Historically the Yang family achievements and the style of Tai Chi Chuan they formulated, have become the most dominant force in Chinese martial arts and the most widespread of Tai Chi Chuan styles.
The enormous contribution to Tai Chi Chuan made by the Yang Family, can be seen in the skills and routines they worked with and in which they excelled. This vast corpus of knowledge is still preserved and available today, which has been left as a legacy for all who take the time to study this system.
The important binding elements that unify all styles of Tai Chi Chuan are the Principles, which have been elucidated by successive Yang style masters. These important fundamental points are emphasised throughout the student’s study and will be introduced in stages during Form posture corrections and the various classical tests and applications.
Correction and refinement of the Form, with each posture being examined very closely and corrected to a fine degree, before the next posture is assumed, constitutes the vital core of Tai Chi Chuan training upon which all of the other disciplines and classical tests are based.
All first-time students to the school will take part in an initial period of instruction. During this time, each student will be given introductory talk which will provide a working overview of what to expect during their training with an opportunity to ask questions that may help with their learning and orientation of the school.
The new student will also be introduced to some of the first level Taoist Relaxation Exercises and begin to learn the first sequence of moves of the Original Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan Form. These early movements expose the student to a wide range of postures and challenges representative of the skills that will be taught over the first year.
This far-reaching course will provide enough of the method, approach and challenges of this Internal martial art and its underlying root Principles, to give the beginning student sufficient indication as to whether this is the right martial art for them.
This is also an invaluable period where you will be able to meet other members of the school and gain further insight as to what to expect from continued training and perseverance within the school.
After the beginners course has been completed, if the student is accepted, tuition will continue from the last posture learned during the course of introduction.
With regular practice, the student, during the first year, should be able to learn the whole of the Original Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan Long Form at the first level. However there is no pressure on the student to complete this learning in this time frame. This reference is for guidance only.
Traditionally the student will be taught only a few moves at a time and will then be expected to practice, sometimes on their own, sometimes with other class members in a group, until these moves can be performed to a good, first level standard.
More challenging Taoist Relaxation Exercises will be introduced at strategic intervals, aimed at developing increased strength, range of movement, coordination, balance and control as well as deeper levels of relaxation.
Once the Form has been learned for the first time and can be performed to a good standard, students then pursue their learning as described in the following schema. (see next page: Teaching Elements)
Copyright © Richard Hamlin 2007
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Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan Teaching Programme - Master Richard Hamlin School of Original Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan (London UK)