Tai Chi Joint Loosening Exercise
Here is a set of 11 exercises which are good to do as a warmup prior to practicing Tai Chi.
- Leg Loosenings - circling knee to open Kwa with weigh on opposite leg
- Hip Circles - 'bar stool sitting' posture with hips moving in a circle as if touching the inner edge of a circle, while 'breathing into' the point touching the circle. Breathing in one rep out one rep and doing both directions.
- Spinal Twist - twisting whole body, including neck back and forth.
- Hug and Tap - bending down and letting arms slap the sides of the body then standing up, opening chest and letting arms go back.
- Knock on the Door - Arms out to side, bent at 90 degree angles in opposite directions. Bring arms back behind the body to open the chest.
- Side Bends - Feel the stretch from the ground all the way to the hands as you bend to one side and then the other.
- Neck Stretches - tilt the head to the side alternating sides, with weight on the foot you are stretching, on last rep press down with the opposite palm to increase the stretch.
- Wrist Loosening - shake the wrists, palms down, palms up then in all directions
- Arm Circling - roll shoulders out lift elbows to shoulder height, then circle elbows in, lifting the palms, repeat several times
- Open / Close - hold 'barstool stance' and bend the back and drop the neck to stretch from hips to neck, place hands on back of head and let the weight drop to increase stretch. Then lift up open chest and let hands go behind the torso.
- Squats - Squat all the way down and place the fist of one hand into the palm of the other and let the elbows press the knees open with knees staying over toes.
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