It has been said many times that the best way to practice tai chi is to select one movement and repeat it over and over again.
Don’t do this mindlessly but focus on relaxing down, finding the connections between the parts of your body, focus on your balance, breathing and the movement of energy.
Any movement will do but ideally it should involve a transfer of weight, a turn of the waist and both arms expressing themselves in a circular way. The two best moves for this are cloud hands and brush knee.
Note: This is usually called brush knee step but in this part of the form we aren’t actually stepping although we will do so later in the form.
The brush knee is an important movement. It incorporates all the principles of tai chi. It teaches you to move your body as a whole powered from the ground up. It contains many defensive applications. It generates a strong surge of energy from the earth to your forward palm and so on.
Take time to really practice the brush knee movement. It will pay huge dividends to your tai chi and to your ability to control your mind, body and breathing.
How to do it
The brush knee step draws back then surges forward like a wave crashing on the beach.
Work on just your right arm to start with
- From the crane spreads its wings posture bring your weight forward onto your left leg and circle your raised right arm forward and down so it is in front of you around chest height.
- Turn the hand palm up (elbow down) (1)
- As you draw your weight back onto your right leg retract your arm towards your waist
- As your weight goes over your right foot pivot your body to the right fully drawing your hand in to your right hip. (2)
- Circle your elbow up by twisting your upper arm outwards (3)
- Drop your elbow sinking your shoulder (4)
- Push your weight and your palm forwards at the same time. As before don’t straighten your elbow. (5)
- Repeat many, many times.
Now for the left arm
Your left arm doesn’t do a lot. It is extended out in front of you palm down. As you twist your body to the right then back to the left it draws your left arm across. As you sink your arm to your hip the left arm raises slightly as you raise your elbow the left arm sinks slightly. As you push forwards with your right hand it ‘brushes’ over your left knee.
See the pics below and the video and practice, practice, practice.
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