White crane spreads wings: how to do it
A tall bird stands on one leg while its wings lift. The image: you are the crane, one hand on the support as your branch. In the tai chi form this is called White Crane Spreads Its Wings. Works: balance and legs.
How to do it
- Step to the side of your chair and rest one hand on the top of the chair back. Or use the wall or a kitchen counter.
- Shift your weight onto your left foot, with your knee soft.
- Rest the toes of your right foot lightly on the floor beside your left foot.
- Keep your left hand on the support and slowly lift your right arm up and out, like a wing, to shoulder height.
- Hold for 3 breaths, then lower. Put your foot down. Turn around slowly in small steps, one hand on the chair, so it is on your other side. At the wall or counter, switch hands. Do 3 rounds each side.
As you go
- One foot always stays on the floor.
- Breathe out as the wing rises.
What it works
- Works
- balance and legs
- Position
- Standing, with a hand on a support
- Have nearby
- a sturdy chair, a wall, a counter
- Effort
- Harder
An easier and a harder version
Just rest your toes, without lifting the arm.
Hold for 5 breaths.
Sit tall, feet flat. Press down through the left foot, rest the right toes lightly, and lift your right arm like a wing. Switch sides.
Take care
- Balance: keep a hand on the chair back, wall or counter at all times.
- Sensitive knees or hips: keep the standing knee soft.
Where it is in the plans
In our walking plan: 10 of 28 days, first on day 11, White crane.
| Plan | Days | First time | How much, that day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking plan | 10 of 28 days: 11, 13, 20 and 22 to 28 | Day 11, week 2: White crane | 2 min |
| Walking plan, round 2 | 10 of 28 days: 6, 10, 13, 15, 17, 19 to 20, 22, 24 and 28 | Day 6, week 1: Your forms, linked | 1 min 50 s |
| Week | Day | How much | The plan's note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 11 | 2 min | One hand on the wall or counter. 3 breaths, then lower. 3 rounds each side. |
| 3 | 20 | 1 min 30 s | One hand on the support. 3 breaths each side. |
| 4 | 22 | 1 min | One hand on the support. 3 breaths each side. |
In the plan, this move plays as a looping video with a spoken cue.
White crane spreads wings: day 11 of a 28-day walking plan
Short daily sessions at home, a step harder as you get stronger.
What the guidelines say
Tai chi is a balance exercise. Have a sturdy chair or wall nearby.
National Institute on Aging (NIH), Three Types of Exercise
Stop if anything hurts, or if you feel dizzy, short of breath or chest pressure.
General information, not medical advice.