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Basic Parts of Tai Chi   (and Qigong) Practice

1. Preparatory exercises to warm up and stretching the body.  Warm up exercises help to set the flow of chi in motion. Rubbing and tapping stimulates blood flow and circulation.  Stretching exercises activates the joints and and meridians. If the joints are warm and lose the Qi can flow more freely throughout the body. Warm up exercises also help you to concentrate and relax.
2. Tai chi form practice
3. Concluding Exercises.  Bringing the activity of Chi flow to a gentle close. To solidify the learning’s from the practice and to prepare to re-enter the normal pace of life with a more relaxed and enlivened feeling.

Beginning and concluding exercises are both a critical element in tai chi practice and no practice is complete without all three elements.