Drills

Practising drills is an excellent way to develop skills in movement and flow. The following is a list of drills based on Yang short forms.

  1. Tai Chi Walking (Yang Style), no arms - focus on turning from waist, ‘feeling the floor’ before the weight is transferred, angles during transitions

  2. Tai Chi Walking: with Zhan Zuang arms OR with Part Wild Horse's Mane arms, OR with Brush Knee arms, OR with Grasp Bird’s Tail arms

  3. Retreat Step: with no arms, or modified Repulse Monkey, or Repulse Monkey arms

  4. Grasp Bird’s Tail and Single Whip: Commence N, Grasp bird’s tail W, Grasp bird’s tail E, Single whip W, Grasp bird’s tail N, Grasp birds tail S, Single whip N

  5. Fist under elbow/Turn and Twist Step(42 Form)

  6. Jade Ladies/Follow step/Grind the corn (42 Form)

  7. Beijing 24 drill: From the first Jade Lady, continue with L Jade Lady, Needle at Sea Bottom and Fan Through the Back (Flash Arms), then, shift weight back and repeat. This is good practice for facing 45 degrees, for the back foot to turn as the waist is turns into Jade Lady

  8. Complete part of a Form to 4 sides of the room:  For example, Beijing 24 up to the first Grasp Peacock’s Tail, step up and begin facing what would be West.  Then face South, East and finally back to North. OR, starting at N, the commencement to the second Grasp Peacock’s Tail, step up and then begin again facing E, then S, and finally W.

  9. Repetition: Stepping forward or to 45 degrees, Brush Knee, Part Wild Horse’s Mane, Jade Lady, Ward Off, Punch Tiger’s Ears

  10. Sun Style Stepping: Brush Knee, follow step, Strum the Lute and repeat, on Left side then Right side. Part Wild Horse’s Mane, follow step, White Crane and repeat.  Single Whip, follow step, High Pat on Horse and repeat

  11. Work the Compass Part 1: This foot drill will develop good stepping and turning habits.  Begin in Bow Stance, North, then turn to South, East, West and back to North and repeat on the other side.  It is suggested you break down the learning curve and practice 90 degree turns first, and then adding on 180 degree turns. Change where the front of the room is, as this is quite challenging

  12. Work the Compass Part 2: This will develop stepping and transitions of postures, with the instructor calling the direction and a posture.  Work on Part Wild Horse’s Mane to begin. Then, Brush Knee

  13. Work the Compass Part 3: As well as N, S, E and W, include NE, NW, SE and SW! Include different postures, including Brush Knee, Part Wild Horse’s Mane, Stroke Peacock’s Tail (or just the Ward Off), Jade Ladies for the 45 degree movements, Kicks and Punch Tigers Ears.

  14. Work the Compass Part 4: Mix up the postures so students need to think about the transitions from one to the other.