From Sifu's Notes *
In the postures of the Tai Chi Chu’an form, movement of the arms always starts at the bottoms of the feet. It's important to feel the changes as the weight shifts throughout the various stances. Most stances are “L” shaped, either forward and backward. There are some in which the toes of each foot point in same direction as well as several cross stances where the toes of both feet point to the left and right. Regardless, throughout the form, the weight is on one leg and the bottoms of the feet are always on the floor, with the heels pulling together to keep the spine up.
The movement of the arms always starts with the humerus ball joint at the glenoid pit of the scapula bone of the back, protruding out the bottom of the shoulder tips. Always use the bottom side of the arm to extend away from the body. In other words, use the triceps as the prime mover and the biceps as the antagonizer.
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Make sure that the arms are moved by the pulling of the bottoms of the feet, using the joint of the arm to extend, first with the humerus ball joint, then the humerus (upper arm) bone, then the elbow to the ulna (forearm) bone, then the wrist, then the metacarpal bones of the palm, then the digits of the fingers, finally finishing with the finger tips. In moving the arms throughout the Tai Chi form, make sure that the fingers feel longer that the arms by feeling the extension of each finger joint.
The 'tiger mouth',the area of between the thumb and the index finger. should always be open, with the thumb spread away from the palm and the first metacarpal of the thumb pulling back to let the little finger straighten out, linking with the ulna of the forearm. All the fingers are slightly open so that the little finger and the index finger match the size of the palm. The thumb is attached to the wrist and becomes the controller between the forearm and the palm.
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Whenever the arm moves, the humerus ball joint, the elbow joint, the thumb, the wrist joint and the fingers move in succession. Then the fingers finish by extending the fingertips to the end point of a posture within the form. The arms should have the feeling of slowly pulling silk. The body and the limbs should have the feeling of wrapping silk, with the upper arms and legs turning out, and the forearms and the forelegs wrapping in. There should be a wrap from the hip to the shoulders of the body.
And, as always, make sure that the bottoms of the feet are controlling all these movements.
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* For Sifu Woo, the practice of Martial Arts went well beyond the movements in the form. He had a wealth of knowledge about the human body and the ways which it should move and feel for optimal strength and health. He frequently coached his students in posture and other best practices and techniques, and would hang related notes around the studio for students to review.