Guidance Notes for Judges and aspiring Students

Overall skills required to enhance Taijiquan assessments and competition.

Specified requirements:

Power

  • Movement should convey intention & relaxation

  • Movement should be smooth but embrace vigour

  • Movement should include focus of the mind.

Coordination

  • All movement should involve the coordination of footwork

  • Hand movement, eye, head, upper & lower limbs and incur

  • The movement of the waist. (Centre Move)

Spirit

  • All movements should  illustrate the focus and attention of the mind and spirit

  • The countenance should contain composure & calmness

  • The eyes should be composed but placid.

Common errors occurring in the practice of Taijiquan

Criteria earning deductions in the scoring:

Power

  • No force. (power)

  • Inaccurate focus.

  • No distinction between empty and full. (Yin & Yang)

  • Movement too insipid and feeble to deliver power.

Coordination

  • Inconsistent coordination of all or parts

  • Transitions from one posture to another, unclear

  • Waist movement not consistent with all or parts

  • Eyes do not portray participation

  • Movement mechanical, lacks Taiji Characteristics.

Spirit

  • All the missing ingredients in the power and coordination sections contribute to the lack of spirit

  • Two important pointers are the illustration of the lack of use of the mind, and the tendency to act or dance the routine.