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Translated from Tung Ying-chieh’s Taichichuan Explained by Wu Ta-yeh and Wu Teng Shu-hsien
"In practicing Taichichuan, one should do it at least three rounds in each session. The first round is to stretch the tendons and loosen the joints, the second round is to correct the postures, and the third round is to do it with full spirit.
"After you become skillful, you will have the full spirit with correct postures as soon as you start the exercise. Having reached this stage, your progress will be very fast."
Translators’ Note: Very few people at present can do the regular series of slow Taichichuan three rounds in each session — about 20 minutes a round. But the principle remains correct.
In the fast Taichichuan, sword, or falchion, which requires a much shorter time for each round, one often notices that the performance in the second and third rounds during each session is better than that in the first round.
Moreover, if you always do these series in fast speed, your forms may gradually deteriorate.
If you do the first round in each session at slow speed for correctness of forms and movements, and do the subsequent rounds gradually for energy, agility and spirit, you will continuously improve your art without deterioration.
For the slow Taichichuan, if you do not have enough time or strength to do three rounds in each session, you may, at the training stage, do Part I of the series for stretching the tendons and loosening the joints.
Then you may do Part II seriously and pay special attention to correcting the postures and movements, and do Part III with full spirit.
For this purpose, you may reverse the order of Part II and Part III during alternative practicing sessions.