Teach to Improve

One of the best ways to improve at taijiquan is to teach taijiquan. This was what my teacher told me, and from my own experience helping my teacher to teach his other students, I have found it to be very true. When I have to teach my fellow students, I need to be sure that I demonstrate the movements correctly. I need to be sure that I understand each movement well, so that I can explain the movement as well as the application. Not only do I understand the movements better, but I am also forced to practise so that I can demonstrate the movements correctly. When I lead my fellow students in practice, I cannot skive. I must give my 100% so that my movements are correct, else my fellow students will be following the wrong example. When a fellow student makes a mistake, I ask myself if he or she made that mistake because I have the same mistake and he or she was just following my example.

So if you have hit a wall trying to improve your taijiquan, teach! Your students just may be able to teach you something about yourself. After all, a student's mistakes is a reflection of the teacher's shortcomings.