of class are then employed in the practice of form.
Students quietly move through the various forms in our syllabus, receiving corrections, tips & pointers, insights, applications and new movements.

The last part of class addresses the application of these same principles with a partner.
There are many martial drills, sensitivity exercises and self defence skills to acquire.

Throughout the evening the mood is calm and stress-free.
Every aspect of the lesson is integrated and layered; with each student actively learning 'internal' skills.

Form

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eaJyW0oWRg

Corrections

After learning the crude outline, the student undergoes extensive, ongoing correction.
Regular practice of the form enables the student to begin to get a feel for the form and start the long journey towards understanding.
Corrections are vital because they teach the individual how the movements are generated and why.

Without correction, a form remains crude.

Kata?

Form is not kata.
A kata is judged according to outwardly appearance and martial intent.
The student may be totally tense.

Form practice requires the student to be deeply relaxed, yet possess peng and substance.

Weapons forms

All of the weapons forms use strategies and movements derived from the Yang Cheng Fu form.
Therefore a student unskilled with the basic form cannot reasonably learn a weapons form.
This is not negotiable.
Competence with the complete Yang Cheng Fu form is a must.
Weapons forms must be practiced slowly until the set is ingrained.
Then, the speed depends on the day's training.
Sometimes, slow practice is good.
At other times, high speed practice is advisable.

2-person cane form/drill

This is a short 2-person set of high intensity.
The furious vigour of the drill will tax the nervous system.
It requires a significant degree of composure and a sharp, clear mind; focussed on the here and now.
The cane must be navel height.
The drill must be trained A and B side, and mirrored.

Pao chui and large san sau

The challenging pao chui form is practiced solo and also partnered as the large san sau.
The student has to make continual adjustments against an opponent who possesses equivalent tai chi chuan skill.
 
It is not possible to practice pao chui unless the student has very sensitive, nimble feet.

Weapons forms

Black belt students learn a variety of weapons forms that teach agile footwork:

· Sabre form
· 2 person cane form/drill
· Staff form
· Walking stick form
· Straight sword form

These forms utilise the postures from the Yang Cheng Fu form, but the footwork is quite different.
Why is it different?

The reach of a weapon is greater and you need to avoid being hit.
In order to utilise the weapon fully, a student needs to move freely and comfortably.
Lumbering footwork is not adequate.
Weapons forms teach fast, responsive footwork and rapid direction changes.

Yang Cheng Fu form

The Classical Yang form does not involve any fancy footwork.
There is plenty of stepping throughout the form, but it is far from dynamic.
How come?

The Yang Cheng Fu form encourages the student to perceive stepping as being an 'adjustment'.
You alter position favourably by stepping.
But you only step if and when you need to.

Substance

The form must adhere to the tai chi classics.
Without a comprehensive understanding of the three treatise, you cannot determine whether or not you are performing the sequence properly.

Underpinning the classics is the need for substance; internal strength/power.
Whole-body movement.
Neigong.
The ability to move your body as fluid, fully-connected network of parts is essential.

An extensive understanding of jing is also necessary.

Application

The ability to apply the patterns of movement is not something to be overlooked.
Each movement contains at least 7 different applications.

There are three ways to apply a posture:

1. Chin na
2. Jing
3. Shuai jiao

Consider the application relative to a punch, kick, grapple or hold.
Use the tai chi chuan principles.

Without an understanding of application, the student performs the sequence in a vague, ambiguous manner.
Application hones the focus.

Traditionally, students were not taught form applications... they had to figure them out by trial and error.

Sequence

The first stage of learning is concerned with learning the crude outline of the form.
This is called the 'square form'.
It is crude and ungainly but trains the approximate movements and directions.

The sooner a student can learn the sequence, the better.
Only through regular, intensive repetition of the sequence can the patterns become more familiar.

Starting incorrectly

A form cannot be taught correctly to a beginner. It is taught in accordance with the students ability to learn.
Beginners are physically incapable of the sophistication required to practice the form correctly, so a cruder version of the sequence is taught at first.

Once the exaggerated sequence has been learned, it can be made smaller and subtler.
Most movements will be altered as the student progresses and their body becomes more receptive.