To train in the Authentic Five Animals Qigong, first accurate movements must be learned.
The standard of accuracy for movements is the presence, or not, of the Coordinated Effect of Three Body Parts. This coordinated effect is like the key for opening the door to the breathing technique and Qi management of the internal body. Even with the same posture, its consequence may vary greatly depending on the presence of the coordinated effect.

The specific Tu-Na breathing method for the Coordinated Effect of Three Body Parts is divided into the point of reference and the point of application.
Using one part as a reference and effecting another part, the Qi circulates around a particular point. These two points for pivot & action are presented differently for each movement, for the routine in completion to cause respiration of the whole body. If the person instructing in Daoyin understands this principle, then is able to define a rule for each movement to be set apart, in austerity, from all other movements.
As an example, in the first stage of the authentic huatuo routine, ‘垂腕仰首鶴張胸 : crane stretches wrist to look at sky and unfurl chest’ versus the sixth stage ‘仰首張胸鶴亮翅 : crane raises head and opens wings to unfurl chest’ are almost the same movements, except for the shape for the fingers. The former is the Hook Hand with fingers gathered, where the latter is performed with the fingers spread apart, and thusly causing the respiration of different parts from one another. A person not properly trained in Daoyin can make the mistake of teaching these two moves to be the same. Learning movements in this fashion will not promote the ability to discriminate the movements.

The Process of Movement Progression Must be Understood.
Once the flow is understood the regulations from one movement to another and the principle of Qi operation will be understood. For example the very first movement of '一氣化三淸: Single Qi turns into Three Serenity' is so arranged for the flow of ‘upper→lower→middle→whole body’ sequence to not cutoff the Qi management throughout the whole body. The person instructing or undergoing training in the Authentic Five Animals Qigong understands the cause & effect relationship between the front & after movements, thereby coming to recognize the intention of the person who first made and modified the movement, and furthermore as the discipline becomes deeper, to understand the related outlook for the human body and space.

Daoyin is a study in the analysis of the human body based on accurate posture & movement, and a method to control the mind & body.
The differences in the movements will bring changes to the management of the Qi, in the end resulting in a different effect to produce a different type of a human being. Therefore those instructing in Daoyin must by compulsion understand the reason why for presentation, and those in the position of learning must practice with this question in mind. Otherwise, there can be derived no meaning other than the limited effect from the repetition of the external movements.