Tai Chi Balance Class: Golden Rooster and Heel Kicks for Beginners

Step by step 11

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

1. Watch the two moves: golden rooster standing on one leg, then heel kicks to the left and right corners. 1:56
2. Common mistake: lifting the foot while you shift your weight; try it and notice how unsteady it feels. 4:41
3. Rooting: shift all your weight onto one leg until the other foot is empty, and only then lift the knee. 5:45
4. Alignment check: look down and keep the belly button in line over the standing foot instead of leaning. 7:19
5. Relax into the standing leg, tuck the pelvis and lift the knee only a little, on each side. 8:41
6. Golden rooster: like a puppet on strings, the hand and knee rise together as the other hand presses down. 10:41
7. Lift the knee higher only if the body stays vertical and the pelvis tucked; if you lean back, lower it. 12:23
8. Guided golden rooster on each side: root first, wait until the foot is empty, then lift. 14:00
9. Heel kick: from golden rooster, flex the foot and straighten the leg from the knee, then bend it back. 18:03
10. Add the arms: cross the hands, then open them as you kick, with one hand above the kicking foot. 20:35
11. Guided heel kicks, left then right, slowing down whenever you need to settle and relax. 23:15

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.