Tai Chi

For Active Generations

The fastest way to learn authentic Tai Chi

Printed text - photographs - movie clips - video

Mental images of moves formed from original martial intent

Purchase printed book and interactive CD and get Free DVD -

Tai Chi by the Cube: the Art of Gabriel Chin

McCabe Enterprises, L.L.C.

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

SELF-MASSAGE

After Chi Kung exercises, especially after "Standing Pole" exercise, your muscles will be stiff and your blood circulation sluggish. The purpose of self-massage is to loosen your muscles and restore normal circulation. There are many different way to accomplish this purpose. The set given here is the Author’s selection based mostly on his teacher.

To loosen tight muscles, lubricate joints, and increase blood circulation

    Cover ears with palms of hands

    Run your fingers back through your hair and down the back of your head ~6 times

    Rub your palms together until they are warm

    Press your palms into your closed eyes.

    Circle your eyes three times clockwise and then three times counterclockwise.

    Gently rub your forehead, eyebrows, cheekbones, the sides of your nose and your jaws clockwise and counter-          clockwise 3 times in each direction

Use your index fingers to massage firmly down the sides of your nose three times in each direction

    Use your index finger behind your ear with your other fingers on your cheeks and temples.

   Massage your  ears   up  and down three times

   Using your index finger inside your ear, trace around the contours.

    Tilt your head left and right ~16 times

    Rub your palms down the back of your neck to your shoulders ~3 times.

    Roll your shoulders forward and backward ~6 each

    Cup your right hand and slap your left shoulder, arm, and the back of your left hand.

    Go down and back up then do  the right side.

    Grasp your left hand with your right and massage the left palm with your thumb

    Starting with the little finger, massage and rub each finger of both hands

    Bunch your fingers to make a "beak" and use the beak to tap around the borders of your lungs

    Use your cupped hand to slap the side of your torso from your arms to your waist on your left and right sides

    Make two loose fists. Tap your kidneys and lower back

    With both hands, rub both legs from your thighs to your ankles

    With your thumbs, rub the back and sides of each calf

    With both hands, rotate your ankles in both directions

    Rub your hands together until they are warm. Hold your foot sideway with one hand and massage the hollow at
    the  ball of your foot with your warm fingers. Rub counter-clockwise 10 times and clockwise 10 times. Warm
    up  your hands again and do the other foot.

To finish, stand up, close your eyes, and take three slow, deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.