I play Wudang ZhaoBao Cheng Jia Taijiquan ( 武當趙堡承架太極拳) for many years. Before I could proficient the forms, I have to meet two requirements. Firstly, I have to have a right posture and body alignment. My energy generated should be transferred to the hands and feet with a minimum loss through the joints. This took me several years to figure out how to activate and align the core muscles properly.
Secondly, I learned Yi Jin Jing （易筋經）, a classic muscle tendon strengthening exercise. The exercises contain 22 fixed postures to proficient the energy generation and transfer through various myofascia chains. The Yi Jin Jing exercises and TJQ are played alternatively during the entire learning journey.
TJQ is nothing but the Yi Jin Jing exercises in motion. When I play the Quan, all of my core muscles (in shallow, medium, and deep layers) and joints (shoulders, elbows and wrists, pelvis, hip joiints, knees, and ankles) participate. The energy is generated in Dan Tian within the pelvic cavity, then moving along the torso to limbs. The limbs are rotated and moving in a spiral motion (蠺絲勁). All these details are difficult to be learned just by watching the video in YouTube.
I attached a video of my play of TJQ, which was shot this morning. The name of the 75 forms are attached in the pdf file.
It definitely takes years of practice, change the habits we live in daily life. Tough at the beginning, but will gradually pick up the progress and you will find that enjoyment have never seen and experienced before. Learn the ancient Chinese wisdom “Less is more”. In Taichi world.