General syllabus
Handforms
These are the martial techniques from the style linked together to form a slow, graceful and continuous sequence of movements. The slowness of these movements help to improve balance, posture, coordination, relaxation and total body awareness.
Think about the handforms as shadow wrestling/boxing, from a martial point of view the more phyically relaxed and mentally calm you are, the faster you can react and move.
The handforms also offers a balanced exercise routine to tone and stimulate the muscles, joints, spine, organs, central nervous system, lymphatic system, improve respiration and the circulation of blood around the body.
Pushing hands and Free Wrestling
Pushing hands drills that are practiced with a partner to help improve the ability to listen, follow, redirect and discharge force. They can be soft or hard, compliant or non-compliant.
These drills are also of great benefit in explaining certain principles of Tai Chi Chuan theory such as the 13 tactics, stillness defeats motion and softness overcomes hardness.
Free wrestling is 'technical roughhousing' using all aspects of the style; strikes, locks, throws and kicks, to make your opponent lose their balance and hit the ground while you remain upright. Click link Greysteel Tai Chi
Martial applications
The handforms comprise of individual techniques - each technique has a name and a martial application.
Practical knowledge of these techniques with the skills developed from the pushing hands drills and free wrestling not only allows you to protect yourself but also provides a greater understanding of the movements in the handforms.
Weapon forms
The traditional weapons are saber, sword and spear. Learning the weapon forms increase muscular endurance, strength and cardiovascular fitness as they are more physically demanding than the handforms.
The weapons forms also comprise of individual techniques - each technique has a name and a martial application. They each have their own set of 13 tactics but use the same skills learnt from the empty hand applications, pushing hands drills and free wrestling.
Advanced syallbus
Internal strength
This is attained by daily practice of 12 yin and 12 yang Nei Kung exercises. These exercises increase and support the martial, health and meditative benefits gained from practicing the general syllabus.
Ian Kendall has been authorized by his teacher Dan Docherty, to conduct the Bai Shi ceremony and to teach the 24 Nei Kung exercises to students of his school taichi-brighton, who wish to become Men Ren (inside the door) students and learn the complete art.
Special auxiliary training
These are partnered and solo methods/concepts that greatly enhance and compound the martial effectiveness of the art for self defence.
They are only taught to Men Ren students.