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| Rachel's routine | ||
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Full time job
Rachel has worked a 37.5 hour week since
leaving university.
Every day she commutes for at least 16 miles.
As part of her job Rachel also has public speaking engagements, yet she
manages to fit in an extensive daily
training schedule.
Twice daily training
Every day Rachel practices her
taijiquan, qigong etc.
She follows the traditional model of training in
the morning when she wakes up, and then again after work.
The early session prepares Rachel's body and
mind for the day ahead.
The later practice is quite short and serves to release
tension accumulated through driving, standing and
sitting throughout the day.
Rachel feels composed and at ease after her day
of work.
Morning spa
Rachel rises at 6:00 AM and has finished training by
around 7:45 AM.
A protein shake, fresh fruit and an invigorating
shower finish things off nicely.
The morning has been productive, unhurried,
rejuvenating, fun and pleasant.
A lady of tai chi
Every morning Rachel arrives at work by 9 AM feeling refreshed,
clear-headed, exercised and relaxed.
We
learn by doing. If you desire to master the principles you are studying, do
something about them. Apply these rules at every opportunity. If you don't,
you will forget them quickly. Only knowledge that is used sticks in your
mind.
You are attempting to form new habits. You are attempting a new way of life.
That will require time and persistence and daily application.
(Dale Carnegie)
Morning
Every day Rachel practices...
Warm-up:
Balls, grips
Massage
Moving qigong or ba duan jin or reeling silk exercises or stretches & joint work
Leg stretches (set 1 or 2)
Form:
Long Yang (round form version) (regular & mirrored) (30+ minutes)
Pao chui form (regular & mirrored)
If she gets time, Rachel does some of her evening drills after form practice.
After work
Rachel adheres to the traditional taijiquan method of practicing twice a
day.
After work, she practices a series of short drills designed to promote
familiarity and muscle memory. None of the drills take very long and require
short bursts of concentration.
Cool down:
Taoist Yoga (set 1, 2 or 3) or core strength (set 1, 2 or 3) or psoas exercise
Constructive rest
Reading
2-3 times a week:
Small san sau (regular & mirrored)
Silk arms (regular & mirrored)
3-tier wallbag
Once a week:
Chin na applications (set 1, 2 & 3) (solo) (regular & mirrored)
Da lu (solo) (regular & mirrored)
Double pushing hands (solo) (regular & mirrored)
Knife drills (regular & mirrored)
Penetrating defences (regular & mirrored)
Pre-emptive measures (regular & mirrored)
Pushing peng exercise
Shuai jiao applications (solo) (set 1 & 2) (regular & mirrored)
Small stick drills (regular & mirrored)
Once the training is over, Rachel spends 15 minutes doing 'constructive rest', followed by a quiet time spent drinking pu erh tea whilst she reads The Tai Chi Classics and other recommended texts.
Weekend
On a weekend Rachel practices her weapons forms and drills in the park.
Form:
Walking stick form (regular & mirrored)
Sabre form (regular & mirrored)
Jian form (regular & mirrored)
Drills:
Stick drills (set 1, 2 or 3) (regular & mirrored)
2-person cane (solo) (regular & mirrored)
Sword drills (regular & mirrored)
Partner work
Rachel undertakes short partnered training
sessions with Sifu Waller on an evening and has her practice
corrected each
weekend.
Workshops and boot camp
Rachel attends Sifu Waller's workshops most weeks and the boot
camps.
Teaching commitment
For 2 hours every Monday night Rachel teaches
tai chi for health and
tai chi
for fitness.
Before bed
Rachel aims to read books from the recommended reading list for at least 30
minutes each night before going to bed.
She typically manages to get at least 8 hours sleep per night.
Page created
18 April 1995
Last updated
03 April 2019
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