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Tai Chi for Arthritis (TCA)
from the
Tai Chi for Health Institute
Website

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The Form

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Manuals
Warm-ups

Commencement and Core Movements

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Tai Chi for Arthritis
Part 1
Demonstration
Dr. Paul Lam and Trainers
Youtube

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The Stepwise Progressive Teaching Method
Link the form together step-by-step.
Watch me. Do it with me. Show me.

Learn a comprehensive form to practice on your own, and continue to reap the benefits.

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Wushu Greeting

Demo

Notes

Step together with Right fist in Left palm.
- Right Fist (*thumb outside*) = Strength
- Left 4 fingers extended together = Friendship
- Left thumb bent = Humility

Comprehensive Joint Warm-Ups
(2 warmup exercises per joint):
Neck
Shoulders
Spine
Hips
Knees
Ankles

Neck Retraction
from Treat Your Own Neck by Robin McKenzie, Physical Therapist
p1   p2

- Stepping -
---- Weight Transference - Heel-Ball-Weight + Follow-Step. Visualize touching down with your foot first lightly like a cat, then consciously and gradually transfer your weight.
---- Land empty. Foot is empty.
---- Bubbling well (Yung Chun) in the follow step
---- Press down in back heel - keep the weight in back foot - helps with balance.

Wuji Stance Explained - Basic Tai Chi & Qi Gong posture
Wu Chi

- Open-Close   Demo Bruce Frantzis   Notes

- Sngle Whip (R)   Demo   Notes

- Wave Hands in the Clouds (R)   Demo   Notes
Seated Clouds Start at: 4:08

Yang style video by Rich Marantz. Watch for the concept behind Wave Hands.   Demo
"The concept of Yin and Yang showing up in the physical body." "Watch the Clouds go by." Website

- Open-Close   Demo   Notes

- Single Whip (L) Demo   Notes

- Wave Hands in the Clouds (L)   Demo   Notes

Extension Movements
These movements work with the center of energy in the inside of the elbow where 3 Acupuncture Meridians - Heart, Lung and Pericardium pass.

Build energy. Energy grows between the points when you face points towards each other.

- Brush Knee (L)   Demo   Notes
Different Style
Dr. Lam Demo
Mechanics: Demo   Martial Applications   Demo

-- Play the Lute (L)   Demo   Notes
Different style
Dr. Lam Demo
Mechanics: Demo

-- Parry and Punch (L)   Demo   Notes

- Open-Close - Block and Close (Left - L) - Push the Mountain (Left - L)
Demo   Notes
Other names:
Block & Close = Embracing the Tiger
Push the Mountain = Carry Tiger to the Mountain. Give a good shove.

- Open-Close   Demo   Notes

Reverse the direction -
- Brush Knee (R), Play the Lute (R), Parry and Punch (R), Block and Close (R), Push the Mountain (R)
- Open-Close
- Closing

The Dan Tien Breathing Method brings the breath deeper and lower in the abdomen, thereby increasing relaxation, and incorporates a focus on strengthening the internal support of the body.
- Inhale - Expand your lower abdomen
- Exhale - Lift your abs in and up, or lift your pelvic floor and contract your abs in and up.
-- On your exhale Sink your Qi to your Dan Tien + Bend knees

Note: Start with practicing the Dan Tien Breathing Method with Open-Close, but it can be applied to every movement in the form.

Approaches to Breathing in Tai Chi
- The Form tells you when to breathe.
- Sometimes the instructor will give breathing directives, like the Dan Tien Breathing Method.
- Remember to let go and breathe normally if you feel tense.

Generate Internal Energy with Open-Close (Chi Kung) - When acupuncture points face each other they communicate - and your energy grows.

Pericardium 8 / Point Lao Gong (Palace of Toil) is a powerful acupuncture point in the center of the palm. Working with it will calm your sympathetic nervous system and focus and calm your mind.
- Open - Inhale + Pull hands out against resistance to shoulder-width. Imagine a magnetic force that stops you from opening so you have to gently pull it apart.
- Close - Exhale + Push hands in against resistance to head-width. Reversing the magnetic force.

Pericardium Meridian

Pc-8 point/Laogong which is a major energy gate located in the center of the palm and is used consciously in all serious energy healing work such as Qigong. When these are opened, energy can flow.

Also think of Extension and Expansion -
- Inhale Expansion, then Exhale and Sink your Qi to your Dan Tien + Bend knees.
or
- Inhale Extension, then Exhale Flexion.

Go Deeper
- Work with the Dan Tien Breathing Method with each movement.
- Apply one or more Tai Chi Chuan Principles to your practice and receive the full benefits of any form of Tai Chi Chuan.
- Practice at least 5 minutes a day, if not more.

Demonstrartion videos

Beachside Qigong
Lea Williamson

Tai Chi for Arthritis
Part 1 & Part 2
Demo with Instructions

Core Movements of TCA Part 1
Single Whip (Right) starts at: 1:17
Wave Hands in the Clouds (Right) starts at: 1:34
Single Whip (Left) starts at: 2:36
Wave Hands in the Clouds (Left) starts at: 2:49

Extension Movements of TCA Part 1
Brush Knee (Left) starts at: 3:49

Wave Hands in the Clouds (Right)
Beachside Qigong
Lea Williamson

Demonstrates both front AND back views.

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Demonstration

Tai Chi for Arthritis
Laoshi Gladys Tan
Demonstration
Part 1 & Part 2
First half of video is Part 1

Sifu Chris Bouguyon and his student Nichole Pate
Tai Chi for Arthritis - Slow Demo
TCA 1 and TCA 2

TCA 1
Core movements to the Right + Extension movements to the Left
Core movements to the Left + Extension movements to the Right

Tai Chi for Arthritis with Linda White - 20 minute workout

Randy Lau

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thespiralroad@gmail.com

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May 2023

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