The Head
Erect the neck naturally so that the head keeps erect upward as if against something on the top.This must be done relaxedly,unstrainedly and naturally.Do not shake the head casually or have it inclined to the left or right..Keep the head right in the middle.Try your best to keep a straight line from the head top to the middle of the hip in all playing movements,with only a few exceptions of forward bending poses out of the 24 postures.
The Body
1. Set the body in an upright ,natural pose.Do not incline the body forward or backward,nor to the right or to the left Do not strafighten up the back or throw out the chest.
2. Note the important role or function of the Waist in directing every movement of playing. Every turn of the body relies on the waist,which determines the overall changes in the movements of the body,the hands and the feet as well.The waist regulates the centre of gravity of the human body or the point of balance in process of playing different 24 postures continually. It is the waist that conducts the movements of the arms and the hands through delivering energy to them in the form of Qi,which means flow of energy inside a human body.
3. Keep the body upright comfortably;avoid the sticking-out of the belly or the hip;do not swing the hip right or left.
The Arms and the Shoulders
1, Keep the shoulders naturally relaxed while playing Taiji boxing all the way through,because any lift of shoulders will let Qi going upward, which is contrary to the principle of storing Qi in DanDian( somewhere in the lower part of the belly).Keep the elbows “sinking”(the joint is bent a bit downward towards the ground)except when the elbows are as high as the shoulders or a bit higher.
2, Every movement of the arms,whether stretching or bent, must be accomplished in curves,not in straight lines. Learn to turn your arms or wrists inwardly or outwardly in slow motion while playing 24 postures.
3, Keep your palms in a natural shape with fingers naturally apart.Avoid stretching them stiffly.
The Legs
1, Whatever the postures or movements, keep the knees bent a little(the knees should not surpass the tip of the toes) so as to sustain the weight of the body in movement,or in other word to keep the balance of gravity while the player shifts the centre of gr avity from one leg to the other.Keep the part between the waist and the thigh relaxed so as to be able to move legs and feet flexibly.
2, Take light and deft steps like a cat trying to catch a mouse.Let the heel touch the ground first, then the full foot,avoiding making any noise.Take steps in such a way that the player obviously feels which foot sustains the weight of the body.Only in this way can the player move his body or position very flexibly and turn in whatever direction deftly as he intends.
