Sample Student - April 7, 2003

Congratulations - you have achieved Certified Leader!

I will forward the contract to be signed and returned, then send the business kit.

Your initial tapes were filled with high quality movement and grace.

The music was a nice touch. You have an obvious athletic grace and control, and a significant potential as a teacher.

Of course, I have lots of comments designed to improve your movement and are not in any way to be seen as criticism.

Following are some clips I took from the tape along with some comments.

After reviewing this page, review the Tai Chi for Busy People and 4 Minute Fitness tapes as if you have never seen them before, watching in particular the hips, arms and shoulder positions. And focus on the comments below about your movement and in my movement in the tapes.

Also note that my arms or legs rarely move alone. Notice that the hips close in a continual and gradual manner, not finishing too early or late.  Everything moves in unison, and most parts move and stop together. In your case, this especially applies to Single whip.

 

IN GENERAL

All of your movements can be done a little lower, with a wider stance in Wave Hands, unless you have knee problems. But do not "step"! Simply sink lower on the supporting leg, then gracefully extend the free (unsubstantial) leg.

In order to move into any step or stance in both 4 Minute Fitness and Easy Tai Chi, it is important not to step as if you were walking. Key is to sink down, then place leg out. The farther down you sink, the longer the stance will be.

Please review the river walking technique at the beginning of the Easy Tai Chi tape and include it with any posture that includes the leg moving into a new position.

4 MINUTE FITNESS

4 Minute Fitness - #1

Very nice. Balanced stance, no forward lean, shoulders and elbows relaxed, knees pushing out over feet.

4 Minute Fitness - #2

This posture reflects your martial arts training and needs to be adjusted a bit. The key to "stepping" into the posture with the left foot is in not "stepping" You have raised the foot high, but your whole body is elevated, creating a center of gravity that is too high. Most people in this pose would find balance challenging. (It's easier for you because of your training).

So, when moving the left leg into position, SINK onto the right foot (see red arrow), then let the left leg slowly move to the left. The more you sink, the lower you will go! So there no "step". Please review the walking section at the beginning of the tai chi tape.

4 Minute Fitness #3

Another good move. My only suggestion would be to keep the hips a little more parallel to the front wall (see blue line). When the hips move too much, the spinal exercise value is lost (note both red lines). By holding the hips still and turning the shoulders, they form an X from above. This represents a torsion on each vertebrae and significantly increases the value of the move.

This is a different move, but it still demonstrates the "X".

4 Minute fitness #4

In each of these poses, you are using the wrong arms (a common mistake you will see when you begin teaching.) You have the right hand going to the right side, but it should be the left arm.

The left arm moves across the body in a sweeping manner (it is a sweeping block), reaching to the right corner. This results in a significant rotation of the hips and a greater ability to sink into posture at the end of the move.

A slightly wider stance helps and feel more of a rotation in the movement. As you stay upright (no leaning) and reach into the front and back corners simultaneously, you will create more rotation. Try it. Remember to sink on the hip at the end of each move to stretch the deeper muscles.

Please review the video carefully.

4 Minute Fitness #5

Very graceful, with totally relaxed shoulders. Well done.

To maximize spinal benefits and counter act the slumping shoulder most of us have while sitting at the computer, arch the upper back more (do not drop the head back) and push the chest out and up in the direction of the arrow.

IMPORTANT - as part of your package, I will be sending a 4 Minute Fitness Seminar video. Please work through it as if you were a participant and take note of and include subtle details.

EASY TAI CHI

Tai Chi - Partition

As you moved into posture here, you raised your leg and foot much too high. Instead, sink down on your supporting leg (see arrow) and let the left foot move out without as much height. Your entire center of gravity will drop and the move will be more powerful.

The length of your step should not be determined by the length of the step you can "fall" into, but more so by the distance you can sink. Again - see the walking section of the video.

The circle created by the hands should be larger in each of the Partitions. As you take the ball off to the side, make it a beach ball, not a soft ball.

Your smaller circle is no doubt part of your martial arts training, but in this move we want to create a larger personal space both in the diameter of the circle and in the distance you hold your hands from the chest.

Note how may hands have stayed directly in front of my chest. The shoulders have rotated more than the hips (see lines in shirt, indicating maximum back exercise), but I have not lost my arms and hands to the back. They always stay directly in front of the chest in this move. Note the circle and space from my chest.

IMPORTANT - This movement is a gradual hip rotation throughout the entire movement forward. The hip closing provides the power to the move and increases stretch. The hips, shoulders and hand movements all stop at the same time, so no one part is moving alone.

Continue on top right of this page... Click here

Page 2


Tai Chi - Repulse Monkey

This is a challenging move. Your move is graceful and flowing, but needs some structural attention. Please review the video carefully with emphasis on my comments below.

This clip is stepping backward into Repulse Monkey. Your right hand should be moving forward following the direction shown by the green arrow, going just past the right ear. Instead you have created a circular movement with the arm that sweeps way too far from the body.

And your left leg stepping back also sweeps (red line), but in fact it should step straight back. (green line)

Both sides (right and left Repulse Monkey) are the same, with your back arm taking a low and sweeping path with unnecessary movement toward the front.

Once again, the length of the back step will be determined not by how far you can step, but by how low you sink the supporting leg (green arrow).

For this move, please review the video carefully watching hip and shoulder position and arm positions, especially the back hand moving forward.

Tai Chi - Stepping into Single Whip and Single Whip 1 Posture

You do most of this move correctly. It is important to keep the spine mostly erect (notice the red line in the mirror - the slight lean backwards).

Once again, you are lifting the front foot very high as you step into posture. Better to sink down on the supporting leg (red arrow), then let the front foot move forward without such a high lift. This is again a reflection of your different martial arts abilities, but in this case the leg lift is less dramatic, and the sinking onto the supporting leg is more important.

Below. At this point, your hips and shoulders should be "closed" - parallel to the front wall. Be sure to complete the posture in the same fashion as in Partition - the right hip must close fully (in the direction of the red arrow). Your left knee is perfect (green line)- nice and upright, so be sure it stays that way as you complete the hip turn.

Review this move carefully on the video.

Tai Chi - Single Whip 2

Same thing. Also - be sure the left elbow is relaxed and hanging down (red arrow). See my clip below for arm and elbow position. Note my hips are fully closed.

Tai Chi - Snake Creeps Down

The most difficult move, and the move you demonstrated with the greatest skill! The clip below demonstrates a terrific posture. Your spine is erect, your back foot is open and the knee is pushing over it and stable (green lines), the stance is wide and athletic and your body is relaxed.

It is very unusual for anyone to do this move as well in such a short time!

Only comment - be sure that your front knee (red arrow) isn't locked. Should have a slight bend. And check your back foot on the first Snake to be sure it is in the same posture. It wasn't open as much on the video.

Tai Chi - Wave Hands

You did this move well. To advance the skill level, rather than stepping into each move, sink on the supporting leg as low as you can, then slide the insubstantial leg out to its position. The lower you go, the father that leg can reach without falling or stepping onto it prematurely. This demonstrates greater strength and control and adds to the beauty and grace of the move.

 

That's it.. You are doing particularly well and I look forward to the next step.