Backward Step Exercise in Chen Style Taiji

2. Backward Step Exercise
1) Stand upright with both feet close together. Eyes look forward. Rest the right palm on the right side of the waist. Raise left arm up high as your shoulder level and push the left palm forward (centre of palm facing outwards), the elbow lowered and the shoulders relaxed. (Fig 2-56)

2) Continue from the previous movement. Shift your weight to the right leg, left foot steps in an arc to the rear-left, the ball of the left foot sliding on the floor. At the same time, following the stepping back of the left foot, move the left palm down and back in an arc with the arm rotating clockwise slightly at the same time. Move the right palm back and turn it over whilst moving the palm up high as the shoulder so the palm faces forwards, then push it forward. (Fig 2-57)

3) Continue from the previous movement. Shift the weight to the left leg, then the right foot steps in an arc to the rear right side past the inside of the left foot, the ball of the right foot sliding on the floor during the step movement. At the same time, following the stepping backward of the right foot, move the right palm down and back in an arc with right arm rotating counter clockwise. Move the left palm back and up, turning it over whilst moving the palm up as high as shoulder so that it faces forwards. Then push it forward. (Fig 2-58)

The movements are a method to train the coordination of the upper and lower limbs in stepping back.