I. Steps to Learn Taijiquan
1. **Understanding the basics of taijiquan**
**Origin of Taijiquan**: Understand the history and cultural background of Taijiquan, and know that it is one of the traditional Chinese martial arts, which combines the functions of fitness, self-defense and cultivation of mind.
**Characteristics of Taijiquan**: Softness overcomes rigidity, static braking, internal and external cultivation, focusing on the coordination of breathing and movement.
**Major Schools**: Chen style, Yang style, Wu style, Wu style, Sun style, etc. Choose a school that suits you to start learning.
2. **Choosing a learning style**
**Find a teacher**: It is best to find an experienced taijiquan teacher, face-to-face instruction can correct movements and avoid wrong habits.
**Online courses**: If you are not in a position to find a teacher, you can choose a quality online course, but you need to be more conscious of practicing and correcting your movements.
3. **Mastering basic skills**
**Standing Piles (Jing Gong)**: The foundation of practicing Taijiquan is standing piles, such as “Wuji Piles” or “Mixed Piles”, which aims to cultivate internal qi, enhance lower limb strength and body stability.
**Basic footwork**: such as lunge, horse stance, false stance, servant stance, etc., to practice the stability and flexibility of the footwork.
**Basic Maneuvers**: e.g. arrow-quiver, stroking, squeezing, pressing, picking, poking, elbowing, leaning, etc., to master the basic maneuvers of Taijiquan and the way of generating power.
**Breathing method**: learn abdominal breathing, so that the breathing is even, deep and long, and coordinated with the movements.
4. **Learning sets**: **Simplified sets**: **Simplified sets
**Simplified sets**: Beginners can start with Simplified Taijiquan (Elementary), which has fewer movements and is easy to master.
**Traditional routines**: As the level increases, you can learn traditional routines, such as Yang Style 85, Chen Style Old Frame All the Way and so on.
**Decomposition Exercise**: Break down the routine into individual movements and practice them one by one to ensure the standard and consistency of each movement.
5. **Understanding Boxing Theory
**Taijiquan emphasizes the idea of guiding the movements, and the movements drive the internal qi.
**Looseness, Sinking and Roundness**: The body should be relaxed and the movements should be round and smooth, avoiding stiffness.
**Yin and Yang Balance**: Taijiquan emphasizes the combination of rigidity and flexibility, movement and static, and focuses on the balance and coordination of movements.
6. **Persist in practicing**: Taijiquan emphasizes the balance and coordination of movements.
**Daily practice**: Taijiquan requires long-term persistence, practicing 30 minutes to 1 hour a day and gradually improving.
**Repeated Reflection**: Reflect on whether the movements are in place and whether the breathing is coordinated after each practice to improve gradually.
7. **Push Hands Exercise**
**Single Push Hands**: Practice single push hands with a partner, feel each other’s force, and practice listening to and transforming the force.
**Double Push Hands**: Further practice double push hands to improve the perception and control of force.
**Practical Application**: Understand the practical skills of Taijiquan through the practice of Push Hands.
II. Notes on learning Taijiquan
1. **Gradual Progress**: Don’t be in a hurry, start with basic skills and improve gradually.
2. **Movement standardization**: Each movement should be done properly to avoid wrong movements to form habits.
3. **Breathing naturally**: Beginners do not have to deliberately pursue breathing and movement with the first to do natural breathing, and gradually transition to abdominal breathing.
4. **Peace of mind**: Taijiquan emphasizes the tranquility of the mind, so keep a peaceful mind when practicing and don’t be impatient.
5. **Avoid Injury**: When practicing, pay attention to the protection of the knees to avoid excessive squatting or irregular movements leading to joint injuries.
**Record the process of practicing**: Use your cell phone to record your own practice video, compare the standard movements and find out the deficiencies.
IV. Stages of learning Taijiquan
1. **Elementary stage (3-6 months)**
– Master the basic skills and simplified routines.
– Movements are basically standardized and breathing is initially coordinated.
2. **Intermediate stage (6 months – 2 years)**
– Master a set of traditional routines.
– Understand the principles of boxing, smooth movements, and coordination of breathing and movements.
3. **Advanced stage (more than 2 years)
– Movements are rounded and free, and internal qi is abundant.
– Able to utilize the principles of Taijiquan in pushing hands and actual combat.
Learning Taijiquan requires patience and perseverance. Starting from the basics, you will gradually master the routines and boxing theory. Through constant practice and reflection, you can gain physical health, peace of mind and a deep understanding of traditional culture through the practice of Taijiquan. By practicing consistently, you will find that Taijiquan is not only a martial art, but also a way of life.