As seen during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the 42 Form (Competition Form) T'ai Chi Ch'uan is an internationally recognized Wushu (martial art) competition taijiquan form that combines movements drawn from the Yang, Wu, Chen, and Sun styles of traditional (Taijiquan). It was created in 1989 by the Chinese Sports Committee to standardize the many different competition forms. At the 11th Asian of 1990, Wushu was included as an item for competition for the first time with the 42 Form being chosen to represent T'ai Chi. The 42 form taijiquan is a form of slow and gentle movements filled with vigor and force.  It is both a fitness form and a sport of  circular movements with demonstrations of softness and firmness from each school of taijiquan. The entire routine should be completed in 6 minutes 35 seconds.

The learner is expected first to master the movements from beginning to end. Then try to acquire the requirements on power, reason, spirit, arm work, and their coordination and improve his/her skill of execution. Next the student works toward integration of physical and mental external and internal work and in this way his performance is perfected both in form and in spirit. As the wushu proverb goes, "body work becomes natural after a thousand times of practice at the boxing routine. Practice makes perfect."

Class methodology

The 42-form Taijiquan class will be divided into four parts. Students will learn the forms from one part before moving to the next. Each class will be 90 minutes long and consist of a short warm-up exercise sequence followed by that day’s lesson and practice. Each student will receive a daily practice video to use between classes to reinforce learning. During each class session the teacher will present two or three movements for learning and practice. The teacher will demonstrate the movements for the students. The students will follow along with the teacher several times and finally practice the movements in class as the teacher makes adjustments to the student’s posture and performance.

Part One (ten movements)

1. Commencing form (ward off left turn and ward off right)
2. Grasp the peacocks tail right style
3. Single whip left style
4. Raise hands (play lute) right style
5. White crane spreads its wings (left style)
6. Brush knee and twist step on both sides
7. Parry and strike with fist (left side)
8. Deflect and push on both sides
9. Carry and push (block step, parry, and punch)
10. Appears to close

    Part Two (eight movements)

11. Open and close hands
12. Single whip right style
13. Punch under the elbow
14. Turn body and push palms on both sides
15. Fair lady works on the shuttle left and right
16. Kick with right heel - Kick with left heel
17. Cover hand and strike with arm
18. Part the wild horses mane

    Part Three (eleven movements)

19. Wave hands like clouds
20. Step back and be the tiger
21. Saddle relax right style
22. Strike opponents ears with both fists
23. Saddle relax left style
24. Turn body and slap foot
25. Step forward and punch downward
26. Oblique flying
27. Single whip and push down (snake creeps down to right)
28. Golden rooster stands on right leg ; Golden rooster stands on left leg
29. Step backward and thrust palm

    Part Four (thirteen movements)

30. Press palm in empty step
31. Hold palm up and stand on one leg
32. Lean with body in horse riding stance
33. Turn body for large deflecting
34. Hold and punch in resting stance
35. Thread palm and push down
36. Step forward with seven star
37. Mount the tiger and stand on one leg
38. Turn body with lotus kick
39. Curved bow shoots tiger
40. Grasp the peacocks tail left style
41. Cross hands
42. Close