Taiji Taolu (Forms or Routines)
Online Video Instruction
The most recognisable aspect of taijiquan training is the slow, graceful routines that combine martial movements with qigong, stretching, balancing, proper posture, and the refinement of subtle body mechanics to improve the health and power of mind, body, and spirit.
Practising a taijiquan routine provides a complete workout, deep relaxation, a clear mind, inner peace, an leaves you feeling both rested and invigorated.
While traditional routines typically took 1-3 years to learn and 20 60 minutes to perform onece; modern simplified and standardised routines have been created over the past 50 years that can be learnedin a few lessons and performed in 3- 10 minutes.
Each style of taijiquan has its own unique routines with unique characteristics. But the fundamental principles governing how the routines are performed is the same for every traditional style.
The types of routines include: solo routines, weapon routines, 2-person routines.
Some of the routines I will be teaching or demonstrating in this section will include some of the following routines:
- 10 Form Tai Chi (also known as the "8 form")
- 16 Form - There are actually many routines called "16 form taijiquan" Here are some of them:
- Yang Style 16
- Chen Style 16 (aka Chen 18)
- Sun Style 16
- Wu Style 16
- Wu' (Hao) Style 16
- Xin Style 16
- Xin Style 16 sword
- Simplified Yang 16
- Lau Style 16
- more...
- 24 Form Tai Chi - Also known as the "Beijing 24" This routine was created in 1956 as part of the Chinese (PRC) National Fitness Program.
- 32 Sword
- 48 Combined Style
- International Standard Routines (Originally designed as competition routines)
- Yang 40
- Chen 56
- Wu 46
- Sun 77
- Combined 42
- Combined 42 Sword
- Yang Style
- Chen Style
- Sun Style
- Sword
- Sabre
- Spear
- More...