The 24-style Tai Chi, also called simplified Tai Chi, was compiled by Tai Chi experts organized by the National Sports Commission (now the State Sports General Administration) in 1956 to absorb the essence of Yang Style Tai Chi. Although it only has 24 movements, compared with traditional Tai Chi routines, its content is more concise, the movements are more standardized, and it can fully reflect the movement characteristics of Tai Chi.
When practicing Tai Chi, you should pay attention to the following points:
1. Calm the mind and relax the body. The so-called "calm mind" means that when practicing Tai Chi, one should eliminate all distracting thoughts and not be disturbed by the outside world; the so-called "body relaxation" does not mean that the whole body is relaxed and tired, but refers to the basis of maintaining correct body posture while practicing Tai Chi. , consciously let the joints, muscles and internal organs of the whole body reach the maximum state of relaxation.
2. Flexible and coherent. "Mind calmness and body relaxation" are the basic requirements for Tai Chi practice. And whether it is "flexible and coherent" is the main basis for measuring the depth of a person's kung fu. The "coherence" required in Tai Chi practice refers to many aspects. One refers to the continuity of limbs, which is the so-called "joint penetration". The connection of the limbs is based on the waist. During the movement conversion process, it is required that: for the lower limbs, the belt is used to carry the belt, the knees are used to carry the knees, and the knees are used to carry the feet; for the upper limbs, the belt is used to carry the body, the shoulder straps are used to carry the shoulders, the shoulders are used to carry the elbows, and the elbows are used to carry the hands. The second is the connection between actions, that is, "potential connection" - the end of the previous action is the beginning of the next action, and there is no interruption or pause between the actions. And "round and lively" is a further requirement based on coherence, which means smooth and natural.
3. Clear reality and reality. To achieve "movement is like spinning threads, steps are like walking like a cat", we must first pay attention to the appropriate transformation between virtual and real, so that there is no instability in the movement of each part of the limbs. If you cannot maintain balance and stability, there is no such thing as "walking like a cat". Generally speaking, the lower limbs are based on the legs that mainly support the body weight, and the legs that assist in supporting or moving to change steps are virtual; the upper limbs are based on the arms that embody the main content of the movement, and the arms that assist in coordination are virtual. In short, reality and reality must not only penetrate each other, but also change flexibly under the guidance of consciousness.
4. Breathe naturally. The breathing methods associated with Tai Chi include natural breathing, abdominal forward breathing, abdominal reverse breathing and boxing breathing. No matter which one of the above breathing methods is used, it should be natural, even and thin, slow in and out, and naturally coordinated with the movements.