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tai chi exercises
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We thought it might help you get an idea of what tai chi exercises are all about if we showed you a typical lesson with some tai chi  Photos to give you an idea of the range of movements involved.

We're just giving a quick overview here - the actual tai chi  instructions are much more detailed to help you understand what you need to do.

Most tai chi  exercise sessions will start with some kind of warm up exercises - often these are Qi Gong exercises and have very pretty names. We usually start with:

Awaken the Chi

a tai chi class warm up exercise
taiji warm up photo: Awaken the Chi

 

In this qigong exercise, Bridge over Water , you are moving your arms in a big circle - as though you were tracing your way around a large steering wheel while gently raising and lowering the body.

Bridge over water

qigong exercise bridge over water
qigong exercise photo:

 

You can't see it clearly but in Wild Goose Looks for Food as the hands arc up then back down they are being gently shaken, like the fluttering of a bird's wing. This tai chi  exercise is great for loosening all the arm joints and get the qi circulating.

Wild goose looks for food

qigong exercise wild goose looks for food
qigong exercise photo:

 

Once the warm ups are over you will move on to tai chi  forms or longer qigong patterns. This example comes from the 18 move ShiBaShi pattern

Rolling the Arms


Qi Qong Photo:

Most tai chi  exercise sessions finish with some cooling down moves.

We do some great ones called 'Stomping on the Tigers Tail' and 'Three claps of Thunder'. And finally we end with

Quietening the Chi

calming the chi
qigong exercise photo:

And after that we go for coffee and a chat.

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