Hi, I'm Michael Stark. Welcome to my webpage for Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and Weapons!

Currently I am teaching Intro to Tai Chi and Beginners Tai Chi / Qi Gong at 2 different YMCAs and Weapons at Wilton only:

• Wilton YMCA Branch: 20 Old Gick Rd, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
  Mondays:
  • Intro to Tai Chi: 8:40AM - 11AM
  • Beginners Tai Chi/Qi Gong: 11AM - 12PM
  • Tai Chi Weapons: 12PM - 12:45PM
• Glens Falls YMCA Branch: 600 Glen St, Glens Falls, NY 12801
  Wednesdays:
  • Intro to Tai Chi: 8:15AM - 8:45AM
  • Beginners Tai Chi/Qi Gong: 8:45AM - 9:45AM

The Complete Tai Chi 10 Form!

The Complete Tai Chi 10 Form - Back view.

Yang Style 10 Form (STAY IN PLACE)

1. Opening (lift water)
2. Repulse the Monkey – Right / Left (DO NOT STEP BACK)
3. Brush Knee- 45° or 90° Left / turn 180 ° to right / Brush Knee- Right / Hold the ball
4. Turn 180 ° to left / Part the Horse's Mane- Left / turn 180 deg right / Part Mane- Right
5. Turn 180 ° left / Wave Hands Like Clouds- Left- 2x / turn 180 deg right / Wave Right- 2x
6. Rooster Stands on One Leg- lift Rt knee & Rt hand – ON LFT LEG / lift Lft knee & Lft hand -ON RT LEG
7. Right Heel Kick- 45 deg Right / Left Heel Kick- 45 deg Left (STAY IN PLACE)
8. Grasp the Sparrow's Tail- Form ball Left-Ward off Right.. / “WAVE” / Form ball Right–Ward off Left..( L then R)
9. Cross Hands / Embrace the Tiger
10. Close

This 8 Form Tai Chi video is really exactly the same moves as our 10 Form. They just don't count the opening and closing moves, so they call it an 8 form.

Tai Chi 13 Form

Tai Chi 13 Form - Back View

Tai Chi Chuan Master 13 Form (Mother of All Forms)

1. Opening [L's and R's are at 45° or 90° angles!]
2. Part the Horse's Mane L / R (stay in place)
3. White Crane Spreads Wings L / R (stay in place)
4. Brush Knee L / R
5. Repulse the Monkey L / R (step back with R leg / L palm strike over R hand)
6. Turn Body and Strike R / L (step R-strike to R / CCW wipe L over R / step L- strike to L)
7. Fair Lady Works Shuttle R / L
8. Cloud Hands L / R / L / R (into hook)
9. Single Whip L / R (stay in place-whirl arms like clouds once to switch from L to R)
10. Transition: two hands wave to front of body
11. Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg L / R (stay in place)
12. Toe Kick and Pat Foot L / R (stay in place-scoop up to fists then release and out)
13. Grasp the Bird's Tail L / R
14. Close

Tai Chi 13 form with Master Amin Wu

Tai Chi 16 Form

Tai Chi 16 Form - Back

Yang Style Tai Chi 16 Form

1. Open
2. Part the wild horse's mane L, R (ensure right foot turns to 45deg; before starting the R one)
3. White dove spreads wings to R (Left 1/2 step, Left hand up, right hand down, Right toe out)
4. Whirl-wind R then L into Brush knee R, L
5. Deflect, parry, punch
6. Apparent closing - wipe, withdraw, and push
7. Turn R and form R crane hook, then Single whip to Left
8. Play the lute Left (left arm up, right hand to left elbow, L heel is out front)
9. Step back with L foot, Repulse monkey R; step back with R foot, Repulse Monkey L
10. 180° turn on heels, Fair lady works the shuttle to Left, then Right
11. Left Needle at the bottom of the sea, right foot onto toe empty step
12. Fan through the back (of L hand) - ON LEFT SIDE!
13. Wave hands like clouds TWICE to Right. Form the ball on the L.
14. Grasp sparrow's tail to R, L (form the ball, ward off, grasp tail, roll back, press, withdraw, push)
15. Cross hands / Embrace the tiger
16. Close

16 Form Tai Chi

24 Form

Qi Gong 18 Movement - Shibashi

A classic qi gong that has several tai chi moves within. Each move can be done 5, 10, 15 or more times each. There is no transition between moves. Can do as a warmup to a tai chi form or just as a gentle warmup exercise to start your day or take a break during your day to relax...

1. Opening (both hands rise then sink)
2. Opening the chest (both hands rise then spread Left and Right, return to center, then sink)
3. Rainbow Dance- (both hands rise straight up, wave L then R / eyes follow hands / hips push opposite way)
4. Separating clouds (hands scoop down, rise, crossed, go overhead, turn over 180 deg, spread then drop)
5. Repulse the Monkey (R hand goes back, then pushes forward over L hand, palm up, switch sides)
6. Rowing the boat [hands swing down in front, to sides, then back & up (palms up), around in circle]
7. Lifting the sun (raise R hand, palm up, to L side, going up on toes, flip hand over & drop down, switch sides)
8. Tossing the moon over the shoulder- (make ball with hands in front. Swing over L shoulder, switch sides)
9. Push Mountains- (R palm pushes straight out to L, flips out & over to wrist and returns to R side, switch)
10. Waving hands like clouds (L hand, palm in, waves across to L, while R hand, slightly behind L, swipes Across to L, R hand circles up, L hand circles down, switch directions) → transition- left foot steps forward
11. Scoop the sea, look at the sky- (wt forward onto left foot, then lean back on right foot, rocking)
12. Playing with waves- (rock forward onto left foot then rock back on right foot, both hands push forward, lift up, pull back with one lifting wave, then repeat) → transition to right foot forward
13. Dove opens wings- (rock back and forth) (arms spread open backward, flip, return, cross, open, repeat)
14. Punching dragon from the sea (horse stance) - fists at sides - turn torso with each punch
15. Flying wild geese- (like dove opens wings but up & down instead, rising up on toes when arms go up)
16. Hug and swing the sun- (rotate arms around in circles in front of body, holding “sun”, overhead, around, and down, bending down when “sun” is down. Then reverse direction.)
17. March & bounce ball- (when left foot goes up right hand goes up, go up on right toes, bring left foot down & tap it while at same time, “bounce ball” with right hand. Alternate left and right sides.)
18. 18 Old Sage strokes his beard - (bend down, press both hands down spread out slightly; as you rise up, flip hands over and lift up to chest height. Repeat. no bending on last rise - rub hands together when done!

18 Chi Quong Shibashi

8 Brocades

1. 2 Hands hold up the heavens
2. Shoot the bow Left and Right
3. Separating heaven and earth
4. Wise owl gazes backwards
5. Big bear sways from side to side, shakes his tail
6. Slide to earth, reach for the sky
7. Punching the dragon with angry gaze
8. Bouncing heels, pound the earth

13 Postures

Facing North- Open

1. Ward off (Left)*
2. Roll back
3. Press
4. Push
5. Pull down
6. Separate
7. Elbow strike
8. Shoulder strike

Turn 90° Right, Facing East

(Repeat 1 ‐ 8 above)

Turn 180° Left, Facing West

(Repeat 1 ‐ 8 above)

Turn 90° Right, Facing North

(Repeat 1 ‐ 8 above)

Turn 180° Left, Facing South

(Repeat 1 ‐ 8 above)

Turn 90° Right, Facing West

(Repeat 1 ‐ 8 above)

Turn 180° Left, Facing East

(Repeat 1 ‐ 8 above)

Turn 90° Right, Facing South

(Repeat 1 ‐ 8 above)

Turn 180° Left, Facing North

Close

*Any time you turn Right, ward off Right!

Any time you turn Left, ward off Left!

Weapon 1: Long Pole

Weapon 2: Short Stick

1. Begin with short stick in your left hand, holding it just above both tapes, tip pointing up, resting against the back of your left arm.
2. Step out to L. Hands float up. With right hand, grab the top layer of tape on the handle, R-ft transition, then R bow step, and downward diagonal strike to right. Tip up, then L-ft transition and L bow step, downward diagonal strike to left. Tip up. Repeat to R.
3. Then L-ft steps behind R-ft, tip swings up, forward, and back strike.
4. Now step back with L-ft into V position, out onto R-toe.
5. R bow step forward. Lunge straight ahead.
6. Turn 180° L, R-ft steps over L-ft, back strike again.
7. Pivot 180° L again, downward strikes to L. Tip spins up/over/dn, grab center of stick with L hand.
8. Pivot 180° L – step/lunge/step, step/lunge/step, step/horizontal strike/step, step/horizontal strike with R kick/come down onto R-ft as handle goes to 12N, L step, tip to 12N, R step, handle flicks up to 12N.
9. Hold stick position, pivot 180°, L-ft steps behind R-ft, downward strike.
10. R bow step forward, lunge straight ahead.
11. L-ft steps behind R-ft again, back strike as you swivel your R-ft.
12. Pivot 180° L on your L-ft, slight hop as you do a downward strike.
13. Grab stick in the middle again with L-hand, step back with R-ft, back lunge.
14. As you turn 180° R, stick circles twice ending in a diagonal strike down to L, as you step with L-ft then R-ft.
15. Then as you step again with L-ft then R-ft, stick circles head, tip down, ending in another diagonal strike down to left.
16. Step back with R-ft onto toe and both hands go up and back into pause.
17. R bow step forward, lunge straight ahead.
18. Pivot 180° L and the tip swings up/over/dn to L side and continues back/up/dn into downward strike.
19. Now, the tip swings up/back/dn, grab the stick again in the middle with L-hand as L-ft steps behind R-ft, back lunge. Spin R-ft again.
20. Then, hard 180° turn to L into “windshield wiper” move as handle rotates L 45°, R 45°.
21. Up into high block with R-hand, as you stand on R-leg and stick goes to L-side handle down.
22. Turn 90° to L, L bow step, R bow step, handle lunge straight ahead.
23. L bow step, diagonal handle strike down to L.
24. R bow step, R elbow strike straight ahead as stick follows in same direction.
25. Now, grab handle with R-hand, R bow step 45° to R, diagonal strike down to R.
26. Stick goes over R-shoulder, grab it with L-hand and back strike “forwards”, bow step with L-ft, stick goes over right shoulder, grab it L-hand as you bow step with R-ft. Back strike to R into “figure-8” move, ending in downward strike towards “straight ahead” direction.
27. Repeat move (18) above: Pivot 180° L and the tip swings up/over/dn to L side and continues back/up/dn into downward strike.
28. Spin stick in wrist flick move ending with L-hand in “on guard” move and L-ft out in front on toe.
29. Raise stick up to R-side of head, parallel to ground, tip pointing frontward.
30. Grab stick with L-hand above both tapes, returning it to L-side like starting position, and stepping back up into “feet together” starting position to close.