Taiji single person training exercises is all about having Fun

As a Taiji instructor I’m always asked about single person training drills…many of us don’t have a regular Taiji training partner so we struggle to come up with exciting ways to train reflexive movements. So we have come up with this cheap and easy training tool for you to play with…Tennis Balls. When we train we want to get the most out of everything we do so we should also try and learn a few things for each training drill.

In this Taiji training drill we want to learn at least three things…

• Moving Forward
• Use Peripheral vision
• Balance, timing and positioning
• Most Importantly, Having Fun!!!

This Taiji exercise is a building block…no it is not about Fa-jing. Sadly too many of us are making our training a chore…a job, it needs to be more about play and fun. Relax have fun and learn to play. Come up with combinations…multiple balls…different size balls, you name it nothing is wrong when you are having fun. This complements our exercises on the bag to develop P’eng Henge

Now this is not my idea…Erle Montaigue told be many years ago how he had tennis balls hanging in all parts of his Sydney house, ready to be struck as you turned a corner or boiled the kettle. Hang them at different heights and use different strikes…just do it and have some fun.