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Joanne Lau, Canberra
Sent:
Monday, May 05, 2008 3:40 PM
Subject:
Diary April May 2008
Tai-Chi diary April
May 2008
Week 1 - Since our
classes focussing on bow + arrow stance and Grasp Bird’s
Tail, I've found my legs, shoulders and arms are more fluid
when doing the form. This looseness is esp. evident when
doing the warm up exercises. Before my arms wouldn't swing
as my shoulders were stiff; my legs were v. tight. hurt to
slap, tired quickly. My legs are shaky. Maybe they aren't
used to proper balancing.
The days between class I felt very tired and slept easily.
Had a long sleep some days. Some days after practice there
is a warmth in my tummy.
This week was
demanding @ work. .. In addition to work, this time in
writing and sitting took a toll. By week end I was hunched
over in back and shoulders, and in a lot of pain. I
shouldn't have sat through a 2.5 hr meeting taking only 1
break to realign my posture.
Practised Tai Chi
Chuan less than required, mainly before and after work, but
often even during.
Yin style typing requires focus. However my hands are less
rigid and no longer cupped.
Week 2 - 2 nights of
rest since bad pain, my back is a little less sore and
slightly less tense. Arms v. tight, jabs of pain.
Sent:
Saturday, April 19, 2008 8:00 PM
Subject: Update from 04.10
In our classes on 4
and 5 April, we revised Grasp bird's tail and the Bow and
arrow stance, focusing on the upper body and footwork. This
helped work my shoulders, which are / had been very tight.
The footwork helped bring my posture to a more natural one.
Also did form correction + 04.10.
19 April 2008 update
wk 1 after class - I was able to sleep much better and am
more relaxed. I sense my fatigue better and know I
critically need to sleep more.
04.10 emerged in some parts, but didn't seem to be clear in
others. I wasn't in good form for sprinting ahead in things.
Forearm strains when dropping shoulder in 'Wild Horse Parts
Mane'.
Muscles were sore. Flu/cold getting worse. A day and a bit
in bed. Missed practice those days. Mouse hand getting rigid
and wrist sore. When typing using the yin correction am very
focussed on keeping the position correct.
Had to adjust to the ending of day light saving and getting
up in AM to practise.
wk 2 - warm up
exercise good to start practice, although legs tight to
start with. Crouch v. effective for realigning posture
during work. Muscles are v. tight, jabbing pain in random
places.
04.10 didn't emerge much more during practice this wk.
wk 3 - feel tranquil
when practising Tai Chi Chuan, and one practice was at the
correct pace whereas I'm often distracted and too fast.
I worked through some priorities and will try to improve my
work environment to be more suitable 4 my condition.
Sent:
Wednesday, April 02, 2008 8:05 PM
Subject:
update Mar-April 2008
Tai Chi practice
since the March class has been good, and interesting. I've
been doing the warm up exercises of the crouch which are
helpful. I've tried the arm drop / twirl but don't seem to
have it and am not seeing any obvious benefit. I enjoy doing
the form, where some days some movements are smooth. I had a
few blank spots in the form, which cleared up 2 weeks later.
My balance isn't so good a week from the class.
I was getting sharp pains in the arm and wrist for a few
weeks, maybe over a month, but haven't had one in the last
week. Arms and wrists are sore after work and typing.
week 1 in from the Easter classes - I got a flu / cold and
my joints and muscles are aching. Was still practising Tai
Chi whilst sick but less.
Sent:
Sunday, March 16, 2008 10:44 AM
Subject:
Tai
Chi update
TAI CHI DIARY
11 March 2008
Since Tai Chi class in late February 2008, I have only
followed Ric’s suggested routine in practising daily. I
hadn’t been motivated to have an hour long practice.
Practising feels light and relatively easy, in light of
having starting out with stiff muscles.
I have had spasms of sharp pain in my wrists and forearms.
Experience pain all day even when I’ve ceased computing. The
pain occurs after mousing or keyboarding, more likely from
mousing. My forearm and shoulders muscles are very tight.
Sent:
Thursday, January 10, 2008 7:44 AM
Subject:
update
Since our class in
December last year I've tried to slow down the Tai Chi
practice. Up til then I went through form in 20 minutes.
Then quite suddenly about 2 weeks ago I did my form in 40
minutes. That time I practised for an hour. It was
exhausting although satisfying and enlivening.
I've tried practising on different surfaces to alleviate my
knee pain. I've moved from practising on a brick area which
caused a lot of friction, to practising on smoother surfaces
(carpet, cement). My knee pain has reduced in intensity, no
longer a startling burning, but a smaller ache. Perhaps
relevant to note my ankles on the outside were sore after a
long walk.
Sent:
Wednesday, September 19, 2007 12:37 PM
Subject:
News
Your classes were
great in restoring my confidence that I could move with some
fluidity. In following your 4 steps I've started getting
some more sleep. I have some nights that I don't sleep much.
I am trying to do 30 min of practice 5 days a week. I think
I've lost some ground but it's still good to practise the
bits that I can do.
I'm mainly well rugged in warm clothes but as the weather is
unpredictable some nights have caught me out.
Sent:
Wednesday, August 22, 2007 6:23 PM
Subject:
misc.
Doing Tai chi
or thinking of Tai Chi is calming. I get tired from
challenges, work and study and treatment. I am getting a lot
of benefit from practising Tai Chi as required and am
grateful for the respite it provides for the pain I have.
Sent:
Tuesday, August 14, 2007 1:46 PM
Subject:: re the benefits of
your classes
I can now do the
transition before Repulse Monkey in S.3 and raise my knee to
my elbow - that's amazing!
Also, I had less slouching after a 3.5 hr bus trip sitting
still than before I came to your class. Sounds good so far.
Will let you know about the benefits.
Sent:
Wednesday, November 01, 2006 7:37 PM
Subject: Tai Chi DVD
Hi Ric
I started viewing
the section 1 DVD you gave me. It's really hard work. I felt
physically strained whilst practising although moving was
almost effortless. This automatic mode is not as prevalent
as when I had been practising without the DVD. This is all
very surprising considering I'd been pretty exhausted for
about a month...
A highlight was that I noticed my body is buoyant and pretty
smart during some moves. I especially noticed this on the
first of the 3 days I slept through.
Thank you for your
persistence. I am glad to have something to get my body back
into action after so much sleep and inaction.
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