Yang Style Tai Chi - Long Form

Description of Moves

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1. Open out
2. Waving hands
3. Hold the Ball on the Right
   • relax hands, weight over left foot, turn right foot out by 45 degrees
   • as weight goes over right foot, hold ball with left hand on bottom and right hand on top
4. Grasp the Peacock's Tail
   • step forward with left foot (heal first) and as weight goes over bring left arm straight up, palm facing chest, drop right wrist and push forward, right palm against left palm, weight going forward onto left foot
   • move left heal back 45 degrees then right heal back 45 degrees as right hand strokes left and continues to move to block a kick to the lower right side, left palm faces down
   • bring right palm back in and facing up to hold the ball on left
   • step forward with right foot and as weight goes over bring right arm straight up till palm is facing chest, left wrist drops as left palm pushes out to form a T with the right hand
   • hands float out, left palm faces up
   • as weight goes onto back foot, draw hands back to left waist, for a small ball on the left (right hand on top)
   • turn back to your front, wrist to wrist (right on outside)
   • as weight goes forward, push hands up and forward
   • turning both palm to face down, left wrist brushes over right wrist to eye gouging position
   • as weight pull back over left foot, pull hands back in, slightly to the left
   • face forward and push up to chest height
5. Single Whip (an excellent posture for chi circulation)
   • tilt hands, bring around to left, and right foot to face original front position (turn on heel)
   • tilt hands other way, lift left foot slowly
   • bring hands around to right with right hand ending as claw and left hand as mirror, and balancing on right foot with left one brought in
   • turn to left, step out with left foot on heal, turn some more till 90 degrees from original front facing position
   • as weight goes over left foot, push left palm out and right heal back
6. Raise Hands
   • relax hands
   • bring weight back onto right foot, turn to face front, turn left foot 45 degrees in on heel to be parrallel with right
   • lower hands, weight onto left foot
   • pick up hands, right hand out more, pick up right foot
   • lower hands with left palm protecting right inner elbow, place right foot on heel to face original front direction, drop wrists
7. Shoulder Stroke (a great inside fighting technique)
   • slowly bring right hand in to guard dan tien, left hand more quickly out and over to block right shoulder, right foot in to balance then place out parallel to left foot
8. White Crane Spreads its Wings
   • turn and step-point out to left with left toe
   • spread wings with right arm up and left down
9. Left Brush Knee
   • bring left arm up and out to neck level, right arm draws down till palm faces head at shoulder height
   • bend left elbow to bring left hand to right shoulder, palm facing down, right arm straight out from right side, plam facing up
   • as left hand strokes down right side, bring right palm towrds ear, balancing on right foot, bring in left foot and step out with left foot, heel first
   • as weight moves over the left foot, brush left knee with left hand, push out in front with right palm at shoulder height
10. Play the Lute on the Left Side
    • relax hands, bring in right foot and place (toe first) just behind right foot at 45 degree angle
    • as the weight moves back onto right foot, draw back right hand
    • lift up left leg and left arm up and out to shoulder height, step and place left foot on heel
11. Left Brush Knee
    • bend left elbow to bring left hand to right shoulder, palm facing down, right arm straight out from right side, palm facing up
    • as left hand strokes down right side, bring right palm towards ear, balancing on right foot, bring in left foot and step out with left foot, heel first
    • as weight moves over left foot, brush left knee with left hand, push out in front with right palm at shoulder height
12. Right Brush Knee
    • bring weight party back on right foot and turn left foot out by 45 degrees, bend right elbow to bring right hand to left shoulder, palm facing down, left arm straight out from left side, palm facing up
    • as right hand strokes down left side, bring left palm towards ear, weight goes over left foot, then step with right foot, heel first
    • as weight moves over right foot, brush right knee with right hand, push out in front with left palm at shoulder height
13. Left Brush Knee
    • bring weight party back on left foot and turn right foot out by 45 degrees, bend left elbow to bring left hand to right shoulder, palm facing down, right arm straight out from right side, palm facing up
    • as left hand strokes down right side, bring right palm towards ear, weight goes over right foot, then step with left foot, heel first
    • as weight moves over left foot, brush left knee with left hand, push out in front with right palm at shoulder height
14. Play the Lute on the Left Side (see move 10)
15. Left Brush Knee (see move 11)
16. Step Up, Parry and Punch
    • bring weight partially back on right foot, turn left foot out 45 degrees, slowly turn left wrist till palm faces right hand, bring right hand down to left wrist gradually forming a loose fist, put weight back over left foot
    • lift hands and right knee, turn partly to your right, lower your hands to leave the right palm protecting the inner right elbow, lower your knee and place your heel out 45 degrees
    • as weight goes over right foot, pull right fist back a little, "brush off dirt" pushing left palm straight out in front
    • step with left foot
    • as weight goes over left foot, half-twist punch out with right fist, leave left palm to guard right inner elbow
17. Apparent Close-up (also called "Withdraw and Push")
    • open up the right fist, turning both palms up, left hand under right arm
    • as weight is drawn back over right foot, draw back hands
    • lift hands slightly towards head, weight over right foot, turn to original front facing position turning left foot the 90 degrees till they also face this position
    • weight over left foot, lower hands down to side, lift right foot and place parallel to left
18. Cross Hands
    • as weight centres over both feet, bring left wrist over right at dan tien
    • as arms are lifted, keeping wrists crossed, turn palms to firsst face inward then up
    • as the hands have reached head level, the palms should be facing inwards witht the left hand now closest to your face

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