Day 1 - Footwork and Flow | Tai Chi 5-Day Challenge | Begin with Breath Tai Chi

Welcome to day number one of the five-day Tai Chi challenge. My name is Dr. Adam Potts. I'm a Tai Chi instructor and a physical therapist, and I'm really excited that you're joining us for this immersion into Tai Chi the fun and easy way while improving strength, flexibility, and balance of body and mind. So in this flow, you don't have to memorize anything or get anything perfect. Just follow along. I'll be your mirror image and then stick around until after the flow because I'm going to show you how to find your bow step. If you are standing, we'll begin with the feet together or as close as you can. The hands can come to the lower abdomen and just taking a few deep breaths in and out, coming into the present moment, arriving in the body, coming into the here and now, letting go of the worries from the day. Just taking this small slice of time for you. Then on the next inhale, you can breathe in and hold the breath at the top just for a moment and let it out with a big sigh. Letting out tension and stress. Hands can float down by the sides. As you breathe in, the arms float up. You circle in front as you gather in the energy, bringing it to the heart. Send it down through the body to the earth, sinking the Chi. Let's do that one again. The Chi is the life force energy, source of our power, our stability, and our strength. Gentle movement one more time. Breathing in, gather. Breathing out, sink the Chi. You can step one foot out to the side, either foot. The arms float up in front. Then the arms get heavy, floating down. The knees and hips soften, opening the door, starting the journey, riding the wave. Breathing in, the tide rolls in. Breathing out, the tide rolls out. One more time, open the door. This time the arms float out to the sides like you're spreading your wing. Then the arms float down, the palms face up. They float up the midline, turning at the heart, pressing up overhead, and then floating out and down, holding up the sky. Breathing in as you hold it up. Breathing out as you let it go. Don't forget that part. Gotta let it go. All right, one more time, opening the shoulders and the chest, decompressing the spine. Good morning stretch. This time one hand pushes up, the other pushes down, connecting the sky and the earth, above and below. Let's do the other side, keeping the spine neutral at first. This time you can do a side bend if you want, but always easing in, never forcing it. Now let's do one more to the other side. It's a nice gentle stretch. This time the bottom hand pushes to the corner, the other hand pushes behind. Coming back to center, we'll go to the other corner, the dragon spreads its wing. This time you can turn a little more if you want, pivoting on the feet, letting the back heel come up if you do. One more time, the dragon spreads its wing. This time the bottom hand comes up, the hands come together, the hands drift right across the eye level, and then across the heart, and then across the lower abdomen. Swimming dragon. Hands float back up, drifting across eye level, opening the shoulders and the wrists, coming a little lower, and then one more time. Then release, hug the tree, bring it back to center, rounding out, the hands draw in towards the heart, and then we'll just lean over to one side and we'll push to that same side. Hands come back to the heart, we'll go to the other side. The dragon stretches its tail. Keep on drifting side to side, even look in the opposite direction. Little more stretch, and this time we'll push to one side and then tap the toe out to the other side. A little bit of a reach. I'll do that to the other side, but you don't have to step very far. I'm experimenting, maybe a little step at first. Testing out the waters. Let's do one more. Tapping down the toes. All right, now this time we'll step out in front. Other side, tap the other foot right out in front. Still stretching your tail. Right out in front. And then finally we'll step behind. Taking a step back. Other side. Challenging the balance in all different directions. All right, one more time. Dragon stretches its tail. And then step back in, the hands float down. Giving them a little rest. You can shake them out if you want. Feel a little tense. Just a nice gentle sway, side to side, like tall grass in the breeze. And then come over to one side, and then this time tap the heel out in front. Bring it back in. Other side, shift the weight, tap the heel. All right, this time tap the heel, the hand comes over the foot. Other side, tap the heel, hand comes over the foot. This time hand comes over the foot, other hand over the knee, playing the pipa, Chinese guitar. Other side, hand over the foot, other hand over the knee. As if we're strumming the lute in the farthest depth, and no one knows. One more time, playing the pipa. Now this time step the foot back in, but step it out a little bit wider. Hands float all the way down, and then go up to the other side. One hand makes an arrow, the other draws the bow, and then soften the hips and knees. And rising back up, release the bow, we'll go to the other side, call this one the archer. One hand makes an arrow, the other draws the bow, and then softening down. Let's do that again, this time you can draw the bow as you melt on down. Alright, one more time, to the other side, the archer. Alright, this time circle around and hug the tree right out in front, rounding out, the arms open up wide. And this hand here drops down, and drifts over to the other side, the hands switch positions, and then they float across like clouds in the sky. Hands switch again, wave hands like clouds. You can even shift the weight if you like, leaning into it, back to your sway. Alright, now this time you can lean over to one side, and then step the foot in. We'll drift across, feet where they are for now. And this time we'll step the other foot out, drifting across. Alright, now we'll go the other way. Drifting across, step the other foot in, towards the other one. Taking a moment, wave hands like clouds, step the foot out one more time. Back to our center. Alright, now this time the top hand makes a hook, bottom hand comes up. Bottom hand floats across the horizon, the palm turns out, the other signal. Circle it back around. Let's do that again, just the arms. Alright, now this time you can step in as the hand comes up, and then step out to the side, single whip. Taking your time, no rush, nowhere to go. And you'll be here now. Nice and easy, feeling all the sensations that you can, bringing mindfulness to your body one more time. And then release the hook, let it drift over. Cloud hands once again. Stepping in, back to center. We'll stay in our center this time, just drifting across, letting go of any tension you don't need. Alright, this time the top hand makes a hook, bottom hand comes up. Bottom hand floats across, the palm turns up. Softening at the end, most important part. Let's do that again, just the arms. Alright, now this time you can step in as the hand comes up, and then step out to the side, single whip. Circle it back around. You can always soften the hook arm if it gets tired, by the way. Being kind to yourself, please. Alright, one more time, single whip. And then release the hook, let it drift on over. And then once again, the hands become clouds. Stepping in as we connect with nature. We learn to move with effortless ease. At least eventually, at first it takes a little effort. Floating across like white fluffy clouds in the bright blue sky, cloud hands. Alright, one more time, drift across. This time the bottom hand comes up into a hook, the other hand scoops under, as we carry the firefly and the lantern. The hands switch again. Drifting across, feeling the light in the firefly, shining right into your heart. One more time, the firefly and the lantern. Then round out and hug the tree, bring it back to center. Breathing in the arms open, breathing out the fingertips drift towards each other, the hands float down. This time the hands float up, palm reaches up to the sky, the other hand by the shoulder. Just as much as you can. One hand reaches up, the other by the shoulder. Do that again, just the arms at first. Touching the clouds up above. One more time, just the arms. Alright, now you can keep doing it, just the arms, or if you want, you can lift the opposite leg. Single leg stance, let's do that on the other side. Reaching up, lifting the leg, touching down as needed. Do that again, you can always keep the toe down. That still counts. Alright, one more time, the single leg stance. Alright, circle around and hug the tree, rounding out, and then soften. The arms open up wide, this hand here scoops under, step in as you catch the moon. And then we'll step out to the side, the bottom hand tosses the moon right off into the sky. Reaching up to the clouds, the other hand pushes down this time. Then circle it back around, parting the wild horse's mane. As always, don't worry about getting the movements perfect, as long as you're moving, I'm happy. Alright, one more time, toss away. And then sit back, the hand floats across the horizon. Then take your time as you step in, catch the moon. We'll go to the other side, the bottom hand tosses the moon as you step out. The other hand stays behind, parting the wild horse's mane, creating tranquility out of chaos. Alright, let's do one more. And then from here, sit back and hug the tree, rounding out, and then soften. Arms open, hands float down by the side, step one foot in, coming on the ball of the foot. Then the arms float out to the sides like you're spreading your wings. You can keep your foot down, or you can lift it right up in front, the crane. Then the arms come all the way up and over, just as much as you can. And then stepping down, we'll do that on the other side. So just the arms at first, spreading your wings like a beautiful bird soaring through the sky. Then if you want, you can lift the leg or touch down as needed, just meeting yourself where you're at. Always go forward from there. Arms come up and over, stepping down. This time you can lift right up if you want. You can even hold it up there, touching your cards today. Breathing in, breathing out. Let's do one more, the crane. And then one more round on this side. Lifting up if you want, touching down as needed. Just bringing a sense of curiosity instead of judgment. Easier said than done, I know. And then stepping down, the hands float down. Then reverse direction, hug the tree right out in front. And then soften. Arms open up wide, hands float down, the palms face up. One hand on top of the other, and this hand drops down. It floats all the way up and over, and down the center line of the body. Other side, breathe in as the hand floats up. Breathing out, centering. Do that again, creating mental focus and clarity. Alright, one more time, centering. And then both arms float all the way up and over, just as much as you can. The hands float down to the waist as you soften the hips and knees. Circling in front as if you had a big ball right in front of the body. Scooping under, back up to the heart. Alright, one more time. Floating up and over, down to the waist. This time we'll make a diamond shape with the hands, right in front of the heart. Then press out, opening the heart. Sending out all your love and kindness up to the world. May all beings be free from suffering. May they be happy. May they be healthy. May they live with ease. Turning your palms to face yourself, the hands come to the heart. May I be kind to myself. May I feel connected with all beings. May I love myself just as I am. Hands can float down to the lower abdomen. Step the feet together. You can finish with a bow. Thank you so much for joining me for this Tai Chi flow for balance. One of the most common stepping patterns in Tai Chi is called the bow and arrow step. We just call it the bow step for short. And it's basically the Tai Chi lunge. So I'm going to show you how to find your bow step. I'm going to show you from the back view so you can follow along. So place your right foot straight ahead. And your left foot out to the side, heel to heel. So that you're in the shape of an L. Step your left foot out one and a half foot lengths. And then step the right foot forward two and a half foot lengths. And then the back foot turns in 45 degrees. The front leg is bent. The back leg is straight. The front leg has 60% of your weight. The back leg has 40%. Alright, let's find the other side. So then bring your left foot forward. And your right foot pointed out to the side 90 degrees. So heel to heel. In the shape of an L. Step your right foot out one and a half foot lengths. And then step your left foot forward two and a half. The back foot turns in 45 degrees. The back leg is straight. The front leg is bent. 60% of your weight is on the front leg. 40% on the back. Alright, so that's how you find your bow step. And so from the front, it basically just looks like a lunge. But the key is that there's a channel. There's a space between the feet. So we're not on a tightrope. Alright, so in yoga, sometimes we do a yoga lunge where there's a real narrow stance. However, Tai Chi is a martial art. And so we want to make sure we're nice and stable. So that we can maneuver and apply techniques as needed. And also help train your muscles to be nice and strong for daily functional activities. So during the flow, when I say step out to the corner or to the side, then you'll most of the time want to step into that bow step. You'll probably be more comfortable. Now you don't have to. During the flow, it's all about getting into the space of presence. Letting go of worries. And so it's really helpful for reducing stress and building strength. But if you want to, you can make sure you have that channel when you step out to the corner. Just kind of take a peek down if you want and see that there's a space. And you'll probably feel more stable. And then same thing, when you step out to the side, you'll want to open the hip and then step a little diagonal. So that way when you turn, you're actually facing out to the side in the bow step. Alright, let me just show you from the side so that you can see that. If you only step directly to the side, then you'll be on the tightrope. Alright, and so you can do that if you want. However, what you'll want to do is when I say step out to the side, then you'll open the hip and then take a little bit of a diagonal step. So that way when you turn, you'll have that channel. And you can maintain that space for stability. And it'll likely feel more comfortable for you. And so I'd like to leave you with one of my favorite quotes from Frederick Buckner. Maybe it's all utterly meaningless. Maybe it's all unutterably meaningful. If you want to know which, pay attention to what it means to be truly human in a world that half the time we're in love with and half the time scares the hell out of us. The unexpected sound of your name on somebody's lips. The good dream. The strange coincidence. The moment that brings tears to your eyes. The person who brings life to your life. Even the smallest events hold the greatest clues. Alright, so whenever you're ready, you can click on the link right below this video and go to day number two, and I'll see you over there. You