Tai chi chuan syllabus (complete)

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Our syllabus

The tai chi syllabus includes qigong, fitness exercises, chin na, shuai jiao and weapons:

1. Beginner

2. Intermediate

3. Experienced

4. Advanced

Tai chi chuan syllabus (beginner)

White 1

Qigong exercises
- standing qigong/3 circle qigong
- full circle qigong
- form posture qigong
- ba duan jin (8 exercises)
- moving qigong (8 exercises)

Reeling silk exercises
- plate exercise
- 4 directions - forwards & backwards
- 4 directions - to the side
- Opening & closing - to the side
- Cloud hands

Pushing peng (intro)
Standing post

Assignment #1 - Q & A
Assignment #2 - Attitude & etiquette

White 2

Partner work
- 4 directions with a partner
- central equilibrium – maintain the centre
- eyes-closed walking
- palm at 3 distances
- peripheral vision - mugger scenario
- posture testing
- yielding exercise
- 90°
- diamond stepping
- leading & following (eyes-closed)
- relative distance (tig)
- avoiding line of force (solo & melee)
- riding the attack
The ball game
Monkey paws
Pushing legs
Single pushing hands

Challenge – full circle qigong (30 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge – standing qigong (4 postures) (20 minutes x 4 weeks)

Yellow 1

Long Yang form (section 1) (regular)
Ba duan jin #2 - alternate version
Constructive rest
Horse stance
How to escape from a hold
Moving qigong (complete set)
Partner work mistakes

Challenge - form challenge (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - yielding exercise challenge (30 mins x 6 weeks)

Assignment #1 - Q & A
Assignment #2 - Attitude & etiquette

Recommended reading - The Sword Polisher's Record

Yellow 2

Bracing
Fear of falling
Floor work
- basics
- back-to-back
Hitting a focus mitt
Horse stance qigong
How to punch
Playing the attacker
- commitment
- range & reach
Psoas exercises
Punching rehab

Challenge - horse stance qigong (5 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - qigong and reeling silk in 30 mins (30 mins x 4 weeks)

Assignment #1 - Q & A
Assignment #2 - Attitude & etiquette

Recommended reading - There Are No Secrets

Orange

Long Yang form (section 2) (regular)
High circle qigong
How to slip a hold
Knife drills
Loose striking
Yang style bow stance (intro)
Yielding basic skills

Challenge - form challenge (section 2) (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - knife drilling (30 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - yielding basic skills challenge (30 mins x 6 weeks)

Assignment #1 - Q & A
Assignment #2 - A & E

Recommended reading - The Essence of Tai Chi Chuan - The Literary Tradition

Green

4 directions with a partner (no contact)
70/30 stance
Cat-stepping
Countering
- 3 B's: blocking, blending & balance
- 4 stages
- fence
- X-shape
Leg stretches (2 sets)
Monkey paws (5 hands)
Qigong development

Challenge - qigong development (40 mins x 4 weeks)

Assignment #1 - Cat stepping

Recommended reading - Peak

Blue

Long Yang form (section 3) (regular)
Floor work
- kicks
- tackling
Stretches & joint work
Yielding exercise
- take to the ground

Challenge - 3 sets of qigong in 30 mins (30 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - form challenge (section 3) (60 mins x 4 weeks)

Assignment #1 - Martial concepts theory

Recommended reading - Chinese Boxing   

Purple

Long Yang form (mirrored)
Chair game
Martial concepts & qigong
Square on the inside, round on the outside
Stick drills (3 sets)
Taoist yoga (3 sets)

Challenge - form challenge (mirrored) (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - stick drills (30 mins x 6 weeks)

Recommended reading - The Art of War

Brown 1

Long Yang form (lines of force version)
3-D
Central equilibrium
- fixed feet
Crescent moon
Da lu
Kicking game
- evasive body focus
- sustained & varied kicking
Massage
Sword drills

Challenge - da lu (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - lines of force form (regular & mirrored) (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - sword drills (30 mins x 4 weeks)

Recommended reading - The Book of Five Rings 

Brown 2

Long Yang form (fingers as fists)
Being hit
Breath meditation
Combat stance
Core strength exercises (3 sets)
Double pushing hands
Monkey paws (stepping)
Qigong on one leg
San sau
Slam ball challenge
Striking pads
- focus mitt, squashy pad, round pad

Challenge - double pushing hands (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - fingers as fists form (regular & mirrored) (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge – san sau (30 mins x 6 weeks)

Recommended reading - The Way of Chuang Tzu 

Tai chi chuan syllabus (intermediate)

Black (1st dan)

2-person cane drill (regular & mirrored)
3-tier wallbag (4 sets)
5 bows
5 bows exercise
Chin na applications (3 sets)
Finishing-off
Gravity striking
Loose striking
Immovable elbow
Keeping the pressure on when attacking
Neigong (1-10)
The power/function of 'li'
Pushing peng (partnered)
Pushing peng (striking)
Pushing peng exercise
Ready/guard stance
Silk arms (1-6)
Speed striking
Yielding exercise
- finishing off

Challenge - 2-person cane drill (regular & mirrored) (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - chin na applications #1 (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - chin na applications #2 (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - chin na applications #3 (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge – silk arms (30 mins x 6 weeks)

Assignment #1 - The Sword Polisher's Record
Assignment #2 - There Are No Secrets
Assignment #3 - The Essence of Tai Chi Chuan - The Literary Tradition
Assignment #4 - The Art of War
Assignment #5 - The Book of Five Rings       

Black (2nd dan)

Sabre form (regular & mirrored)
Long Yang form (5 bows)
Biomechanical advantage
Chops
Floor work
- chin na
Meditation on body sensations
Neigong (extras)
Newton’s Laws of Motion
Qigong revision
Shuai jiao applications (2 sets)
Strategic stepping
Tactics used by other arts
Using 3-D to gain optimal power

Challenge - 5 bows form (regular & mirrored) (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - floor work endurance (10 mins)
Challenge - sabre form (regular & mirrored) (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - shuai jiao applications #1 (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - shuai jiao applications #2 (60 mins x 4 weeks)

Assignment #1 - The Way of Chuang Tzu
Assignment #2 - Moving Zen
Assignment #3 - The New Lao Tzu
Assignment #4 - Zen in the Art of Archery
Assignment #5 - 5 Elements of Effective Thinking

Black (3rd dan)

Walking stick form (regular & mirrored)
Long Yang form (moving from centre version)
5 elements
Anti-sparring
Countering punches, kicks & grapples
Countering/pushing peng
Cultivating peng
Everybody falls
Floor work
- control
- expedience
Form applications (section 1)
Freeform triangle
Leverage principles (misplacing the bones)
Neigong (11-20)
San sau (peng)
Silk arms (peng)
Small stick drills
Small stick flexibility drills
Sustaining peng throughout your counter
Yielding/chin na

Challenge - chin na relay (5 minutes)
Challenge - moving from centre form (regular & mirrored) (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - san sau (peng) (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - section 1 form applications (120 mins x 24 weeks)
Challenge - silk arms (peng) (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - small stick drills (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - walking stick form (regular & mirrored) (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - yielding/chin na endurance (10 mins)

Assignment #1 - 36 Strategies
Assignment #2 - Commentaries on Living volume 2
Assignment #3 - Peak
Assignment #4 - Tao of Being
Assignment #5 - The Little Zen Companion

Black (4th dan)

Jian form (regular & mirrored)
Long Yang form (folding version)
4 ounces exercise
5 animals
5 centres
6 balanced pairs
Countering a knife
Cultivating sung
Disarming
Dying ground
Elbow
Escapes/knife
Fa li
Floor work
- multiple opponents
- tactics
- dying ground
Folding
Form applications (section 2)
Groundpath
Holding down the pillow
Kicking
Meditation on emotions
Moving with kwa
Neigong (21-30)
Punching from the centre
Pushing hands development
Stick/jian drills
Yielding/shuai jiao

Challenge - folding form (regular & mirrored) (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - jian form (regular & mirrored) (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - section 2 form applications (120 mins x 24 weeks)
Challenge - shuai jiao relay (5 minutes)
Challenge - yielding/shuai jiao endurance (10 mins)

Assignment #1 - Tai Chi Theory & Martial Power
Assignment #2 - Back to Beginnings
Assignment #3 - Chuang Tzu in a Nutshell
Assignment #4 - The Art of War (Cleary/Shambhala)
Assignment #5 - Tao Te Ching (various translations)

Tai chi chuan syllabus (experienced)

Black (5th dan)

Long Yang form (jing version)
5 elements striking (part 1)
13 methods
Chin na against a knife
Crude fa jing
First hand/second hand
Form applications (section 3)
Freeform grappling
Heavy bag
Improvised weaponry/knife
Jing
Melee:
– yielding/chin na
– yielding/shuai jiao
Mutual arising
Neigong (31-40)
Obvious power (ming jing)
Reverse breathing
San da stage 1: freeform application
San sau (jing)
Shuai jiao against a knife
Silk arms (jing)
Sparing yourself
Spiral body
Travelling
Yielding/knife
Yielding/chin na against a knife
Yielding/countering
Yin

Challenge - improvised weaponry (5 minutes)
Challenge - san sau (jing) (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - section 3 form applications (120 mins x 24 weeks)
Challenge - silk arms (jing) (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - yielding/countering endurance (10 mins)

Assignment #1 - The Okinawa Program
Assignment #2 - How to Win Friends and Influence People
Assignment #3 - Rapt
Assignment #4 - Free Yourself From Back Pain
Assignment #5 - Sword & Brush

Black (6th dan)

Long Yang form (13 methods version)
2-person form (partnered) (regular & mirrored)
5 challenges
5 elements stepping
5 elements striking (part 2)
8 powers striking
Balance, rhythm, timing
Becoming the centre
Being in the back
Cavity press
Chin na in the Long Yang form (section 1)
Fa jing
Long & short jing
Melee:
– yielding/countering
Neigong (41-50)
Projections (section 1)
Reeling silk
San da stage 2: freeform combat
San sau against a knife
San sau (combat)
Shuai jiao in the Long Yang form (section 1)
Silk arms against a knife
Silk arms (combat)
Tools

Challenge - 5 challenges
Challenge - 13 methods form (regular & mirrored) (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - projections (section 1) (30 mins x 12 weeks)
Challenge - san sau (combat) (60 mins x 4 weeks)
Challenge - sections 1, 2 & 3 form applications (120 mins x 48 weeks)
Challenge - silk arms (combat) (60 mins x 4 weeks)

Assignment #1 - The Book of Tea
Assignment #2 - The Inner Way or The Inner Warrior
Assignment #3 - The Pavement Arena
Assignment #4 - Steal My Art
Assignment #5 - The Tai Chi Journey

Black (7th dan)

Long Yang form (reeling silk version)
5 elements striking (part 3)
Chin na in the Long Yang form (section 2)
Cold jing
Combining chin na, shuai jiao & jing
Dividing the muscle
Entry methods
Hidden power (an jing)
Jing/leverage principles (misplacing the bones)
Large rhythm, small rhythm
Latent movements
Monkey
Projections (section 2)
Rolling
San sau (variations)
Sealing the breath
Shen
Shih (martial advantage)
Shuai jiao: elbow & bump
Shuai jiao: footwork
Shuai jiao in the Long Yang form (section 2)
Shuai jiao: mutual arising
Shuai jiao: throws
Shuai jiao: use of legs
Sung
The way of the bear
The way of the bird
The way of the monkey
The way of the snake
The way of the tiger
Wu nien

Challenge - 10 minute freeform application endurance challenge
Challenge - knife attackers (5 minutes)
Challenge - non-cooperative relay (5 mins)
Challenge - projections (section 2) (30 mins x 12 weeks)
Challenge - reeling silk form (regular & mirrored) (60 mins x 4 weeks)

Assignment - interpret a koan

Assignment #1 - Commentaries on Living volume 2
Assignment #2 - Keep it Simple
Assignment #3 - The Power of Internal Martial Arts
Assignment #4 - The Road Less Travelled
Assignment #5 - Tai Chi Secrets of the Ancient Masters

Black (8th dan)

Biomechanics (chin na)
Biomechanics (combat)
Biomechanics (drills)
Biomechanics (Long Yang form - all moves)
Biomechanics (qigong)
Biomechanics (shuai jiao)
Biomechanics (weapons)
Chin na in the Long Yang form (section 3)
Disintegration
Dying ground (expert)
Fa jing (variations)
Flowing chin na applications (misplacing the bones)
Flowing shuai jiao applications
Form in self defence
Projections (section 3)
Shuai jiao in the Long Yang form (section 3)

Challenge - mass attack (5 minutes)
Challenge - projections (section 3) (30 mins x 12 weeks)

Assignment - write a poem

Assignment #1 - The Book of Tea
Assignment #2 - The Inner Way or The Inner Warrior
Assignment #3 - The Pavement Arena
Assignment #4 - Steal My Art
Assignment #5 - The Tai Chi Journey

Tai chi chuan syllabus (advanced)

Red 1/Black (9th dan)

Adapt, change & improvise
Bone marrow washing
Consciousness
Consolidation
Dim-mak (dim-su/incapacitation)
Eastern philosophy
Energy drainage
Form
Form application (cane)
Form application (jian)
Form application (power)
Form application (sabre)
Form application (walking stick)
Freeform
Internalising
Kinaesthetic awareness
Kinetic pathway
Martial principles & practice
Meditation
Open & close
Overwhelming attacks
Power generation
Pre-natal breathing
Proprioception
Refined power (hua jing)
Rhythm
Small circle
Spiritual inquiry
Striking methods
Syllabus design
Tai chi principles
Teaching methods
Tortoise breathing
Unite upper & lower
Waving
Whole-body movement
Yin body
Yin/yang

Red 2/Black (10th dan)

2-person cane drill dismantled
Chin na applications dismantled
Jian form dismantled
Knife drills dismantled
Long Yang form dismantled
Neigong dismantled
Partner work dismantled
Pushing hands (all variations) dismantled
Qigong dismantled
Sabre form dismantled
San sau dismantled
Shuai jiao applications dismantled
Silk arms dismantled
Small stick drills dismantled
Stick drills dismantled
Sword drills dismantled
Walking stick form dismantled

Assignment - masterwork/masterpiece

Greyed out items meet the required standard of skill.

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Page created 18 April 1995
Last updated 1 November 2023

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