What are the basic training methods of Wu Style Tai Chi Zhuang Gong?

Wu Style Tai Chi has been practiced by the Yang family since my great-grandfather Quan Yougong. It has gone through six generations and has a development history of more than a hundred years. If a kind of scholarship can be widely circulated and continuously carried forward, it must have its own unique value. Below is the basic practice method of Wu Style Tai Chi Zong Gong that I compiled for you. Welcome to read!

Basic practice method 1 of Wu style Tai Chi stance: horse stance stance

The step training method is based on horse stance. Horse step, also known as horse crotch, ground basin or stance. Why do you need to practice horse stance? Because the steps are steady and the energy is heavy, it not only avoids the problems of rising blood and shortness of breath, but also gradually removes the buoyancy and achieves the effect of heavy energy.

Although boxing is mostly about practicing the skills of the hands, if the footwork is not stable, the foundation is not strong, it shakes when you move, the top is heavy and the bottom is light, the result will be like wind and water with no foundation. This will It affects the whole body and makes it scattered. Therefore, we are required to practice to lift a foot as light as a feather and stand as heavy as a mountain. It can be seen from this that you should work hard to practice horse stance.

The method of practicing the horse stance is to spread your feet parallel to each other, wider than shoulder width apart, squat down as if sitting on a horse, and at the same time stretch your arms forward, then separate them to the left and right, level. Place your arms on both sides of your body, with your arms slightly lower than your shoulders, and your palms facing downwards (pay attention to loosening your shoulders and lowering your elbows); look straight ahead; keep breathing naturally.

When the body is squatting, the mind is on the Mingmen. When you feel the difficulty in the heels, think about the tips of the knees and the toes being vertical. When they are stable, the mind is on the Mingmen again.

Repeat this until your legs are extremely sore before you can rest. Do not stand up immediately, otherwise it will be difficult to achieve the effect. Beginners must pay attention. Do two exercises every day, morning and evening, and the time can be gradually increased.

Basic Training Method 2 of Wu Style Tai Chi’s Standing Skills: Sichuan Step Standing

In Tai Chi’s standing stance, Sichuan Step is mostly used instead of T-step or Eight-Shape Step. Because the T-step is small and the figure-eight step is large, if the body needs to be sensitive to changes, the Sichuan step is better.

The method of practicing Sichuan Step is to start from the standing posture, take one step forward, with the toes of both feet forward, and the feet forward and backward.

The distance between left and right is measured by the length of your own foot. Then, sit back, put your weight on your hind legs, and look at the tip of your nose, knees, and toes (that is, the three tips are aligned up and down to form a vertical line).

At the same time, straighten your front legs, raise your toes, and put your heels on the ground; stretch your arms forward at the same time, with one arm in front, palms facing in, thumbs and the tip of the nose facing each other, and one arm facing forward. Afterwards, with the palm of your hand facing outward, place the tip of your middle finger close to the crook of your arm, and align your thumb with your heart.

Both eyes are level and farsighted above the thumb of the front hand. If beginners can practice this method in a standardized and correct way, soon all parts of the body will feel comfortable and happy. Especially the waist and legs will feel abnormally warm and comfortable.

Basic practice method 3 of Wu Style Tai Chi Zhuang Kung Fu: One-character three-dimensional stance

There are two types: "joined palm posture" and "palm support posture". When Tai Chi generates energy, it always starts from the feet up to the legs, from the legs up to the waist, through the spine and reaches the fingers.

However, in order to be able to generate force from the back, it is necessary to practice from a three-dimensional stance to achieve this effect. If not, it will be difficult to succeed. This pile mainly has the effect of maintaining health, curing diseases and prolonging life, and it also lays the foundation for martial arts.

The way to practice the Three-dimensional Stand (Geshāng Pose) is to keep the body upright and centered and not tilted down, with the feet spread out in a straight line, about shoulder-width apart.

At the same time, stretch your arms forward flatly, with the palms facing inward. The middle fingers of the two palms touch each other, as if holding a tree with your hands. Look at the middle of the fingers in your hands. When the fingertips just touch, Separate them immediately, make them touch again immediately after separation, separate them again after touching, touch them again after separation, in this way, focus your eyes on the contact point of the two fingertips.

If you can follow this method correctly, your chest and the inside of your arms will feel full of energy, complete and comfortable. Furthermore, it is necessary to move from movement to stillness, which is the requirement in boxing theory: "touching the movement while still being still" in the theory of boxing.

It means that the action should start from stillness, because the most stillness is vivid, and then seek stillness from movement. Therefore, the shape of the body at this time is that the whole body is naturally relaxed, and the eyes are also naturally relaxed. The ground forms a curtain with closed eyes.

At the same time, you can reach the state of "selflessness" where there is nothing in your body. When you reach this state, your nature will not be nourished but you will nourish yourself, and your body will be trained on your own without training. If you persist in training like this, your skills will become deeper and deeper over time. It can balance the body's Qi and blood and become a disease-free iron man.

The method of practicing the three-dimensional pile "palm support pose" is to make the palms of both hands outwards, the backs of the hands facing inward, and the middle fingers of both hands are still in contact. The rest of the movements are the same as the "gathered palm pose".

Mentally, if your imaginary hands come into contact with someone or something, immediately use your mind to push your back back; if you feel something pushing on your back, immediately use your mind to push your palms forward. The exercise of constantly changing the mind in this way can not only make the mind change more sensitively, but also make the hands and back generate internal energy.

If you can do this correctly, your arms and back will feel stretched outward. This feeling is the function of the "palm support pose".

Basic practice method 4 of Wu Style Tai Chi's stance technique: lunge stance

This stance is a commonly used offensive footwork in Tai Chi in martial arts, and it is also the most basic footwork. . The relationship between the lunge stance and the sitting stance (i.e. the Chuan stance) is particularly close. When advancing, that is, when attacking forward, lunges are used; when retreating, that is, when the body retreats and resolves, the sitting stance is used. When changing steps between your legs, your movements should be flexible.

The practice method of lunge pile is: stand upright, take one step forward, put your feet straight, then bend your knees and squat slightly, your knees should not go over your toes; your back feet should also be straight, and your legs should be bent and straight; your weight Fall on the front legs.

At the same time, stretch your arms straight forward, palms facing each other, mouth upward, fingertips forward, shoulders relaxed and elbows down, eyes looking straight ahead. Imagine that the back and the soles of the front feet are connected. When the spine and the front feet are connected, the hands and arms seem to be pushed forward by the body.

At this time, the body moves forward, exhale at the same time, and think that the back and front feet are in conjunction with the mind. When inhaling, the body will naturally retreat slightly. Don't use your mind at this time, that is, don't think about anything and just let nature take its course. . Just like this, "exhale intentionally", "inhale unintentionally", exhale and inhale, continuously and slowly.

The length of standing time should be combined with your own physical strength, and you should practice according to the rules from less to more, step by step, and gradually increase. Finally, when you practice it to the point where intention becomes unintentional, and what is unintentional is the true meaning, you can make the whole body become whole and produce a kind of elasticity that combines hardness and softness.

Practice techniques of Wu-style Tai Chi

Five-character formula

Quietness: The mind must be highly concentrated and free of distracting thoughts. However, human thinking is complex, and it is not easy to keep the central nervous system highly concentrated and in a single state of excitement. So, how can we focus our thoughts? The simplest way is to focus on how to make your actions as correct as possible. In other words, it is to seek stillness while moving, and it is easier to achieve results if you adapt appropriately. Over time, you can gradually understand the strength through familiarity, and reach the realm of gods from understanding the strength.

Lightness: The "lightness" in Tai Chi cannot be explained by simply not using force. Light is relative to heavy. The Tai Chi Sutra says: "If the left is heavy, the left will be weak; if the right is heavy, the right will be weak." If it is light, it means that "explosive force" cannot be used. The second thing is to avoid double. "Light" can also be interpreted as "soft". "Extremely soft and then extremely strong and rigid" means the flexibility of lightness. Lightness does not mean relaxation. Relaxation and explosive power are both taboos in Tai Chi. Light means that there is no need to use force, so it is said that it looks like a loose but not a loose will. It is Tai Chi Jin. The movements of Tai Chi, including hands, eyes, body techniques, and footwork, are all between strong and weak, showing a potential that is about to be developed. Only by clearly distinguishing the actual and the actual can form "Tai Chi Jin". Understanding this Jin is the key to practice. In the advanced stage of Tai Chi, only through long-term training and tacit understanding can you follow your heart's desires.

Slowly: Practice Tai Chi slowly, but not pause. Slowness is relative to fastness, and the principle of slowness is that it requires "continuity" and no interruptions. The Tai Chi Sutra says: If you move quickly, you should respond quickly; if you move slowly, you should follow it slowly. Therefore, when practicing Tai Chi, it is required that the movements must be connected before and after. The so-called "reciprocation must have folding, and the advance and retreat must have transitions", so that the whole set of movements can be continuous and connected step by step, and there must be no intentional delay between movements. Generally speaking, a set of boxing should be controlled between 25 and 50 minutes. For people who are well-trained, it takes basically the same amount of time to perform a complete set of punches each time. This is a concrete manifestation of deep kung fu.

Qie: It means seriousness. Practicing Tai Chi requires hard work and cannot be hasty. No matter which move you make, it must be accurate. It is necessary to clearly distinguish between reality and reality, to avoid imperfections in movements, to stand upright and comfortable, to step forward like a cat, and to move vigorously like a thread. Another meaning of Qie is study. If you don’t study when practicing boxing, you have to recall after practice which boxing style you practiced wrong. You need to correct it when you practice again in the future. This is the work of cutting, studying, pondering, and polishing. If you work hard like this, you will make rapid progress.

Persistence: It means "timing" and "quantity". The first is perseverance, no matter it is severe cold or scorching heat; the second is quantification. According to each person's physique and time, the corresponding time and amount of exercise are formulated. Time, exercise and quantity need to be gradually strengthened in order to gradually improve the level.

The five elements of tranquility, lightness, slowness, cutting, and constancy are mutually restrictive and complementary. When practicing Tai Chi, they can only coexist and cannot be partial to each other.

Physiological requirements

The physical requirements and psychological requirements of practicing Tai Chi constitute a unified whole. The psychological requirements belong to the spiritual aspect; the physiological requirements are Apply to all parts of the body.

(1) The head is hung in a false position, the head is hanging. The Thirteen Postures of Xinggong Xinjie says: If the spirit can be lifted up, there will be no risk of delay and weight. This is the so-called head hanging. When practicing Tai Chi, the head must be upright and the lower jaw should be slightly drawn inward, but not with force, otherwise it will become stiff. The neck should be flexible but not swaying. These three essentials constitute "virtual collar support". No matter how you turn your body, this posture cannot change.

(2) Han chest and back: Han means to converge inward. When practicing Tai Chi, you should especially avoid raising your chest. Raising your chest can easily lead to stiffness of the trunk and affect the rise of Qi. Pressing your chest can easily lead to closed Qi. Both of these are inconsistent with the Qi training method of Tai Chi. Holding the chest means that the chest sinks slightly, the lungs open downward, the lung capacity naturally increases, and the Qi sinks into the Dantian. Pulling means to lift upwards. Pulling the back means slightly lifting the back with the head. With the force of the virtual collar, the back will be lifted naturally, making the spine vertical, and the central nervous system will be stabilized. Therefore, lifting the chest and pulling the back are connected.

Do a good job of imagining the strength and lifting the chest and back. Then the whole body will be light and beneficial.

(3) Sink shoulders and drop elbows: Sink shoulders, drop elbows, and straighten the chest and straighten the back are all related to each other. If the shoulders are not heavy, everything above the chest will be restrained. Dropping the elbow is also important. If the elbow is not dropped, the movement will be sluggish, the force will not be long, and the two flanks will lose protection.

(4) Loose the waist and lower the hips: The waist is important when practicing Tai Chi, so there is a saying that the source of destiny lies in the waist gap. Loosening the waist means that the waist should be relaxed so that the body movements can move smoothly. Because the movement changes of Tai Chi are all tied to the waist. The loose waist is related to the lower part of the body, which avoids the disadvantage of being top-heavy. Drooping the hips means that the buttocks cannot protrude. Protruding hips will cause obstacles to loosening the waist.

(5) Wrapping the crotch and containing the buttocks: Wrapping means to wrap up. Wrapping the crotch means wrapping the thigh muscles from the outside to the outside. The buttocks are not tilted, and the anus is naturally lifted upward. This is called the crotch containing buttocks.

(6) Tail Lu Zhongzheng: It is a continuation of the head hang. As long as the head hang is done well, the spine will naturally be straight. If you achieve the point where the virtual collar is pushing forward and the tail is aligned, the whole body will be in a state of excitement.

(7) Qi sinking in the Dantian: Qi sinking in the Dantian means sinking the diaphragm and breathing abdominally. This breathing method can promote full breathing, invigorate the spirit, and facilitate smooth movements.

Qi Movement Method

Practicing Tai Chi requires the combination of mind training, Qi training, and body training. What does the Xinjie of the Thirteen Postures and Exercises explain? Use the heart to move the Qi, making sure to be calm, so that it can be converged into the bones. By using Qi to move the body and make things go smoothly, can we facilitate and follow the mind? The heart mentioned here is not the heart of flesh and blood but refers to the thinking activities of the cerebral cortex, which is similar to the commonly talked about "leading the meaning of Qi with the mind", but there is a difference between heart and mind. The boxing proverb talks about "the heart moves and the mind moves". It shows that there is a master-slave relationship between the heart and the mind. The heart is the leader and the mind moves with the heart. Therefore, the "qi" that uses the heart to move the qi can also be divided into two types, one is the tangible breathing gas, and the other is the invisible vitality. . The two types of qi are also related. When practicing boxing, you must first breathe steadily. It is necessary to maintain a regular breathing frequency and depth. Over time, it will naturally become a deep breath. This is a natural development of Tai Chi practice and is not caused intentionally. Yuan Qi is the Yang energy of the human body, that is, the energy of using the heart to oxygenate. Enough energy. Then a person's energy will be full, his voice will be loud, his body will be strong, and he will remain old and healthy; if his vitality is consumed too much, his energy will be low, his voice will be hoarse, and his body will be weak; if his vitality is exhausted, he will be in danger. What Chinese medicine calls harmonizing Qi and blood, this Qi refers to vitality. When vitality declines, it will be difficult to nourish the body with medication. The characteristics of Tai Chi are to generate tranquility from movement, nourish the mind from tranquility, and use the mind to move Qi, thereby achieving the purpose of exercising the body.

The requirements for Qi training are first to make the breathing steady, from steady to deep breathing. Do not deliberately change the steady breathing pattern. Use the quiet, light, slow, cutting and constant method to practice the Tai Chi frame. Over time, the movements will naturally match the breathing. The explanation of the Thirteen Postures Xinggong Xin explains: "Be able to breathe and then be flexible". Being able to breathe can naturally nourish the vitality. The vitality will naturally sink to the Dantian. To achieve the purpose of strengthening the vitality, it can naturally be transported to the whole body, that is, the Qi can be spread all over the body. The goal of less stagnation is achieved. The above sections are all related, and they need to be understood deeply and connected naturally to achieve longevity and prolong life, not just the end of branches.

The benefits of practicing Tai Chi on the body

Tai Chi is a synthesis of boxing techniques from all ages, combined with ancient Daoyin and breathing techniques, and absorbed classical philosophy and tradition It is a soft, slow, and agile boxing technique that is both internal and external training based on the theory of traditional Chinese medicine. Tai Chi has the duality of physical fitness and fighting skills, especially its medical and health care value is increasingly valued by people.

The movement characteristics of Tai Chi: Zhongzheng comfortable, light and flexible, loose and soft, slow and even, orderly opening and closing, hard and soft, moving like "moving clouds and flowing water, continuous and continuous". This kind of movement is both natural and elegant. You can experience the rhythm of music, the connotation of philosophy, the beautiful shape and the artistic conception of poetry. In high-level enjoyment, diseases will disappear and body and mind will be healthy.

1. It is good for the absorption of minerals in the human body

According to relevant data, Tai Chi has a good metabolism of calcium and phosphorus in lipids, proteins and inorganic salts. It is reported that after the elderly exercise for 5 to 30 minutes, the cholesterol content in the blood will decrease, and the protein content in the blood will increase. In this way, the symptoms of arteriosclerosis will also be greatly alleviated.

2. It is good for the brain

When practicing Tai Chi, you first need to concentrate and not have distracting thoughts. In this way, under the control of consciousness, people's thoughts are always focused on movements, eliminating the interference of other thoughts in the brain, and focusing on directing the changes in the functions of various organ systems and coordinated actions in the body, so that the ability of the nervous system to be controlled by one's own thoughts is improved. . Secondly, the practice movements need to be "complete and integrated", from the eyes to the upper limbs, trunk, and lower limbs, up and down, coherent and continuous. At the same time, because some movements are relatively complex and require good control and balance, they require the brain to be completed under intense activity. This also plays an indirect training role for the central nervous system, thereby achieving the purpose of strengthening the regulation of the brain.

3. Good for bones

The spiral arc movements of Tai Chi enable all muscle groups and muscle fibers in the body to participate in activities. After repeated twisting and twisting, Muscles can be stretched to lengths that cannot be achieved by ordinary exercise. They twist and relax like this for many years, making the muscles well-proportioned, plump, flexible and elastic, and increasing their ability to contract.

Due to the pulling effect of muscle contraction on the bones and the strengthening of metabolism, the blood supply to the bones is improved, resulting in good changes in the morphological structure and performance of the bones, and the bones become stronger, which improves the fracture resistance of the bones. It has excellent bending resistance, compression resistance and torsion resistance, and is not prone to deformation and deformation.

In short, when introducing a person without success and using force to hit someone, the whole body must be completely unified. When you move, you will move, when you are still, you will be still. Only when the force is broken and the intention is continuous, can it be triggered. The traction is on the top, the transportation is on the chest, the storage is on the legs, the control is on the waist, and then it is released. One must have five bows in order to be able to accumulate energy like a bow and release energy like an arrow. Strength is accumulated by bending, and the strength of the whole body lies in the whole body. To exert strength, you must focus on one area, identify the right point, and be targeted. The energy originates from the heels, from the feet to the legs, and from the waist to the fingers. It must be a complete movement without any interruption.