Beijing 24 Form - the first 7 postures
Beijing 24
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25m
The Beijing 24 is the most widely practiced tai chi form in the world. It was developed for the Chinese Sports Commission in 1956 by 4 Masters. It is predominantly a Yang form, but has elements of Sun. The 24 postures were taken from the traditional ‘Long Form’, a sequence of 108 postures, which takes 20 minutes to perform and about 18 months to learn. The Beijing 24 takes between 5 - 7 minutes to perform and about 12 months to learn.
After practising Common Postures in short forms and Qigong exercises, begin your Beijing 24 journey by learning the first 7 postures. Stepping is a combination of 10 Form (90 degrees), Yang stepping (forward step and retreat step). The 4 common energies are seen in Grasp Birds Tail, and bow stance and empty cat stance are also a main feature of this sequence.
Up Next in Beijing 24
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Practice Drill for Postures 1 - 7
Once you have mastered the first 7 postures of the Beijing 24, try this challenging drill, working to each of the 4 sides of the room. Changing points of reference when practicing is a good way to assess whether you truly know the sequence of movements.
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Beijing 24 - Postures 8 - 14
Continue learning the Beijing 24, with postures 8 - 14. The sequence begins with Grasp Bird’s Tail (right side), then Single Whip, Cloud Hands, another Single Whip, High Pat on Horse, High Kick with Heel and Punch Tiger’s Ears.
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Beijing 24 (Review and Posture 15)
Review the first 14 postures first, then learn the next posture after Punch Tiger's Ear, which requires turning to South East for our second High Kick with Heel. It requires good sense of direction and confidence to complete the movement.
