Tai Chi Long Form sequence

Tai Chi Long Form sequence

Poses, movements & transitions (*) in order, by name(s) – plus comments

(Note: the “|” is used to distinguish between different variations in name for a single pose or movement)

 Wu Stance | Preparation. – stand with arms hanging loose by sides, feet shoulder width apart

 Begin | Raise and lower hands.

 * Bring left arm straight out to side and bent forward at elbow, right arm forward and left at elbow, palms down, shoulder high.

 * Turn right and Holding a ball at right. (Bring left hand down under right, palm up).

 Pung left | Ward Off left.

 * Holding a ball at left.

 Pung right | Ward Off right.

 Grasping the Sparrow’s Tail | Sit back, Press, Push.

 * Wipe the Table turning around to left, and back to “holding a baby” left and “holding a tea bag” right.

 Single Whip to left.

 Raise Hands. – (mirror/ opposite of “play guitar”)

 Shoulder Stroke.

 White Crane Spreads Its Wings.

 Brush Left Knee & Right Palm Strike (push).

 Play the Pi Pa | Play Guitar.

 Brush Left Knee & Right Palm Strike (push).

 Brush Right Knee & Left Palm Strike (push).

 Brush Left Knee & Right Palm Strike (push).

 Play the Pi Pa | Play Guitar.

 Brush Left Knee & Right Palm Strike (push).

 Step Forward, Parry & Punch | Step Forward, Deflect, Parry & Punch.

 Apparent Withdraw & Push | Retreat & Push.

 * Turn right and spread arms wide.

 Cross Hands | Close.

 Embrace the Tiger.

 Carry Tiger to the Mountain | Brush Right Knee & Left Palm Strike (push). – (stepping back to corner with right foot)

 Return to the Mountain | Grasping the Sparrow’s Tail | Sit back, Press, Push.

 * Wipe the Table turning around to left, and back to both hands in front of right shoulder.

 * Step with left and Circle Push (arms form a circle at shoulder height instead of straight out).

 Fist Under Elbow | Hide Fist Under Elbow. (Step out/back right and bring right fist under slightly bent left elbow, left palm up and out in front of shoulder).

 Repulse Monkey | Step Back & Repulse Monkey – right.

 Repulse Monkey | Step Back & Repulse Monkey – left.

 Repulse Monkey | Step Back & Repulse Monkey – right.

 * Holding a ball at left.

 Diagonal Slant Flying. (right hand spreads up in front, left brush down to hip).

 Raise Hands. (left hand comes up by right elbow).

 Shoulder Stroke. (drop right hand to hip, then step forward with right, arms still, finish at end of step by bringing right arm up in a “Pung”/ ward off and left brush down to hip).

 White Crane Spreads Its Wings. -Turning left. (Keeping weight on right leg, left foot toe down to floor, bring right hand up with palm back in front of shoulder and reaching up, then sweep in front of shoulder down to hip and out to side and bring left hand up in front of right shoulder, palm down, elbow in front of left shoulder).

 Brush Left Knee & Right Palm Strike (push).

 Needle At Sea Bottom | Take Needle Off Sea Floor.

 Fan Through the Back | Fan Fist Through the Back.

 Turn, Chop With Fist | Sit Back, Circle Fist.

 Step Forward, Parry & Punch | Step Forward, Deflect, Parry & Punch.

 * Left hand press down (as in brush knee), right fist raises to face level in front of shoulder.

 * Holding a ball at left. – (raise left hand and circle right palm to under left)

 Pung right | Ward Off right.

 Grasping the Sparrow’s Tail | Sit back, Press, Push.

 * Wipe the Table turning around to left.

 Single Whip to left.

 Cloud Hands | Wave Hands Like Clouds. - (9 times)

 Single Whip to left.

 Pat on Horse | Sit Back & Pat Horse.

 * Press left, circle right hand under left, and spread arms.

 Kick With Right Toe.

 * Press right, circle left hand under right, and spread arms.

 Kick With Left Toe.

 Turn & Kick With Left Sole. – (pivot around to left on right foot)

 Brush Left Knee & Right Palm Strike (push).

 Brush Right Knee & Left Palm Strike (push).

 Brush Left Knee & Punch Downward | Step Up & Punch Downwards. - (with right fist from shoulder to waist level)

 Fan Through the Back | Fan Fist Through the Back.

 Turn, Chop With Fist | Sit Back, Circle Fist.

 Step Forward, Parry & Punch | Step Forward, Deflect, Parry & Punch.

 * Spread left arm up and right arm down. (Part Horse’s Mane left)

 * Cross Hands | Close.

 * Separate both arms up.

 Kick with Right Sole.

 * Push with both hands, then hold a ball at throat height with right hand over left.

 Strike Tiger, Left Side | Turn Left & Strike Tiger.

 * Open fists to hold a ball at throat height, left over right.

 Strike Tiger, Right Side | Turn Right & Strike Tiger.

 * Separate both arms.

 Kick with Right Sole.

 Box Ears With Fists | Strike Ears With Fists.

 * Separate both arms.

 Kick with Left Sole.

 Pivot & Kick with Right Sole.

 [Step,] Parry & Punch | [Step,] Deflect, Parry & Punch. – [step is right foot coming down to floor from kick]

 Apparent Withdraw & Push | Retreat & Push.

 * Turn right and spread arms wide.

 Cross Hands | Close.  

 Embrace the Tiger.

 Carry Tiger to the Mountain | Brush Right Knee & Left Palm Strike (push).

 Return To the Mountain | Grasping the Sparrow’s Tail | Sit back, Press, Push.

 * Wipe the Table turning left.

 Single Whip left.

 Part Horse’s Mane. – right

 Part Horse’s Mane. - left

 Part Horse’s Mane. – right

 * Holding a ball, starting at left, then shifting back to right.

 Pung left | Ward Off left.

 * Holding a ball at left.

 Pung right | Ward Off right.

 Grasping the Sparrow’s Tail | Sit back, Press, Push.

 * Wipe the Table turning around to left.

 Single Whip to left.

 * Turn around right and step out right, simultaneously stroking left hand under right elbow up past hand at shoulder height.

 Fair Lady’s Shuttle | Fair Lady Plays the Shuttle. – left (1st of “the 4 corners”)

 * Holding ball left over right at shoulder height, pivot right around ¾ on left foot and step right.

 Fair Lady’s Shuttle | Fair Lady Plays the Shuttle. – right (2nd)

 * Holding ball right over left at shoulder height.

 Fair Lady’s Shuttle | Fair Lady Plays the Shuttle. – left (3rd)

 * Holding ball left over right pivot right around ¾ on left foot and step right.

 Fair Lady’s Shuttle | Fair Lady Plays the Shuttle. – right (4th)

 * Bring hands down to holding a ball at right hip.

1. Pung left | Ward Off left.

 * Holding a ball at left.

 Pung right | Ward Off right.

 Grasping the Sparrow’s Tail | Sit back, Press, Push.

 * Wipe the Table turning around to left.

 Single Whip to left.

 Cloud Hands | Wave Hands Like Clouds. - (7 times, “split” version: top hand comes across with body while lower hand waits and wipes across after top has finished, instead of both hands moving together)

 Single Whip to left.

 Snake Creeps Down | White Snake Darts Tongue.

 Golden Roster. – on left leg, bring right knee to right elbow

 Golden Roster. – on right leg, bring left knee to left elbow

 Repulse Monkey | Step Back & Repulse Monkey – right.

 Repulse Monkey | Step Back & Repulse Monkey – left.

 Repulse Monkey | Step Back & Repulse Monkey – right.

 * Holding a ball at left.

 Diagonal Slant Flying.

 Raise Hands.

 Shoulder Stroke.

 White Crane Spreads Its Wings.

 Brush Left Knee & Right Palm Strike (push).

 Needle At Sea Bottom | Take Needle Off Sea Floor. 

 Fan Through the Back | Fan Fist Through the Back.

 Turn, Chop With Fist | Sit Back, Circle Fist.

 Step Forward, Parry & Punch | Step Forward, Deflect, Parry & Punch.

 * Left hand press down (as in brush knee), right hand raises to face level in front of shoulder.

 * Holding a ball at left.

 Pung right | Ward Off right.

 Grasping the Sparrow’s Tail | Sit back, Press, Push.

 * Wipe the Table turning around to left.

 Single Whip to left.

 Cloud Hands | Wave Hands Like Clouds. - (5 times)

 Single Whip to left.

 High Pat on Horse.

 * Turn, crossing hands.

 Cross Kick. – separate hands, left up, right down, and kick right sole, as a single movement.

 Brush Left Knee & Punch Downward | Step Up & Punch Downwards. - (with right fist)

 * Left hand press down (as in brush knee), right fist raises to face level in front of shoulder.

 * Holding a ball at left.

 Pung right | Ward Off right.

 Grasping the Sparrow’s Tail | Sit back, Press, Push.

 * Wipe the Table turning around to left.

 Single Whip to left.

 Snake Creeps Down | White Snake Darts Tongue.

 Step Up to Seven Stars. – step up with right and cross fists at wrist with left inside

 * push wrists outward slightly until fists are about in line in front of throat and about one hand width apart, then open hands palm down.

 Step Back to Tiger | Riding the Tiger. – step back with right, separating right hand out and up to face level, left hand down in brush knee movement.

 * Bring open hands back to where fists were positioned before Riding the Tiger, palms down.

 * Push off with right foot and pivot full around on ball of left foot, keeping hands in front of throat.

 Lotus Kick. – kick with right leg up as far as is comfortable, also bringing hands down and out to slap top of leg as far down leg (thigh/knee/shin/foot) at top of kick as you can.

 * As right leg comes down from kick, both hands follow it down to in front of right hip.

 Draw Bow, Shoot Tiger | Shoot Tiger With Bow. – punch to out in front of shoulder with left fist, also bringing right fist up to about face level with elbow at shoulder height, bent about 90 degrees, and forearm angled up and forward 45 degrees.

 Turn, Chop With Fist | Sit Back, Circle Fist. – sit back left, bring left hand back to in front of hip, palm up, and right fist above it

 Step Forward, Parry & Punch | Step Forward, Deflect, Parry & Punch.

 Apparent Withdraw & Push | Retreat & Push.

 * Turn right and spread arms wide.

 Cross Hands | Close.

 Conclusion | End | Finish. – separate hands to in front of shoulders and lower them, returning to Wu stance/ starting position.