Key Points for the 37-Form Tai Chi Competition Routine

 Key Points for the 37-Form Tai Chi Competition Routine

Form 1: Preparation Posture

• Shoulders and hips vertically aligned.
• Commencement (Qǐshì):

Feet positioned shoulder-width apart.

Form 2: Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail – Left Ward Off (Zuǒ Péng)

• Left warding hand: wrist neither collapsed nor concave; wrist at shoulder height; elbow not raised; body turned upright.

Form 3: Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail – Right Ward Off (Yòu Péng)

• Right hand turns upright toward 3 o’clock direction; left hand follows accordingly.

Form 4: Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail – Roll Back (Lǚ)

• Hips level, then roll back to the left.

Form 5: Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail – Press (Jǐ)

• Waist and hips turn upright; 70% weight on front leg, 30% on back; both hands in "beautiful lady’s hand" (Měirén shǒu) posture.

Form 6: Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail – Push (Àn)

• Ensure arms are neither pressed too close to the body nor overly extended.

Form 7: Single Whip (Dān Biān)

• Correct hook hand shape; waist and hips turned upright; elbows relaxed and sunk maintaining "fair lady’s hand" intent; angle between hands reaches 90 degrees.

Form 8: Raise Hands (Tí Shǒu)

• Waist and hips turn upright; feet half shoulder-width apart; left palm opposite right elbow.

Form 9: Shoulder Strike (Kào)

• Left palm rests near right elbow.

Form 10: White Crane Spreads Its Wings (Bái Hè Liàng Chì)

• Right palm guards near right temple; left hand rests beside left hip.

Form 11: Brush Knee and Push (Left) (Zuǒ Lōu Xī Àn Zhǎng)

• Right hand swings relaxed following right hip turn; right elbow bends and pushes forward in correct direction.

Form 12: Play the Lute (Shǒu Huī Pípa)

• Both hands and left foot follow the turn of the waist and hips.

※Brush Knee and Push (Right)

Form 13: Step Forward, Parry, Block and Punch (Jìn Bù Bān Lán Chuí)

• Sit back, then turn left; right foot steps half shoulder-width; left foot steps shoulder-width; block and punch synchronize; body posture remains upright.

Form 14: Like Closing or Sealing (Rú Fēng Sì Bì)

• Left hand threads through; when sitting back, right hand follows the waist’s relaxation without retracting.

Form 15: Cross Hands (Shí Zì Shǒu)

• Clear weight shift during turn; hands and feet complete movement together.

Form 16: Embrace Tiger and Return to Mountain (Bào Hǔ Guī Shān)

• Hips turn without tilting; direction must be accurate; left hand pushes forward as right hand turns over simultaneously.

※Grasp Sparrow’s Tail: Roll Back, Press, Push

※Diagonal Single Whip

Form 17: Fist Under Elbow (Zhǒu Dǐ Kàn Chuí)

• Left hand stands upright before chest, palm right; right hand forms fist under left elbow.

Form 18: Retreat and Repulse Monkey (Left) (Zuǒ Dào Niǎn Hóu)

• Parallel stance firmly settled.

Form 19: Retreat and Repulse Monkey (Right) (Yòu Dào Niǎn Hóu)

Form 20: Diagonal Flying Posture (Xié Fēi Shì)

• Right hand spirals from inside left hand, waist turns right for diagonal lean.

Form 21: Cloud Hands (Left) (Zuǒ Yún Shǒu)

• Hand transitions; hip-led foot movement; sufficient waist/hip rotation; body stability maintained.

Form 22: Cloud Hands (Right) (Yòu Yún Shǒu)

Form 23: Single Whip and Low Posture (Dān Biān Xià Shì)

Final step of Cloud Hands is at a diagonal upward angle.

Left hand: draw in, neutralize, then issue—balance attack and defense.

Right hand’s hook-hand follows the kua, relaxing and coordinating.

Form 24: Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg (Right) (Yòu Jīn Jī Dú Lì)

• Elbow and knee aligned; palm lifted upward.

Form 25: Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg (Left) (Zuǒ Jīn Jī Dú Lì)

Form 26: Right Separation Kick with Toes (Yòu Fēn Jiǎo)

(Do not divide into two stages: knee lift, then leg separation.)

Form 27: Left Separation Kick with Toes (Zuǒ Fēn Jiǎo)

Form 28: Turn and Heel Kick (Zhuǎn Shēn Dēng Jiǎo)

Waist and kua drive the swinging and opening/closing of the hands.

Kick out the left foot steadily and smoothly.

※ Brush Knee and Push (Left & Right)

Form 29: Step Forward and Punch Downward (Jìn Bù Zāi Chuí)

• Right hand swings in a circle to form fist (do not bend the wrist). Are both hips level); hips level.

※Step Forward, Right Grasp Sparrow’s Tail

※Single Whip

Form 30: Fair Lady Works at Shuttles (1) (Yù Nǚ Chuān Suō)

• Footwork weight shift and hand coordination; hip angles and posture in second and fourth shuttle; avoid cramped arms.

Form 31: Fair Lady Works at Shuttles (2)

Form 32: Fair Lady Works at Shuttles (3)

Form 33: Fair Lady Works at Shuttles (4)

※Right Grasp Sparrow’s Tail

※Single Whip

Form 34: Step Up to Seven Stars (Shàng Bù Qī Xīng)

• Right foot steps with hip lead; light agility in stepping; both hands form fists crossed (left inside, right outside).

Form 35: Retreat and Ride the Tiger (Tuì Bù Kuà Hǔ)

• Width of retreat step; timing of turning waist to draw back right elbow.

Form 36: Turn Body and Swing Lotus Kick (Zhuǎn Shēn Bǎi Lián)

• Toes of both feet lightly touch; hands swing back; thigh kept level.

Form 37: Draw the Bow and Shoot the Tiger (Wān Gōng Shè Hǔ)

Both hands clench into fists and raise.

 Punching force and gaze direction must be correct.

※Step Forward, Parry, and Punch

※Apparent Close

※Cross Hands

※Closing Form (Shōu Shì)

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I. Five Key Principles

1. Upright and centered posture
2. Clear distinction between substantial and insubstantial
3. Waist and hip rotation
4. "Beautiful lady’s hand" (elegant, relaxed hand form)
5. Relaxation and sinking (Sōng Chén)

II. Additional Focus Areas

• Whether movements embody reasonable offensive/defensive intent.
• Initiation of movement from the extremities with intent leading the action is essential.
• In transitions between postures, whether the waist/hip leads or the hands drive the waist/hip.
• Waist/hip drives movement; arms follow passively creating natural momentum.
• Timing and angle of opening hips for stepping; maintaining central equilibrium.
• Correct position and direction of the empty (weightless) foot.

 十三式太極拳競賽套路

 

▲預備勢：

※起勢：兩臂沉肩垂肘下降至胯前，手心向下，指尖微起向前。

 

一、右攬雀尾

1.轉身合抱：右腳收回虛置於左腳掌內側，腳尖點地，左臂屈抱於胸前，

手心向下，右臂屈抱於腹前，手心轉向上，兩手心相對，如

合抱狀。

2.掤：右手掤出與胸齊，手心向內，左手下按至胯前，雙肘圓撐。

3.  ：雙掌隨腰胯右轉劃圓，右手掌心轉向下，左手掌心轉向上，重心

    後坐，雙手隨腰胯左轉向左後側掌 。

4.擠：雙掌心相對，約距10公分。掌心相合向前擠出。

5.按：雙手化開，沉肩垂肘，舒腕於胸前，雙手隨腰向前平按。

 

二、左攬雀尾

1.轉身合抱  2.掤   3.     4.擠  5.按

 

三、右攬雀尾

如前式

 

四、左攬雀尾

如前式

 

五、右龍回頭

1.轉身合抱：同上。

2.採：右腳向右斜方上步，右手手心向內往上穿，指尖至鼻高，向前

    向下採，高與腰齊手刀向下虎口向上，左手向下按，護於襠前。

3.轉身合抱：同上。

4.挒：左腳向左斜方上步，左手往上往前伸出與胸同高。雙手於胸前上下

挒，雙手寬度為小臂之長度。雙手掌上下相距約5-10公分。

5.轉身合抱：同上。

6.肘：右腳向右斜方上步，右掌伸出往上托與肩同高。右手握拳收回於胸

   前拳心向下，左手以掌推右拳，右肘進肘擊。

7.靠：身向下沉，上身垂直，成四六步，右膝仍對正腳尖，右手放下，置

右腿內側、肩、肘、手刀向外，肘微曲略成弧形，左手置於右肘內

側，左手大姆指朝肘內側。

 

六、退步右攬雀尾

1.上掤手：右手上掤，與頭同高，手心向著眉心，相距約15公分，左手下

按於胯前。

2.退步掤：右手掤於胸前，左手下按於胯前。

3.退步 ：左手手心由下轉向右與肩高。左腳尖內扣，左手滾肘，手心轉

向內，右手心轉向上，置於腹前。向右後側 出。

4.退步按：左手降至胸高，右手伸出穿至左手上方交叉，雙手心向下。

    右腳尖為軸，右腳跟轉正，雙手隨腰向前平按。

5.擠：腰胯左轉成陰陽手小 ，掌心相對，約距10公分。掌心相合向前擠出。

 

七、左龍回頭

1.轉身合抱  2.採  3.轉身合抱  4.挒  5.轉身合抱  6.肘  7.靠

 

八、退步左攬雀尾

1.上掤手 2.退步掤  3.退步  4.退步按  5.擠

 

九、右龍回頭

1.轉身合抱  2.採  3.轉身合抱  4.挒  5.轉身合抱    6.肘  7.靠

 

十、退步右攬雀尾

1.上掤手  2.退步掤  3.退步  4.退步按  5.擠

 

十一、左龍回頭

1.轉身合抱  2.採  3.轉身合抱  4.挒  5.轉身合抱  6.肘  7.靠

 

十二、退步左攬雀尾

1.上掤手 2.退步掤  3.退步  4.退步按  5.擠   

 

十三、收勢

扣左腳尖隨腰胯右轉135度。雙手心轉向內，中指與眉心齊。

      右腳尖為軸，右腳跟內轉。左腳收回併攏，兩腳尖外分30度。

      炁機回收。