Tai chi chuan syllabus in perspective

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Our syllabus

At first glance, the entire tai chi syllabus may look overwhelming and intimidating. Please remember that this is not simplified kung fu. It is an advanced method.
Look at the list below and see how the part 1 topics aren't all that complex. It is important not to get lost in the details.
Part 2 is harder. That is the 'kung fu in detail' component...

My aim is only to move forward.

(Afro Samurai)
 

Part 1 - foundation skills

This material is quite easy to learn by rote. It isn't technically complicated. Just unfamiliar, and physically challenging.
Most tai chi people in the world get through some of these topics and are quite satisfied with that. But these are the framework of the art, not the kung fu itself.
 

4 forms

Long Yang form (regular & mirrored)
Sabre form (regular & mirrored)
Walking stick form (regular & mirrored)
Jian form (regular & mirrored)

5 pushing hands drills

Monkey paws
Pushing legs
Single pushing hands
Da lu
Double pushing hands

4 martial sets

San sau
Silk arms
2-person cane drill (regular & mirrored)
Small stick drills


3 sets of weapons drills

Knife drills
Stick drills
Sword drills

Impact training

3-tier wallbag


The aim for a kung fu student is to get the hang of these subjects as soon as possible. Much in part 1 might reasonably be performed by a non-martial student. The obvious exception being martial sets.


You can do it

Rachel started classes late 2007.
By 2012, she'd passed all of part 1 (above), plus the entire qigong & tai chi for health syllabus and the fitness curriculum.
Additionally, Rachel had learned all of the chin na and shuai jiao applications, along with the bagua palm changes (form) and all of the bagua training drills.
She'd also learned forms, exercises, drills and other material we no longer even teach. It can be done.


Part 2 - the kung fu

Part 2 is quite different to part 1. Whilst the list begins innocently enough, it quickly becomes very demanding:

Self defence skills
Chin na applications
Shuai jiao applications
Form applications
Fighting skills
13 methods
Neigong
Jing
Fa jing

In terms of learning/development and volume of material, part 2 is a lot larger than part 1.
(The first 3 topics should include chin na and shuai jiao skills too, since competence in both those areas is essential for your kung fu).

There are very few tai chi exponents capable of exhibiting credible fighting skills.
Peter Southwood maintained that a student who cannot apply the entirety of the Long Yang form using the principles of the tai chi classics is not a kung fu student just yet.

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Page created 07 June 2023
Last updated 09 December 2023

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