Deflect Back on Both Sides of the Body in Taiji Exercises

4. Deflect Back on Both Sides of the Body
1) Both legs form a right bow step. Place the left palm in front of the chest at shoulder level. Place the right palm on the right side of the waist. Eyes look forward. (Fig 2-47)

2) Continue from the previous movement. Turn the body to the left slightly and move the weight onto the left leg. At the same time, rotate the left palm clockwise whilst moving it down and back to the side of the waist with a circling arc movement. Rotate the right palm clockwise slightly whilst moving it back; raise it up and over in a circle and then move it forward and right of the body, rotating it slightly counter clockwise. Eyes look forward. (Fig 2-48)

In this way, exercise the previous movements in a circular motion, paying attention to your waist, which serves as the main axis to initiate the movement of the arms. The waist initiates the shoulders, the shoulders initiate the elbows, and lastly the movement reaches the hands. When changing the direction of the palm from facing down to facing up and then rising, do not shrug the shoulders.