運動

太極十要 

 1. 虛領頂勁 

保持頭部筆直, 輕鬆從容自然。 頂勁者，頭容正直，神貫於頂也。不可用力，用力則脖子後部會僵硬，氣血不能流通，須有虛靈自然之意。沒有虛領(靈)頂勁，則精神不能提起也。 

 2. 含胸拔背 

沉胸，抬起背部含胸者。胸略內涵，使氣沉于丹田也。胸忌挺出，挺出則氣湧胸際，上重下輕，腳跟易於浮起。拔背者，氣貼於背也。能含胸則自能拔背，能拔背則能力由脊發。

3. 鬆腰落胯 

腰為一身之主宰，能鬆腰然後兩足有力，下盤穩固。虛實變化皆由腰轉動，故曰：“命意源頭在腰隙”，有不得力必於腰腿求之也。

4. 分清虛實 

太極拳以分虛實為第一義。如全身皆坐在右腿，則右腿為

實，左腿為虛；全身坐在左腿，則左腿為實，右腿為虛。

虛實能分，而後轉動輕靈，毫不費力。如不能分，則邁步

重滯，自立不穩，而易為人所牽動。 

5.  沉肩墜肘 

沉肩者，肩鬆開下垂也。若不能鬆垂，兩肩端起，則氣亦隨之而上，全身皆不得力矣。墜肘者，肘往下鬆墜之意。

6. 用意不用力 

練太極拳，全身放鬆，以意導氣，以氣催勁。不使分毫之拙力，以留滯於筋骨血脈之間，自縛束。然後能輕靈變化，圓轉自如。人身有經絡，經絡不閉則氣通。若不用力而用意，意之所至，氣即至焉,長久練習，則得真正內勁。即太極拳論所云："極柔軟，然後極堅剛"也。太極拳功夫純熟之人，臂膊如綿裹鐵，分量極沉。練外家拳者，用力則顯有力，不用力時，則甚輕浮。

7. 上下相隨

上下相隨者，即太極拳論所云：“其根在腳發於腿，主宰於腰，形於手指，由腳而腿而腰，總須完整一氣”也。腰動，手動，足動，眼神亦隨之動。如是方可謂，上下相隨。有一不動，即散亂也。

8. 內外相合 

太極拳所練在神。故云：“神為主帥，身為驅使。”精神能提得起，自然舉動輕靈。架子不外虛實開合。

所謂開者，不但手足開，心意與之俱開；

所謂合者，不但手足合，心意亦與之俱合。

能內外合為一氣，則渾然無間矣。

9. 相連不斷

外家拳術，其勁乃後天之拙勁。故有起有止，有續有斷，舊力已盡，新力未生，此時最易為人所乘。太極拳用意不用力，自始至終，綿綿不斷，周而復始，迴圈無窮。拳論所謂“如長江大海，滔滔不絕”，又曰：“運勁如抽絲”，皆言其貫串一氣也。

10. 動中求靜

外家拳術，以跳擲為能，用盡氣力，故練習之後，無不喘

氣者。太極拳以靜役動，雖動猶靜，故練架子愈慢愈好。

慢則呼吸深長，氣沉丹田，自無血脈噴張之弊。

學者細心體會，庶可得其意焉。

1. Keep the Head straight with Ease

The head and neck should be straight and relaxed in order for the spirit to rise. If force is used, the back of the neck will be stiff, and the circulation of blood and chi will be impeded. There should be a natural, light and sensitive feeling.

Keep your mouth natural with the tongue touching the upper palate.

2. Sink the Chest and Raise the Back

There should be a slight sink of the chest which allows the chi to sink to the Dan Tien. Avoid protruding the chest as this will cause the chi to rise which will lead to top heaviness, and the soles of the feel to float.

Raising the back means that the chi adheres to the back. If you can sink your chest, your back will naturally rise. If you can raise your back, your power will come from your spine.

3. Relax the Waist and hip

The waist is the commander of the body. If the waist is relaxed and loosened, the foundation, that is, your legs will be stable enabling you to issue power. Changes in solid and empty derive from the moving of the waist. It is said that "the waist is the well spring of your vital energy". If you lack power in your movements, look for the weakness in your waist and legs.

4. Distinguishing Solid and Empty

Distinguishing principle of Tai Chi. If your body centre rests in your right leg, then your right leg is solid, and your left leg is empty. If your body centre rests in your left leg, then your left leg is solid, and your right leg is empty. When you can clearly make this distinction, your movements will be light and effortless. If not, your steps will be heavy and clumsy, and you are easily unbalanced, due to the instability of your stance.

The philosophy of Yin Yang is the underlying principle of change in stepping.

5. Sink the Shoulders and Elbows

The Shoulders should relax and hang downwards. If the shoulders are raised, then the chi rises, and the whole body cannot summon up its power.

The elbows must relax and point downwards. If the elbows are raised, the shoulders will become tense inhibiting your ability to discharge your opponent to any great distance.

6. Use the Mind and not Brute Force

According to the Tai Chi Classics, you use the mind and not brute force. In practice, your whole body is relaxed; not even brute force. If you employ brute force, you restrict the flow of energy through your body and  movements.

When you are able to use your mind and not brute force, then wherever your mind goes, your chi follows. After a long period of diligent practice and chi circulating freely everyday, you develop jin {an internal power which is different from hard force}. This is what the Tai Chi Classics mean by "from true softness comes true hardness". The arms of one who has Tai Chi kung fu will feel extremely heavy; like steel wrapped in cotton. People who practice external martial art systems look strong when they exert hard force. However, when they are not bringing their hard force into use, they are light and floating

7. Coordinate your Upper and Lower Body

According to the Tai Chi Classics, "the root is in the feet; issued through the legs; controlled by the waist; and expressed through the fingers. From the feet through the legs to the waist forms one harmonious chi". When the hands, waist, and feet move, your gaze needs to follow in unison. This is what is meant by harmony of the upper and lower body.

8. Unify your Internal and External

Tai Chi trains the spirit. It is said that "the spirit is the leader, and the body follows its command". If you can lift your spirit, then your movements will naturally be agile and alive. Postures are nothing more than solid and empty, opening and closing. Opening does not just involve the hands and feet, but they must work in concordance with the opening of the heart and mind. Closing does not just concern the hands and feet, but they should coordinate with the closing of the heart and mind as well. When the internal and external are unified as one harmonious chi, then there are no gaps anywhere.

9. Continuity; no Stopping

The external martial art systems employ brute force which is stiff and unnatural. This force stops and starts; moves in a jerky fashion. When the old force is finished before the new one has begun, this is the time when one is most vulnerable to attacks. In Tai Chi, you use the mind and not brute force. From the beginning to the end, the movements are continuous without stopping; like an endless circle.

10. Seek Serenity in Activity

The external martial art systems consider leaping and crouching to be of value. They exhaust their energy after practice, they are out of breath. Tai Chi uses serenity to counter activity. Even when you are moving your remain tranquil. When practicing the postures, the slower you move, the better the result. Slowness enables you to breath to become deep and long with the chi sinking to the Dan Tien. This will naturally prevent pulse rate from elevating. Students of Tai Chi should think deeply on the above in order to grasp its meaning.

It is important to practice the movements slowly, so that you can understand the meaning within the movements. Practicing slowly helps to enabling your breath to become deep and long .

太極拳

友人問，太極拳動作緩慢能否用於搏撃？ 中國武術將太極拳，形意拳，八卦掌…類為內家拳，餘歸外家拳 。 外家拳動作快速，用力大，呼吸不勻且急促，用外勁、硬勁、斷勁，以壯筋骨肌肉為主。

 內家拳則動作緩慢，速度均勻，用力小，呼吸勻緩深長，用內勁、柔勁、勁不斷，一動全身皆動，意在鬆柔，意守丹田，形氣並練。太極拳乃養生健身武術， 但招式皆有攻防作用，不主攻，以守待攻，借敵之力還制於敵，以意導氣，以氣催勁，如排山倒海，四兩撥千斤。 太極之推手，散打正顯示太極拳搏鬥特色。 

少時苦練跆拳道，為達拳硬腿狠，常隨意撃牆踢樹，手腳皆繭，腿可過頭破木，拳可劈穿磚板。應戰練習，每毎傷痕瘰瘰，疲累不堪，甚至傷疾遺痛年年。後學太極拳，初因招式緩慢乏味，久而四肢関節靈活，筋肌鬆柔，後能氣沉丹田，以意導氣，以氣催勁，以勁揮臂，以臂圓舞，上肢輕如楊栁，下肢穩若泰山，時如行雲流水，時如細水長流，打完拳套精神抖擻。何故？蓋慢能深調呼吸運氣，慢則鬆，身鬆如棉，血氣暢通五臓六腑，心鬆則無慮,  心神貫一，置於忘我。

晚年樂於水中練拳，融形氣於水，藉水練勁，以勁帶水，隨水之勢引水順水而不逆水，順陰化陽而不逆陰，順陽化陰而不逆陽。天地日夜萬物，隂陽相對，日盡而夜, 陰極而陽, 物極必反。知其律雖面臨千斤之勢，以守待攻，順引而挫之。誠如世事, 不變只因時機未至, 何不靜待其變，蓄力待發。太極拳先練形，復練氣，愚見以為還需練心。 將精氣神帶至悟境。 拳不主攻，故禮讓不爭。 拳主守，故無為於敵， 有為於己，防範蓄銳，鬆而不懈。 回觀世情，不爭虛名，但求實務 ，順其自然，從自然中尋變尋悟。悟於吾心，形於情理，待人接物，和諧喜悅自信隨緣，此乃太極拳之另境界。 （2018.11.14 楊水泉， 加拿大武聯武術七段， 認証裁判評委，教練，YMCA 認証太極教練八段）

腿是全身肌肉最多的地方，因要苛負體重，走動，所以也最先衰老。根據肌肉的原理，我先選幾式適合中老年人的動作，配上動感的音樂，希望大家更年輕。

每一式左右為一次，每天做1至3回, 每回做20至30次, 左右邊各做為一次，次數逐漸增加。有助減輕膝蓋疼痛。

主要動作是腿，手只是支持平衡，如果平衡有問题可以手扶支持點如桌椅或坐着做。 

1a. 提高左腿，左腿落地。

1b. 提高右腿，右腿落地。

2a. 提起左腿，膝蓋向右，左腿落地。

2b. 右腿提起，膝蓋向左，右腿落地。

3a. 提起左腿 ，左小腿向右上撓，左腿落地。

3b. 提起右腿，右小腿向左上撓，右腿落地。

4a. 提高左腿，左脚根向前蹬出30至45度，左腿落地。

4b. 提高右腿，右脚根向前蹬出30至45度，右腿落地。

5a. 大腿垂直不動，左小腿儘量向後撓，左腿落地。

5b. 大腿垂直不動，左小腿儘量向後撓，左腿落地。