Foundation Exercises

In Standing Practice, we teach the body to let go of unnecessary tension, and to develop a good, upright, and relaxed posture: Ma Bu, horse (riders) stance and Ting Bu: false leg stance

A Set of six Tsao (Exercises) combine a relaxed body sensation with harmonious movements. These serve as a foundation to all other elements of practice.

Forms

The short form or “shisan shi” is the first form we practice. It is easy to remember, symmetric and focuses on the 13 energies of Tai Chi. Peng, Lu, Ji, An, Kai, Lie, Zhou, Kao + the 5 directions.

The long form follows the images of the Yang Tai Chi long form and serves as a body for the techniques of Ma Tsun Kuen Tai Chi Chuan.

later we also learn a fast form, a partner form and weapon forms.

Partner Exercises

Basic and free Tui Shou practice is often called pushing hands. The term “pushing” is somewhat misleading, it should rather be called maybe “sensing” or “listening” hands. In this exercise we examine moving energies with a partner in a cooperative exchange. We try encounter the postures and techniques from the form in the exchange, to fill the form with meaning and the tui shou practice with intention. Sometimes it can feel like a play fight, which is fun, but holds the danger of forgetting the “sensing” or “listening” part.

There are four partner exercise movement patterns in the Ma Tsun Kuen system. These deal with understanding distance, stepping, direction of force, changing direction, and rotational forces. Kilometros, Rombo, Da Lu, and Saopapu.

Martial chi kung (I Ching Kung)

A set of ten Qigong Exercises, that is build on daoist breathing and work with the “Yi” (will, intention) in form of mental images of reaching and stretching.

Graduation System

Traditionally, tai chi students are not given grades. To keep an overview over the students level and to structure the curriculum, they were introduced to the ma tsun kuen system anyway and the curriculum is structured in these grades:

5º Student, yellow — min. 3 month of practice

Standing Practice, Set of six Tsao (Exercises), The short form or shisan shi

4º Student, orange — min. 9 month of practice

Basic and Free Tui Shou Practice

3º Student, green — min. 18 month of practice

Movement Patterns: Kilometros, Rombo, Da Lu, and Saopapu.

2º Student, blue — min. 3 years of practice

The long form - A library for the techniques of Ma Tsun Kuen Tai Chi Chuan.

1º Student, brown — min. 5 years of practice

Daoist Breathing, Martial chi kung (I Ching Kung)

1st Tuan, black — min. 7 years of practice

Repeat all of the above on a higher level.

2nd Tuan, black — when master decides

The fast form

3rd Tuan, black — when master decides

San Shou Tui Ta
The fighting form is a partner form. It examines martial aspects of Tai Chi Chuan.

4rd Tuan, black — when master decides

Hand/fist strikes, locks and pressures. Free fighting — friendly, of course

5rd Tuan, black — when master decides

Weapon Forms: Sword, Saber, Spear