Fitness & Wellbeing
Take it EASY getting back to regular activity
Standing on One Leg
Given that standing on one leg is challenging you may find it helpful to start with a semi-tandem foot , try with the eyes closed:
Progressing to the full tandem Stance, again try with the eyes closed:
And you might continue with this treading exercise or Nanba flow stepping
Twenty Minutes of Daily Exercise
Functional Exercises
For the sake of our physical and mental health, GPs recommend that we exercise five times per week. But there can be more to think about than just getting our heart rate up – physiotherapists say it also pays to work on strengthening our muscles.
And the 4 exercises they recommend -
Step-ups
Bridge
Calf raise
Weight Training for the Older Body
While muscle will still inevitably decrease with age no matter how much you exercise, being physically active often is still one of the best ways we know of when it comes to maximising both good health and fitness and lifespan. And the earlier you make exercise a habit, the better off you may be in old age.
Eccentric Exercise
Far Fewer People Meet Strengthening Activity Guidelines
Got a stiff/sore neck?
Hip Rotation
Again with figure 8
Qigong
Gathering Chi This activity is often described as gathering the chi from earth and sky into the body centre, I prefer to view it as an internal process - with the in-breath you have loose flowing expansion/extension from toes to finger tips and then with the out-breath an equally even contraction to the body centre. It is an exercise that should cultivate awareness of whole body sensation, a consciousness of being a feeling entity, mind is body and body is mind, and the illusion of self is dispelled.
Opening/Closing a Qigong Routine
Lifting the Sky Exercise (Eight Brocade)
again, Two Hands Pushing Sky
Easy Qigong Stretch (bend willow)
Roll Shoulders
gentle movement and the Standing Eight-Form Moving Meditation:
An EASY QIGONG routine with the late and much lamented Ronnie Robinson
Qigong Process
Eternal Spring Qigong
Da Mo with Maurice Halton
Rocking Style Man Dong Qigong
Energy Gates Qigong
Five Loosening exercises with Lau K King
Again
A Shili routine from LiuHeBaFa
My Preferred interpretation of 8-Brocade
And again
Standing Qi Gong postures have been part of Tai Chi and martial arts since their inception. Every system of martial art and Qi Gong has static standing postures that have been developed specifically to nourish your body and Qi to make you stronger, give you more energy, keep you healthy and help heal your body and quiet your mind.
Teach Yourself to Stand Still Get Fit, includes Eight Treasures (8 Brocade)
ye can park yer erse richt doon on a chair and gi yersel a wee rub . … an a saft streech
Neigong - Internal Strength
Neigong, 3 of the 24 postures as understood by Master Chun Man
Rocking exercises
From a normal stance, rocking toe to heel
One foot forward, forward stance
Just to remind you that you can slow down YouTube videos by going into Settings (cogwheel icon).
I prefer a more radical version of the above exercise that is slower and where when back you sit and turn the hips more, with a focus on the sensation of movement, forward onto the ball of the foot, the knee follows, hip and waist to let the arm swing forward. Then the rear foot will shift back pulling (you should feel it in the rear calf) the rear knee and hips back to a sitting position, turning the hip and waist to pull the rear arm forward and the lead arm back. ..
Now stepping and Rocking
Using Ball for whole body movement
Further elaboration on Ball Rotation Exercise
Rooting
Rocking is a good place to start
Followed by Yun Yin Sin’s treading while pressing down with the palm (video will stick and start again)
Again, Yun Yin Sin, holding arms, palms down, parallel to ground, squat and hold:
Same posture and squat and rise;
Then Tai Chi ‘Standing Still’;
You might consider following Master Lam Kam Chuen’s ‘Stand Still Be Fit’ 10 day course, free on YouTube;
I prefer Master Cui Ruibin’s short Yiquan Standing routine;
view video from 3mins - 17 mins; 4 POSTURES
Tai Chi Chuan
An Overview of Tai Chi Chuan by Dan Docherty
What is Tai Chi Chuan
The story of Tai Chi
Tai chi Philosophy
Tai Chi Principles as outlined in the Classics
Tai Chi Theory
The Art of Overcoming Hardness with Softness
The two major principles of Tai Chi Chuan self-defence strategy are using stillness to defeat motion, and using softness to defeat hardness.
`If the enemy does not move, we do not move, but as soon as he begins to move we move at once.
.. . the real meaning of softness lies in the use of intelligence rather than brute force.
. . . we must rely on skill and intellect rather than brute force; it also requires us to follow a set path of five principles - 'Adhere, be continuous, be soft, follow, don't break contact or resist'
Tai Chi Classics Explained
More on the Classics
Interview with a tai chi philosopher
Body Structure and Movement
Wang Hai Jun on Important Tai Chi Skills
Sam Moore Paying Attention
Monk Yunrou; Peng Jing – an outward supportive strength, a direction of movement, an energy.
Master Yang Jun (Yang Family tai chi) highlights the importance of being relaxed and soft to facilitate the process of whole body movement and total body force. It is through relaxation that one becomes soft, so that energy and power can issue from the feet to the waist, to the hand - as when using a whip, the energy travels along a loose, relaxed and extending lead.
Basic Skills of Tai Chi
Rooting and Reeling Silk
Silk Reeling - You may find it helpful to begin with Gene Burnett’s spiraling the wrist, then extending to elbow, shoulder, and so on . ..
Then enlarging that posture, but essentially the same movement .. .
and developing the movement further
And finally a more comprehensive routine
The Importance of the Hands
A Hand is Not a Hand
Uniqueness of the Hands
Tai Chi Fingers
The Hand Form
Short hand form performed front view 'square'
Short hand form performed 'square', and from rear, using a count of 1,2,3.
Short Form Circular, with the late Katherine Allen:
Hand Form (short) -
The young Cheng Tin-Hung hand form :
The Circular Movement of Tai Chi
Tai Chi Bio-engineering, The long form
Luo DeXiu Chen Pan Ling Tai Ji
How about 'Fluid Body' tai chi, with the magnificent Su Dong-chen
Ren Zhongxin teaching tai chi in the confines of his bedroom. Structural Power -
George Xu on the variations of 'Cloud Hands'
Application Of the Hand Form from Dan Docherty
Ian Cameron's approach to the practical aspects of tai chi
Throws and Sweeps
More applications from the hand form with Fu Wing-fei
Repulse the Monkey application
Ren Zhongxin using the space available to practise … (must get one of they vests for the good weather)
Let's have a look at Ren Zhongxin' take on theory and principles -
The Combative -
The Pugilist -
Pushing Hands
Ian Cameron pushing hands, Wudang tai chi chuan -
Practical TCC push hands
Master Yang Jun explores 8 Energies
a little guidance from Yun Yin Sen (Liu He Ba Fa) on pushing hands
Further explanation of pushing hands with Yang Jun (midst crashing waves and falling water!) -
Master Li Ching Dai's approach to pushing hands -
Ronnie Robinson's input on push hands; still sorely missed Ronnie
The body mechanics of push hands with Gene Burnett -
A man after me own heart showing rhythm, grace, and style when pushing hands … ..
and more tai chi dance
Push Hands and application of Hand Form -
Alexander Technique
Alexander Techniques Observations on Posture
Four Concepts of Alexander Technique Exercises
The Semi-Supine Position
The Whispered Ah
The Complete Guide
Does Movement have to be such and Effort!
Alexander Technique and Tai Chi
Again, more on Tai Chi and Alexander Technique
Baguazhang
Three Harmonies and Circle Walking
Single Palm Change and Rubbing
Gao Style Bagua Pre-Heaven Form
Straight line or Houtain; Post Heaven
Swimming Body Form
Application of Change
Application
Xingyi
5 Elements Fists
Pi Quan
Yiquan
Master Cui Ruibin:
Master Zhang Changwang