Tai Chi 9 Form Stick: Stand-in-place stick exercises for stretching, flexibility & improved balance

73 Pages·2021·22.648 MB·English

by  Guy, Jac

Tai Chi
9 Form Stick
Stand-in-place stick exercises
for stretching, flexibility & improved balance
Jac Guy
© 2020 Jac Guy
All Rights Reserved
The following 9 Form Stick routine is a
series of movements specifically
designed to stretch soft tissue, rotate
joints, oxygenate your blood and gently
improve your balance. Since it is wholly
therapeutic with no martial aspects, one
could argue that it is more of a Qigong
practice than Tai Chi.
BUT…Tai Chi movements are therapeutic
and all Tai Chi falls under the Qigong
umbrella. Also, this routine is performed
with a stick which could easily be used
as a weapon once you are comfortable
interacting with it.
Let’s leave this philosophical discussion
for another time.
No special outfits are required to
perform this routine. You will be
stretching so dress for comfort.
Shoes and/or socks are also optional -
but keep in mind that you will be
lunging so you don’t want your feet to
slide out unexpectedly. You will also be
performing a couple of toe raises so
high-heeled, narrow-toed shoes would
not be recommended.
This routine doesn’t need a lot of room
to be performed as you are essentially
standing in one place. However, you
will need enough space to take a large
step in front of you and behind you. You
will also need to be able to lunge to
either side and also to stretch your
arms (and the stick) above your head.
That brings us to the stick. While there
is no maximum length, the minimum
length would be at least 34 inches -
even if you’re a really tiny person. You
want to be able to hold the stick by its
end with one hand (let’s say your right
hand) near your right shoulder. Have
the stick run across your upper back
and rest in the webbing of your left
hand with your left arm fully extended
left.
This is the
minimum
amount of stick
you need.
If it is longer, more stick extends from
your left hand and that’s fine - you just
need to be more aware of your
surroundings when moving around.
The stick itself can be any dowel or
light-weight length of pipe you have
laying around your house. You can use
a broom handle (without the broom) or
a painter’s extension rod or a leftover
bar from a shelving unit. (I like it when
my exercise equipment can multitask!)
While the typical diameter of the stick is
around an inch, you can go a little
thinner or thicker. A pool noodle might
be a bit difficult for your hands to
manipulate and it isn’t rigid enough for
some of the twists and stretches you
will be doing but if that’s all you have,
feel free to try it.
You need to find the tool that works for
you so that you can perform the routine
comfortably and not ding your walls and
ceilings or destroy all of your
knickknacks in the process. So try
different items you already have until
you know the length, diameter, rigidity,
weight and texture that is right for you.
Begin by standing straight with your
feet comfortably together. Hold the
stick at your left side so that it runs
vertically behind your left arm.
Holding the stick this way
keeps it from accidentally
banging into anything
around you…at least, in
theory.
As you stand there, relax
your shoulders back and
down so they aren’t
bunched up around your
neck.
Concentrate on your breathing. As you
inhale, slow and deep, raise your
tongue to the roof of your mouth. As
you exhale, slowly and fully, let your
tongue drop to the bottom of your
mouth, behind your bottom teeth.
Keep breathing and moving your tongue
until your mind is fully focused on what
you are doing right at this moment -
not on anything else.
When you are ready to begin Form #1,
exhale as you widen your stance by
stepping left with your left foot. Your
legs are now hip-width apart. Keep your
knees ever so slightly bent - don’t lock
them back.
Bring the bottom of the stick up and to
the right so that it is now horizontal
across the front of your torso and grab
it with your right hand. Then slide your
hands out to shoulder-width.
Push the stick down so that your elbows
are straight and your wrists are curved
back towards the top of your forearm
with palms down.
Inhale as you raise the stick up to the
top of your chest. Your elbows angle
out and your wrists curve down (just
the opposite of how they were held
when the stick was at its lowest point).
As you raise the stick, keep your
shoulders down - don’t let them bunch
up towards your neck - but feel the lift
internally. Feel your ribs and shoulder-
blades lift.
Exhale as you push the stick down,
straightening your elbows and curving
your wrists back. Again, the feeling is
internal - stretch your spine up as you
are pushing down. Repeat this lift up/
push down 2 more times.
Form #2: Inhale as you
once again raise the
stick to chest-height,
curving your wrists
downward and
stretching your ribs and
spine upwards.
Shift your weight to
your right leg and step
diagonally forward
with your left leg,
resting your left heel
on the floor.
Exhale as you push
the stick out
diagonally forward
(let’s call it the 11
o’clock mark) with
your wrists curled
back, fingers open
and the stick
resting on the
webbing of your
thumbs. As you
rock forward, your
weight shifts onto
your left leg and
your left foot also
rolls forward so that
it is flat on the
floor.
Close your fingers
around the stick,
curve your wrists
downward, and
bring the stick
down and towards
your right hip. As
you do so, your
weight rocks back
to your right leg
and your left foot
rolls back onto its
heel.