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Level 1. WHITE BELT:
The student should be proficient in all aspects of the t'ai chi Yang Ching-fu form. He/She should be able to perform with grace and balance with no slower or faster movements, the breathing should be precise and flowing with the movement. The level should be at the high level. (stance).
Level 2. YELLOW BELT:
The student should show improvement in the above and be proficient in single push hands and show all movements in attack and defence. He/she should be able to defend reasonably well, depending upon sex and size against a fully powered attack. At this point, reverse push hands should have been given. ie; pulling instead of pushing.
Level 3. GREEN BELT:
The student should show improvement in all of the above. IN addition, he/she should show power and grace in the solo exercise of small san-sau and should know the movements of double push hands.
Level 4. BLUE BELT:
The student should show improvement in all of the above and should be able to defend against 'set' attacks using the set formulae from small san-sau at an easy level (power).
Level 5. ORANGE BELT:
The student should show improvement in all of the above. IN addition he/she should show great improvement in partner work with small san-sau at full power. At this point the double push hands should have reached a high level with full powered attacks being defended against.
Level 6. RED BELT:
The student should show improvement in all of the above. IN addition, he/she should be able to perform the slow form on the left hand side. The push hands should have improved and he should be able to put certain attacks into the push hands without leaving the structure. At this point we introduce leg techniques into the push hands, throws and traps etc. The student should be able to defend against trips and leg attacks as well as locks and holds from within the framework of double push hands.
Level 7. BROWN BELT:
The student should show improvement in all of the above. IN addition, he should be able to defend against all types of attacks in double push hands and should have started to move around still keeping the basic movement fluid. At this point the student should have been introduced to the concept of moving the 'yin' leg to get out of the way etc.
Pushing feet should have been introduced at this stage and the student should be proficient at this exercise using all aspects with leg attacks etc. He should be able to combine leg and hand techniques without falling over.
Student by this stage should know every technique and it's application from the Yang Ching-fu form.
Level 8. BLACK BELT: INSTRUCTOR:
This level indicates that the student is capable of teaching people at the below levels. It does not at this stage indicate a level of proficiency in street defence.
The student should have shown improvement in all of the below and;
Be able to perform the large san-sau solo form with power and speed and balance (timing). At this stage the student should have been introduced to Chee-sau and should have improved to a high level whereby he is able to defend against most attacks from within chee-sau. He should be able to change from double push hands back to chee-sau at any time without losing a beat.
The student should have at this stage been introduced to the concept of 'folding' and should be able to perform the training methods pertinent to this concept.
Small san-sau should be able to be performed at random with attacks coming in from anywhere with power and speed.
Training methods for defences against kicks and basic kicking and punching with safety should be at a high level. All punching techniques should be known and the appropriate training methods to gain this expertise should be known. Us of mitt and bag etc. 'V' stepping to defend against kicks and coming in rather than running away.
Attack/Defence training:
The student should have at this stage been subjected to attack by the instructor at random at any time. He should be able to defend by 'hitting him before he hits you'. The forearms should have been built up to a level whereby they are able to take strikes and blocks without pain.
The exercise/training method of using the voice to strike should have been introduced to gain peripheral expertise and use of mitts with closed eyes should have been introduced.
Level 8/1 BLACK BELT:/2nd dan
The student should at this stage be able to perform the large san-sau with a partner at great speed in a set pattern with power. All of the above should have improved. The first of the 'Dragon Prawn (long har-chuan) techniques should have been introduced and random attacks should be able to be defended against using this method at great speed and power.
Da-lu should have been introduced by now and able to execute at great speed and change direction at will using different attack and defence methods.
The advanced push hands methods of '1 attack, 2 attack, and 3 attack' should be known and be able to defend from different angles using this method. The student should be able to attack his partner before he attacks with the above but if he doesn't, then he should be ready for the 2nd. 3rd and 4th attacks etc. He should have defeated his opponent before the 2nd attack arrives etc.
Level 8/2 BLACK BELT:/3rd dan
In push hands the student should be able to move freely in all directions issuing attacks and defences from anywhere using t'ai chi techniques. The techniques of 'Closing the door, opening the door and locking the door' should have ben mastered.
It is at this stage that the student should begin to show sign of becoming 'soft' with the higher level of taiji becoming more to the fore rather than the brute force approach.
It is now that the healing side of taiji should be taught. More qigong should be introduced and the beginning of the
diagnostic procedure should be given. The student should be able to heal others using his/her qi by laying on of hands etc. Each posture's healing aspect should be known at this stage.
The Old Yang Style of Yang Lo-sim should be introduced here and before this grade is given the student should show grace and timing in this older style and make use of great energy during the fa-jing postures.
To prove the effectiveness of the fa-jing a one inch board should be able to be broken with a snap punch from 8 inches away.
Level 8/3 BLACK BELT:/4th dan
At this stage the large san-sau should be able to be performed free style with a partner at reasonable speed. Each partner should be able to put different attacks in , out of sequence.
The training method of 'snake fingers' should be known and practised at this stage as well as the other three 'Long Har Chuan' methods. These methods should be able to be performed from any angle at any speed at this stage.
Level 8/4 BLACK BELT:/5th dan
The long har chuan should be subconscious now with leg techniques introduced as well. The student should be able to move in to an attack at any time and defend while attacking. All leg techniques should now be mastered including sweeps. The bag training should have increased for the leg techniques.
Advanced 'folding techniques' should be known here.
Level 8/5 BLACK BELT:/6th dan
All of the above should have improved including the ability to heal others using qigong and t'ai chi techniques. The diagnostic procedures should have increased to the point where the student should be able to just look at a patient in qigong stance and work out what is wrong and then be able to devise the appropriate healing method, be it self or helped.
The training method of 'high pat on horse' should be known here and the student should be able to perform this exercise at great speed with a partner with no stopping.
Continuous punching on the mitt should be able to continue for at least 30 seconds.
The power of the elbow through using the bag to train this implement should have increased to the point where it has become the most powerful weapon. The knees should have been trained using training methods described in the attached sheet so that this is the second most powerful weapon.
Level 8/6 BLACK BELT:/7th dan
The student should be able to defend against continuous attacks from the instructor and the beginning of multiple attack defence should be known. He should show skill in defending against two and three attackers.
Knife training should be introduced here and how to defend against it. the student should be able to defend using feet, head, hands, fists, elbows and knees to defend against multiple attack. He/she should show expertise in follow through attacks against single opponents.
Level 8/7 BLACK BELT:/8th dan
This is the level before MASTER DEGREE so the student should show expertise in all of the below in particular he/she should have mastered the two main taiji forms to the point where they have become totally subconscious. they should be able to to a certain degree perform the Yang Ching-fu form blindfolded with a glass of water on the head. the chee-sau should have increased to the level whereby no-one is able to attack without the student knowing before the move and then attacked. In push hands the student should not be able to be pushed anywhere, he is out of there before the push arrives. Push hands, da-lu and chee-sau should be the same at this level.
Level 8/8 MASTER DEGREE:
This is the highest level. This is where there is no longer technique. The student becomes the master and has forgotten everything that he has learnt. (bar for teaching). There should be subconscious reaction to anything, a fly cannot land on the master's shoulder without he/she reacts and the whole body moves. At this stage the master is no longer concerned with self defence because he/she has no self and is only concerned with helping and healing others. The healing aspects of taiji have come to their highest level and in fact this is the highest level of taiji.
WEAPONS The weapon forms can be taught any time after the Yang Ching-fu form and basic push hands is learnt. They are only an extension of the empty hand training.