40式杨氏太极拳是面向西北农林科技大学本科生所开设的二年级体育必修课，是在一年级开设24式太极拳的基础上所开设的项目。由于杨氏太极拳姿势开展，平正朴实，练法简易，对手眼身法步有严格的要求。
本课程的理论部分主要是介绍太极拳的起源、发展、特点和对身体锻炼的作用；实践部分主要包括：太极拳的基本功练习、基本动作练习和整套动作的学习等。
目前，40式太极拳主要针对二年级学生第一学期开设，培养学生进行体育锻炼的方法和习惯，为学生终身体育锻炼意识奠定基础。
The Course Description of the 40-style Taijiquan
The 40-style Taijiquan is a compulsory physical course for the sophomores of Northwest A&F University, and it’s set up on the basis of the 24-style Taijiquan Course which is open to the freshmen. The 40-style Taijiquan, developing from Yang Style Taijiquan, is featured by simplicity of practices and strict requirement of the basic skills.
The theories of this course are mainly concerned with taijiquan’s origin, development, features and its influence on physical exercise. The hands-on practices mainly include the learning of basic skills, the practices of basic skills, the learning of the whole set of acts, etc.
At present, the 40-style Taijiquan Course is mainly open to the sophomores during their first semester. It aims to impart students with the methods and habits of physical exercise and to lay a foundation for students to set up a sense of life-long exercise.