Short Hand Form (Dao Chuan)
- Learn the fundamental Tai Chi postures, movements, footwork and transitions.
- Practise moving smoothly without unnecessary tension, coordinating the whole body.
- Develop balance, flexibility and control through complex movements.
- Slow, controlled practice combines movement with natural, regulated breathing and is regarded as beneficial to health.
- The movements are not merely choreography; they contain the techniques and principles that are later applied in self-defence.
Perfect for: building the foundation of the entire Tai Chi system, while developing health, relaxation, balance and movement quality.
Saber Form (Xuan Xuan Dao)
Sword Form (Jian)
Spear Form (Qiang)
- Sword, sabre and spear make you apply the same principles with an object extending your reach.
- Weapons provide exercise that differs from the Hand Form, stretching and relaxing muscles and joints.
- Practise coordinating hands, weapon, body and footwork as one movement.
- The different weapons place particular demands on qualities such as awareness, precision, resolve and control.
- Weapon forms contain practical fighting applications, these are taught together with the weapon-forms.
Perfect for: developing precision, coordination, focus and whole-body movement while taking Tai Chi principles beyond empty-hand practice.
Pushing Hands (Tui Shou) and self-defense (San Shou)
- Learn to feel changes in your partner's movement and intention through physical contact.
- Practise responding naturally and quickly rather than relying on pre-planned movements.
- Learn to avoid strength, use softness and redirect an opponent's force rather than simply blocking it.
- Practise throws, sweeps, trips, locks, holds and close-quarter techniques as well as strikes.
- Progress from learning individual techniques to combining them naturally according to the situation, rather than memorising “attack X → response Y.”
Perfect for: turning the principles and movements of Tai Chi into actual martial ability and practical self-defence.
Sparring, techniques, and core-training
- Put Tai Chi principles and techniques into practice against a partner who is actively resisting rather than cooperating.
- Learn to respond when attacks do not follow a predictable pattern or give you the response you expected.
- Practise moving naturally between strikes, throws, grappling and other applications rather than relying on a single predetermined response.
- Learn when and how to enter, evade, redirect and counter while dealing with a moving opponent.
- Find out what actually works, identify weaknesses and develop the confidence to apply Tai Chi as a martial art. The PTCCI approach explicitly stresses honest training rather than allowing a partner to simply “play along.”
Perfect for: turning Tai Chi from technique and theory into practical fighting ability—learning to remain effective when faced with resistance, pressure and unpredictability.
