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For ambulatory students/patients the muscular “workload” in Wu’s Style Tai Chi Chuan begins with the training of leg strength through supporting the body weight in a bent knee posture.

When the knee is bent the leg muscles workload in supporting the body weight is increased. The person is no longer supporting their weight through the support of the alignment of the bones with minimal muscular activity to maintain balance. The support of the body is shifted primarily to the muscles of the leg. This increased activity in the leg muscles serves to generate an increase in circulation as the muscles demand for oxygen and nutrients increases. To further enhance this effect, the weight of the body is then shifted to be supported entirely by one leg, effectively doubling the workload.

In Tai Chi Chuan terminology, the leg supporting the weight is referred to as the “Yang” leg, or “positive” leg in English, and the empty or non-supporting leg is referred to as the “Yin” or “negative” leg. The method of training leg strength and generating an increase of circulation thereby is referred to as “Yin/Yang” separation.

The negative leg is placed forward at the distance of one step and maintaining this bent knee posture the weight is then slowly transferred from one leg to the other. When on the back leg, the back is upright, the forward leg extended with the toes of the forward leg lightly pulled back. This forces the practitioner to fully separate their weight, taking their posture to the fullest rearward range of motion. In this position with the toe pulled back any further backward motion would cause the practitioner to loose balance. When the weight is transferred forward, the rear leg straightens and is slightly stretched by the forward movement. The torso is inclined forward into a straight alignment with the rear leg and the front knee is fully extended forward causing all the body weight to be supported on the forward leg. This posture takes the practitioner to their fullest range of motion forward. Through training, the practitioner is able to maintain ever better support through their full range of stable motion backward and forward, improving leg strength and enhancing balance.

Similarly, range of motion is also trained from side to side. With the feet shoulder width apart, and the knees bent the weight is shifted first to one side, with the torso maintained in a straight line with the now empty leg, creating maximum range of motion to the side. The weight is then shifted to the other side to balance the training. This side to side motion thus takes the practitioner through the maximum range of motion for side to side movements, also serving to increase leg strength and balance.

As the torso is kept in alignment with the legs as the body weight is shifted, the lower back and abdominal muscles also come into play in supporting the postural alignments through this range of motion training.

Unfortunately when the workload in the legs is increased by use of a bent knee posture there is a resultant increased curvature in the lumbar spine causing pressure between the vertebrae. This is compensated for by the act of “tucking in the hip”, which means to use the abdominal muscles to lightly pull up the front of the pelvis, rotating the pelvis on the head of the femur. The lifting of the front of the pelvis cause a corresponding downward shift of the rear of the pelvis, opening the curvature of the lower spine, and establishing the correct support angle for the spine at its’ base.

The spine in Tai Chi Chuan is referred to as a “string of pearls”. The meaning here is that if one takes a string of pearls by one end and allows them to hang loosely, each pearl can rotate freely as there is no friction between them. If the ends of the strand were to be brought together there would be friction where the pearls connect and free motion would be restricted. To create the effect of the “string of pearls” in the spine, a two stage mechanic is involved. The first stage is the elevation of the front of the pelvis already described. As the abdominal muscles lift the front of the pelvis, the rear of the pelvis descends. The second stage is the act of “tucking in the chin”. This is done by gently lifting the head as if being pulled from above and then tucking in the chin slightly. As the chin is tucked in the rear of the skull is slightly elevated. The ascent of the head and the descent of the pelvis combine to elongate the spine to its’ fullest natural extension, creating the “string of pearls” effect.

Once the spinal alignment is correct, there is then no need to pin the shoulders back in tension or elevate the chest to maintain posture, so they may be allowed to relax and naturally subtend from the spine.

This in turn allows for a high degree of relaxation in the back and torso which facilitates the training of abdominal breathing, described under a separate heading under that name.

Some of the postures of Tai Chi Chuan are practiced with the weight supported equally between the two legs with the torso held balanced in a central position.

This range of motion training, (the full stable range of motion forward, backward, to the left, the right and in central position) are referred to in Tai Chi Chuan as the “five elements”.

You will see in the photographs section of this site drawings illustrating the range of motion within the five elements.

There is a tremendous advantage in this method of training for those with physical challenges. As the workload is created by using a bent knee posture, the lower the posture the greater the work, the higher, the less work required. This gives the practitioner their own “volume control” so to speak in that they can adjust the workload easily to suit their particular physical situation.

A second major advantage is that the workload is being generated without impact to the knee or hips. This is in effect a “zero-impact" aerobic workout. This is ideal for those with joint complications as is usually seen in those in rehabilitative care.

The generation and opening of good circulation is seen as critical to health in Tai Chi Chuan training for obvious reasons.