Monthly Archive for July, 2007

Yiquan Rumen

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thomas
11 months, 1 week ago
in Martial Art, Principle, Qigong and Yiquan
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Author: Master Yao ChengRong
Translator: J. P. Lau
Translator’s Note: In English, “Yi” means mind or intent, “Quan” means fist or martial art, “Ru” means enter or cross and “Men” means door or threshold. The literal meaning of the phrase “Yiquan Rumen” is “the learning of the rudiments of Yiquan”.

A lot of Yiquan enthusiasts know that Yiquan training involves several categories including Relaxed Standing (Zhan Zhuang), Trial & Feel (Shi Li), Footwork (Jou Bu), Release of Power (Fa Li), Push Hands (Tui Shou), Sparring (San Shou) and Breath Control (Shi Sheng).
However, some are still “wandering outside looking for the door”.

1.
What are the theory and basic principles of Yiquan?

In the mid 1920s, with Xing Yi Quan as foundation and incorporating the essence of numerous other styles into the grand synthesis, martial arts expert Master Wang XiangZhai created Yiquan (a.k.a. Da Cheng Quan).
He rejected the traditional obsessions with intricate forms of pattern and sequences of movement as training method and emphasized the simplicity of essence.
By elevating “Yi” to a central position in martial arts training, he emphasized the supreme importance of the intentional component of the mind.

Master Yao ZhongXun, designated successor of Master Wang XiangZhai, further explained that training of the mind alone is not Yiquan as is not physical practice alone.
The two must be combined.
The essence can only be cultivated by integration of the mind and body.
Visualization or mental imagery must be employed in relaxed standing (Zhan Zhuang) to direct an integrated neuromuscular coordination that results in a whole-body response.
Kinesthetic perception of the internal/external opposing force pairs (Zheng Li) and internal isometrics is developed to seek, sense, experience, cultivate, understand and master the whole-body balanced force (Hun Yuan Li).
This balanced force is always in perfect harmony, having no absolute direction but having the potential to release power explosively in any direction.
It can be cultivated by using mental imagery to direct your neuromuscular coordination practice, seeking movement in stillness and power from not using brute force.
With proper mental visualization, relaxed standing exercises integrates your mind and body into a well-coordinated springy whole-body and allows you to rediscover your innate ability for natural movement.

In any athletic event, speed and force are primary qualities.
These are controlled by your muscular relaxation/tension exchange.
Since muscular activity is controlled by the mind, Yiquan emphasizes that the proper use of relaxation (Song) and tension (Jin) must be both physical and mental.
Only a well-coordinated whole-body can enhance your capacity to react spontaneously and appropriately to any situation.

2. How to use directed mental imagery (visualization) to guide training?

Prior to Zhan Zhuang, relax mentally and physically; enter into a tranquil state with the conscious mind holding no deliberate thought.

Stand erect; feet shoulder width apart; outside edges of feet approximately parallel.

Keep your spine erect and imagine a string pulling the top of your head upwards, tuck-in the chin slightly as if holding a small balloon between it and the neck.
The head and neck should be held erect.
Relax the facial muscles; almost smile.
Direct your eyes to a distant object; imagine looking through a light fog. Lightly touch the teeth together.
Part the mouth slightly.

Allow the tongue to lie naturally; do not be concerned with it touching any particular place in the mouth.
Bend the knees slightly; visualize holding a balloon between your knees.
Imagine applying inward pressure below your knees and outward pressure above your knees.
Relax the lower back filling out the small of the back as if you are sitting on a high stool.

Lift hands up to shoulder level with your hands separated by a distance of two to three fists and about a foot from your chest.
Form a circle with your arms; hands higher than your elbows; palms facing your face.
Prop your elbows out to your sides slightly below the level of the shoulders as if holding balloons in your armpits.
Keep your fingers slightly bent and separated; imagine holding cotton balls between your fingers.
It is important to keep the shoulders down and relaxed.
Imagine holding small fragile balloons in the armpits; lowering your upper arms will crush them; lifting your upper arms will drop them.
This is the basic health posture; adjust your posture whenever necessary until you are absolutely comfortable.
Next, use directed mental imagery to guide your training to “feel for the balanced force” (Mo Jin) while maintaining this posture.

Step 1:
Visualize imaginary springs connecting your fingers from one hand to the other and connecting your wrists to your neck.
Imagine holding a lightweight fragile paper balloon between your arms and chest.
Applying too much force will crush this balloon; not enough force will result in dropping it.
Direct your primary intent to hugging (slightly more closing intent, 70% than spreading open intent, 30%).
Direct these actions with your mind-intent; do not use any brute strength.
Alternatively, you may visualize imaginary supports at your elbows; imagine transferring your weight to these supports without changing your posture.
Now, remove the imaginary supports but maintain your posture without using any unnecessary force.

Keep all joints in a state between total relaxation and tension that allows for gentle and supple movement.
It is a state with alertness and readiness for action without being physically lax, physically collapse or diminished in consciousness.

Step 2:
Visualize standing in waist deep water; imagine the water flows towards you from the front, shift your weight forward to meet the resistance.
But imagine the water immediately pushes from your back; you must immediately shift your weight backwards to meet the resistance.
Alternatively, imagine trapping an ant under each foot.
As the ants attempts to escape towards your toes, gently shift your weight forward to trap them.
Then as they attempt to escape towards your heels, gently shift your weight backwards to trap them.
Thus, you repeat this forward/backward shift to meet resistance and seek movement in stillness to cultivate whole-body force.
Always maintain perfect balance.
Use visualization to induce whole-body movement.

Step 3:
Next, use inherent opposites (Mao Dun) to cultivate opposite force pairs (Zheng Li).
Visualize holding a balloon between your knees, apply inward pressure below your knees and outward pressure above your knees.
Visualize imaginary springs connecting your fingers from one hand to the other and connecting your wrists to your neck.
As you shift your weight backwards, simultaneously pull your knees apart slightly, pull your hands backwards, outwards and upwards slightly; as you shift your weight forwards, simultaneously squeeze your knees together slightly, press your hands forward, downwards and inwards slightly.
Remember always to maintain the vertical opposing force pair between your head and your feet mildly stretching your spine.
Do this “motionless movement” with mental intent with small or no physical movement.
Use directed mental imagery to guide your whole-body neuromuscular coordination, as one part of your body moves, your whole-body must move in unison.

3. Some frequently asked questions?

a)
How to relax in Zhan Zhuang?
Relaxation in Zhan Zhuang is not total and/or pure relaxation.
Strength/force is used to maintain your posture and to cultivate your balanced force through mental visualization induced motionless movement.
Relaxation is emphasized to avoid stiffness in using strength, to achieve a relaxation/tension state that allows for gentle and supple movement with alertness and readiness for action.
Pure relaxation leading to physical laxness and diminished consciousness is to be avoided.

b)
How big or small should the motionless movement be?
During Zhan Zhuang, the magnitude of your body movement must be small enough for you to maintain perfect balance. Absolute stillness will induce stiffness and tenseness; big motion will disturb your balance.
Feel free to adjust your posture whenever necessary to be absolutely comfortable.
Visualization induced small whole-body motion keep your standing “alive”.

c)
How long should I stand; is the longer the better?
There are two goals in Zhang Zhuang: improving health and cultivate the balanced force.
If
you turn Zhan Zhuang into an endurance practice by seeking only to lengthen your standing time, then you have missed the real meaning; you are doing “dead” standing.
You must use visualization to direct your whole-body neuromuscular coordination to seek movement in stillness, to cultivate the internal opposing force pairs and to master your balanced force.
Always practice with focused concentration and comfortable natural ease.
Breathe naturally; specifically do not pay attention to breathing; do not hold your breath.
Match your physical and mental condition to the length of your training time; do not overstress your abilities.

d)
How do I know if I have “crossed the threshold” (Rumen)?
When you can use visualization to:
i)

direct your neuromuscular coordination practice,
ii)

use kinesthetic perception to seek/sense the balance

Reference:
www.yq-zywg.com

The Use of Sound and Breath Control in Yiquan

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thomas
11 months, 1 week ago
in Breath, Martial Art, Principle and Yiquan
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by Master Yao ChengRong

Translator: J. P. Lau

In Yiquan, the “use of sound” and breath control are employed together in a practice known as Shi Sheng. This practice functions primarily as a mechanism to augment one’s ability to marshal the entire body into action during a release of power. Sound vibration/enunciation coordinated with the technique of reverse breathing integrates the body, stimulating the musculature of the abdomen, chest, waist, and back into immediate concerted action to promote a sudden, crisp discharge of force. Sound and power should be produced simultaneously. The use of sound can compensate for deficiencies in one’s release of power while also serving to startle, distract, confuse, and/or intimidate your opponent.

Additionally, the practice of Shi Sheng can increase one’s ability to sustain strikes to the abdomen and chest area. In hand-to-hand combat, when you are at your strongest attacking phase, you are also at your weakest defensive phase. During your attack, if your defensive, evasive maneuvers and tactics should fail, and you sustain a strike to your body, the use of sound and breath control can, in the same manner that is used for releasing power, stimulate your musculature into immediate action to produce a resilient, spring-like resistance to the incoming force.

Two sounds, “Yee” and “Yup”, are utilized with inhalation and exhalation of the breath to increase the elastic, spring-like force known as Tan Li that we employ in releasing power and resisting strikes. Practice should proceed with the following three sequential steps:

1) Start with producing the two distinct syllables in the mouth.

2) Then merge the two syllables into one syllable and move the combined sound to the back of the throat.

3) Finally, lower the sound into the chest and sink it into the lower abdomen. Use the internal transformation skill to gradually move the sound from audible to inaudible. The sound/stimulation is transformed internally to energy/power.

Let us describe the use of sound and breath control training method for beginners.

Focus your concentration and enter a mentally and physically tranquil state. Slightly part your mouth; retract your tongue with your teeth lightly touching. Breathe in as you sound off “Yee” for two to three seconds. Hold your stomach in during this inhalation stage. Visualize lifting your breath up to your chest and throat area. Then suddenly and forcefully breathe out, switching to sound off a short “Yup”, while simultaneously directing your mind-intent downwards. Allow your stomach to bulge outwards and visualize your breath sinking towards your navel and lower abdomen. Old Chinese texts describe this as your Qi moving to your Dan Tian. Focus your entire body during this exhalation stage. The “Yup” sound should be very short and explosive, like a rock suddenly landing in a well, splashing the water upwards. The focused/tensed phase of your power release should terminate instantaneously. “Fill” your abdomen only during the focused/tensed phase. The relaxed-tensed-relaxed exchange sequence of a power release must be extremely fast. Practice this 10-20 times daily. Keep relaxed.

When you have mastered the basics of the two distinct syllables, shorten the time interval between “Yee” and “Yup”. Eventually, “Yee” and “Yup” should merge and become one short combined sound.

Gradually work to enter the focused/tensed phase with less sound and finally with no sound and very little exhalation of air. Place your hand a couple of inches in front of your mouth while sounding off a silent “Yup”. You should feel very little air flow when doing this advanced exercise. Your entire body should feel a fullness as you exhale. Also try placing a lighted candle close to your mouth. The flame should not flicker or get blown out when you practice inaudible breath control.

When you have mastered this practice of reverse breathing as an isolated exercise you must combine it with your practice of Fa Li and practical techniques.

Let us reiterate and expound on the important points to remember in the use of sound and breath control training:

1) Select a quiet environment; stand in a relaxed posture and enter a tranquil mental and physical state. Focus your concentration; keep your eyes gazing at a distant object and stay relaxed. Use visualization to guide and perceive your actions. Initially, start by sounding off “Yee” while bringing the breath from your lower abdomen up to your chest and throat area for two to three seconds. The tone should be deep and continuous with a vibration reaching over a long distance; unite the sound with force. Then suddenly switch to sounding off a short “Yup”, momentarily focusing/tensing the musculature of your back, chest, and abdomen while visualizing sinking the breath from your chest to your lower abdomen. The tensing must be very quick, followed immediately by relaxing to a tranquil state. Practice slowly using trial and feel. Do not rush or push yourself beyond your ability.

2) When you have mastered the basics of sounding off the two distinct “Yee” and “Yup” sounds, shorten the time interval between them. Try to merge and combine the sounds into one. Though the two sounds become indistinguishable, you must still retain the ability to lift up your breath during “Yee” and sink it during “Yup”.

3) When you have mastered the combined sound, proceed by internally transforming the sound from audible to inaudible. Maintaining your focus/ concentration, visualize your intended Fa Li action, adjust your body elements into the proper positions then suddenly sink your breath to your lower abdomen and tense your muscles while executing your Fa Li. Immediately relax. Mentally try to figure out your action prior to execution. Do not execute too many tensed Fa Li in sequence as that will lead to stiffness. Do several relaxed (soft) Fa Li then perform a tensed Fa Li. It is sufficient to practice Fa Li with reverse breathing 30 to 40 times daily.

4) You should incorporate the use of sound with the discharging of force in your practical techniques. Strive for the simultaneous expression of sound with a unified explosion of force.

To close, we quote Master Wang XiangZhai’s description of the quality of the sound we are attempting to produce: “The sound is like basic notes of a musical scale reverberating from a deep valley.” May the practitioner grasp the master’s meaning, figure out and succeed in Yiquan’s use of sound and breath control.

Reference:
www.yq-zywg.com

A radical reviewing: the ineffectivity of the karate tsuki

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thomas
11 months, 1 week ago
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Extracted from the book:
Histoire de Karaté-dô
Written by Kenji Tokitsu

After many years of intensive training, Shigeru Egami reviews the basic fundamental techniques of karate. He makes two radical criticisms that we will review in order:
• the karate tsuki is not effective.
• the makiwara is more damaging than useful.

In his texts related to the search of effectivity Shigeru Egami mainly questions the effectivity of the tsuki. Shozan Kubota, his junior in Shotokan for many years told me:
“Master Egami’s tsuki was magnificent. Most students used his technique as the model.”
This testimony shows that Master Egami’s tsuki technique was exemplary. However he had doubts about his technique and he searched for a truly effective tsuki. He was reknowned for his tsuki and also his leg techniques, the keri. Here’s a testimony by Yukio Togawa, who studied at that same moment:
I saw Master Egami for the first time training one night at the dojo. Here he had two trainees that were in the corner of the dojo. One would attack him violently chaining tsuki, the other stopped all attacks with his legs returning all the attacks by his partner. He held his hands on his hips and used a astonishing mobility of his two feet as if they were his hands. From time to time he would hit with his foot the partner. Surprised I asked my dojo partner “Who is that?”. I found out it was Egami, I believe that among all of Master Funakoshi’s students, he was the best leg technician…
Let us return to Master Shigeru Egami’s text:
For a long time I put my heart into knowing if the karate tsuki was truly effective and I felt very tormented by this. I did all kinds of material breaking: boards, tiles, bricks. However, even if I could break bricks, I was not sure of the effectivity of my tsuki against a human body. In my experience, the human body is more resistant than what is believed and the spirit gives it a completely different consistency, different from bricks or tiles.
I was afflicted by doubts on the effectivity of my tsuki, so I thought: “My tsuki cannot be effective.”
I was filled with anguish. I asked different people and karateka friends. Some said that surely it was effective and others were not sure. In any case nobody said it was completely effective. However most people said that there exists a tsuki that kills with one blow, something that is no more than a traditional cliche of karate. It was as if they simply repeating what they had heard or they blindly believed in the effectivity of karate or tried to believe in the effectivity shutting any doubts or anguish that could exist in the backs of their thoughts.
It is evidently hard to try the effectivity against the human body. There are people that have tried against others, but in most cases the result has not shown to be very effective. When they were not effective, in general, they would dissimulate their failure.
For a blow to be effective, strength must be placed with the exact cadence. In a very serious combat situation (kumite), sometimes only one very effective tsuki is delivered, but even then it is very far from being a “tsuki that kills in one blow”. When the tsuki is effective in this situation it differs from the one we practice in basic technique (kihon) and kata. A karateka actually does different tsuki whether he is practicing kihon, kata or kumite. When a tsuki is effective, I believe in most cases the effectivity depends of chance. I say this based on my experience because I have analysed the effectivity of the tsuki receiving myself blows on my abdomen, precisely on my solar plexus, tens of thousands until this day.

We may ask ourselves how this experience of receiving blows did not have a negative influence on Master Egami’s health, which got worse after the age of forty. In the photos from that moment he is very thin and musculous. His abdominal muscles helped him resist the blows, but, did he not accumulate profound traumatisms in different organs? Even more if we consider that Shigeru Egami had digestive problems from his infancy. I believe we must maintain this doubt because it is a matter that cannot be completely confronted in a scientific manner. Even if a young person can resist blows apparently easily, is it not probable that he may accumulate a small trauma that will only manifest itself after many years, when it has surpassed a certain threshold? For those that search for a long term practice it is necessary to train with a long enough perspective. We can find lessons of prudence from Master Egami’s experience:
Master Egami continues:
I wanted to know if my tsuki was effective or not and what I’d have to do to obtain one. But I could not test on another person. I had no other option, I invited all kinds of people to hit me with all their strength on my stomach so I could study the quality of the blows. I received blows from all kinds of karateka, boxers, kendoka, judoka, etc….
The result of the studies were extremely depressing because I was able to discover that the karate tsuki was the least effective. And I had to admit a very shocking thing: the more and more seriously a karateka had trained the less effective were their tsuki. The most percussive tsuki was that of the boxers. Another very surprising fact was that the blows from a person that had never studied anything were surprisingly percussive.
This was an extremely shocking result. But why? What did this mean? What are the differences? What is true effectivity? Where does true effectivity originate? I had to start once again the search for an effective tsuki.
To control the unrestfulness of being ineffective I searched for new ways to do a tsuki and ended up concluding that karate techniques must include a concentration. In the beginning I only started to concentrate physical force on one point of impact. When doing attacks or blocking I started to concentrate the strength on the spot I would touch the body of the opponent. During this search I understood that the problem of concentration should not limit itself to physical laws and the most important part is mental concentration.
During this questioning I understood one thing. Until that moment I had practiced karate with a fundamental illusion, I had confused hardness with stength and I made every effort to harden my body thinking that I would obtain more strength when hardening the body is equivalent to stopping the movement. This is a fundamental defect. I had then to start massaging and lightening the body I had struggled so many years to harden.
I decided to start again from zero, totally rejecting all that which I thought I had acquired till that point.

Master Funakoshi and Master Takeshi Shimoda
My goal would be to attain naive and spontaneous forms and movements, as if I were a beginner again. When I tried with this attitude I discovered that I obtained a higher effectivity. I then understood the teaching of Master Funakoshi: “You must never go against nature”.

Then I remembered the different types of tsuki by the masters:
Master Funakoshi did his tsuki in a natural and decontracted fashion; Master Shimoda would throw a tsuki lightly but I was never able to stop his arm, it wouldn’t budge a centimeter; the terrible furi-tsuki (whip tsuki) of Master Yoshitaka Funakoshi…
If the adversary’s attack doesn’t have any true effectivity, you do not seriously need to stop it, you don’t even need a technique. A truly effective tsuki must be countered with a serious blocking or evasion technique. That is when true training begins. That is how I was able to start a true training.
The tsuki must be completely effective. To attain this, you must think that you are making the strength go through to the infinite. All the strength must go through the body, not even partially reflected in the moment of contact. A truly mortal blow is the concentration of force on one point. Said in another way, you pour all your being into the body of the opponent. Effectivity will therefore vary in accord to your state of mind. The objective is not to strike as a thief, which is despicable, you must acquire a natural tsuki.

Yiquan Not-So-Straight Straight Punch

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thomas
11 months, 1 week ago
in Martial Art, Mindset, Principle, Pushhands and Yiquan
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Author: Master Yao ChengRong

Translator: J. P. Lau

Translator’s Note: This article has been edited for English readers.

You must learn to effectively deliver the straight punch from your ready stance, from any hand position. There should be no wasted motion and no give-away movement preceding the punch. Upon completing the punch you must immediately reset into your ready stance. The basic ready fighting stance is achieved by a simple, effective mental and physical organization of the whole-body that maintains comfortable, natural relaxation and perfect balance. This allows for quick reaction and smooth coordinated movement.

1. Lead Hand Straight Punch

Stand in left lead Ding Ba Bu with your weight distributed 30% on your front leg and 70% on your rear leg. The size of the step should be comfortable such that you can easily lift your front foot, advancing or retreating with power provided only from your rear leg. Too large a step sacrifices mobility and too small a step sacrifices stability; choose a comfortable neutral step size.

Modify the Hun Yuan Zhuang posture by closing your hands loosely as if holding eggs; do not tense or use any strength. Keep your hands separated approximately three fists width apart, about a foot from your torso. Your lead hand is slightly higher than your shoulder but do not extend it beyond your lead foot. Your rear hand is at shoulder level, protecting your throat, chin and chest. Visualize imaginary springs between your wrists and connecting your wrists to your neck. Visualize sitting on a high stool with a string pulling the top of your head upward. Tuck in your chin as if holding a small balloon between the chin and the neck. Visualize directing a small force in your front knee forward and upward and a small force in your rear hip backward and downward; the forces below the knees push slightly inwards and above the knees push slightly outwards. With your palms facing inwards, your lead left hand is over your left foot, slightly higher than shoulder level and your guarding right hand is at shoulder level. Visualize holding a large balloon between your chest and arms. Prop your elbows outwards, round your back and hollow your chest to maintain “fullness” in your “frame” while relaxing your shoulders and elbows. Establish proper internal isometrics by visualizing these opposing force pairs (Zheng Li) between different elements in your body. Maintain optimal body alignment, connectedness, whole-body integration, perfect balance and a relaxation/tension state that allows for gentle and supple movement with alertness and readiness for action.

From the left lead, visualize your whole body as a hammer and your left forearm as a nail. Completely relax your shoulder and upper arm. Push off with your right leg; shift your body weight forward onto your left leg. Push off on the ball of your left foot, turn your left heel out, torque your torso a quarter turn to the right, thrust your left shoulder forward, shooting your left forearm loosely and easily forward, upward and inward. Note: a full body pivot on an axis from your rear foot to your head, the shifting weight from one leg to the other and the opening of your joints (ankle, knee, waist & back, shoulder and elbow) are used to power this punch. The lead side of the body anchors the pivot point (visualize stretching the imaginary spring from you lead foot to your head).

Simultaneously, as you shoot out your left arm, rotate your left forearm to palm facing down; pull your right hand backward, upward and outward as if breaking a string between your wrists, keep your rear guard hand up. “When punching with the lead hand, concentrate and focus on the rear hand.” Coordinate your body to move as an integrated whole-body; push your front knee forward and your rear hip slightly backward; push your forehead slightly forward and upward; look at your intended target; keep your chin tucked. The head, the left fist and the left foot must arrive simultaneously.

Do not tighten your fists when initiating/delivering your punch; tensed stiff muscles prevent the proper release of power. When you punch, visualize holding an egg in each hand, do not crush it or let it drop. On contact, instantaneously tense and focus your entire body. Tighten your fist (visualize crushing the egg in your hands; your fingernails piercing your palm), twist and snap your wrist downward slightly (the back of your hand and forearm should be straight) hitting with the knuckles of your index and middle fingers with palm facing downward. Proper delivery of your punch is important in preventing injuries to your hands and fingers. The punch accelerates from the instant of contact until the ceasing of contact, driving clear through the target. After contact, immediately relax and withdraw your left hand along the same path of your delivery. Bring your hand back as fast as you thrust it out, like you have touched a red-hot iron plate. Keep your left arm well up while withdrawing for any possible counter. Push off with your front leg and bounce back to your small step posture; shifting your weight back to 30% front 70% back. You should be relaxed almost all the time, tensing only momentarily as you thrust through your target. Carry the shoulder and arm relaxed and ready at all times for follow-up punches.

Use your entire reach to punch through your target. The fist comes straight from the center with the full power of the leg behind it.

“Deliver your balanced force from curved form.” To reduce injuries to your elbow and prevent your opponent from countering, do not lock your elbows when executing the straight punch. Thus, the straight punch is often referred to as the “not-so-straight” straight punch.

2. Rear Hand Straight Punch

To punch with your rear hand the body must follow the punch. Add force by pivoting your body to a position over the lead foot. When using a body pivot, turn on the balls of both feet while punching. “Waist pivots like a wheel; legs twist like drills.”

From the left lead, drill down with the ball of your right foot, turn your right knee slightly inwards, torque your torso a quarter turn to your left to drive your right shoulder forward to propel your right forearm and fist. Your weight begins on the ball of your rear foot. Twist your forearm as your rear fist travels. You twist at the waist and your weight is shifted forward into the punch and to your lead foot before connecting. Make sure your rear heel and rear shoulder turn in one piece on an axis from your rear foot to your head. Like the lead hand straight punch, your proper body alignment supports your body weight, freeing the entire body to propel the rear fist. The shifting of your center of gravity is a major contributor of power in your punch. Shift your body weight to your left foot as you punch with your right hand, hinging the left side of the body and freeing the opposite side for an explosive pivot. Shoot out your punch loosely and easily; do not tighten up until your punch connects. As you shoot out your right rear fist, pull your left lead hand backward, upward and outward, keep your left hand well up in the guard position. As you connect, twist your right forearm inwards, snap your right wrist slightly downward, tighten your fist, focus and tense your entire body on impact. Drive through your target. Immediately relax and withdraw you right hand along the same path.

Whether punching with your lead hand or rear hand, you should use your body to drive your hands. For fast follow-up or sequential punches, the proper body mechanics demand that the body should move more than the hands. “The entire body must pivot to initiate every move/punch.” Maintain correct internal isometrics, body alignment, connectedness, perfect balance and a relaxation/tension state at all times to be able to deliver follow-up punches after your straight punch. Start the punch from wherever your hands are with no added motions and finish in your on-guard position.

Training tips:

1. When learning these punches, a beginner should start with slow relaxed “trial & feel” motions to learn the whole-body neuromuscular coordination; do not use any brute strength but avoid physical laxness and diminished consciousness. Pay attention to perceiving internal opposing force pairs, relaxation/tension exchange, and the transmission of forces from the ground through the body to the hands. When you have proper body mechanics, then increase the power and speed of your delivery.

2. The time of tensed focusing should be instantaneous. Release your power at the instant of contact accelerating your punch through your target until the cease of contact. Immediately relax and return to your ready stance whether your hit is effective or not. You can deliver an explosive discharge only from a proper mental and physical relaxed/tranquil state. Relaxation and tension are intrinsic opposites that you use appropriately to release your balanced force.

When you have mastered the straight punch from the fixed step, you should combine it with stepping e.g.: shuffle step lunge punch, one step three punches, three steps three punches, free stepping etc. Then add variety by executing circle step straight punches on a sandbag as well as using it in sparring. If you deliver your straight punch but open your hand at the instance before connecting and strike with the palm of your hand, this is the forward palm heel strike. Whether you are punching with the lead or rear hand, always use whole-body movement to drive your punches.

Reference:
www.yq-zywg.com

Power discharge in yiquan

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thomas
11 months, 1 week ago
in Energy, Martial Art, Mindset, Principle, Pushhands and Yiquan
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By Yao Cheng-rong

Translated by Tu-Ky Lam

An overview of power discharge

People who practice martial arts must have heard of the term “jing” which means strength, or power. When we hit an opponent or throw him away with force, we discharge our power, which is called “Fa li” in Chinese. If we want to release power, we must make sure that we have already had the power at our disposal. In order to build up our power, we must train hard on zhan-zhuang (standing practice), shi li (testing of strength), and zou bu (stepping). Only after we have developed strong internal strength through doing the three stages of Yiquan training can we start to learn how to discharge power because power discharge is an explosive expression of the three.

It is not easy to discharge power. You need to work hard on the basics first. In the above-mentioned foundation training, zhan-zhuang helps to develop “Hun yuan li” which is whole body force. Shi li intensifies the strength developed from zhan-zhuang. It is a means to test our strength to see if it is still strong when we do a move. Shi li is, in effect, a bigger movement of zhan-zhuang. Zou bu, which means stepping, helps us make our whole body – arms, torso and legs - move in unison when we step forwards or backwards, and is very useful in fighting. After we have spent considerable time in the basics, we can start to learn power discharge.

Power discharge and opposite tension

When we practice power discharge, we must know how to gather our strength first. To gather strength is to adjust our body so that our energy can gather together ready to be discharged. To achieve this, we should have total concentration during standing practice, all our joints should remain bent all the time, and our energy should go inwards. When stepping forwards or backwards, we have to pay attention to these points as well. Also, our mind should be in control of the whole body, our posture should not collapse, and the force of the whole body should be united so that it is ready to be used. Our mind and body should make us ready for defense or attack at any time.

Power discharge is very important in all martial arts systems. We should be able to discharge power with our hands or any weapons. Power discharge requires that we should be able to release explosive force from small movements. Our power should be released as though dynamite explodes. This force is called explosive force.

When we practice power discharge, our whole body is under the guidance of our mind, which helps our body to produce more force with visualization. When our mind wants to release power, our bones, our tendons and our muscles will move with our mind to discharge strong force. Power discharge should be relaxed and natural so that power can be sent out of our body on to our opponent.

Before we release power, we should use our mind to make our force move to opposite direction first. This is called “Zhen-li” meaning opposite tension. For example, if we want to release power to the front, we should move one part of our body slightly backwards first, and vice versa. If we want to discharge power upwards (or downwards), we move one part of our body slightly downwards (upwards) first. The same principle applies to discharging power to the left and the right. When parts of our body go in opposite directions, they create tension/strength, which will help us generate the force of the whole body moving towards our opponent. The opposite tension stretches our joints and tendons, and can make us feel that we have a lot of strength. All our strength should come out from our center. We strike hard only at the point of contact. After power discharge, we move back to our normal posture again.

Power discharge exercise

You start from “Hun yuan zhuang” or the “Embrace-a-Tree” standing posture, with your fingers clenched to make fists. Your palms still face your body, and your “tiger’s mouths” face up. When discharging power, imagine that your opponent is striking fast and hard at your front forearm, you counteract by making your front forearm moving slightly downwards and then forwards with the back forearm moving in accordance. The distance between your fists is about two-fist’s length. When your fists move to almost above your front toes, and your palms are facing the ground. Now imagine that your fingertips have touched your opponent’s chest or your target position. Also imagine that your torso is like a slash hammer, your forearms (from hands to elbow) are like big nails, but your upper arms and shoulders do not exist. Your torso (like a hammer) moves slightly backwards and then quickly forward to strike at your elbows (like nails). At this moment, you release your fists and your fingers tips are pointing upwards. Imagine that your strength is going through your opponent’s back and afar. Once you have released power, you have to move back quickly, just like you have touched a piece of burning iron. You move not only your hands back, not also your internal energy. When practicing power discharge, you need to concentrate, and mobilize the force of your whole body, and you feel your fingers are like ten upright spears.

Things to remember

1. When discharging power, your head moves quickly forwards and upwards. You imagine that you are holding a thin metal plate between your teeth, and you want to bite the plate into pieces. (But do not bite too hard.) Your tongue moves slightly back.

2. Your shoulders and elbows should extend left and right and your chest slightly draws in. Use “shi sheng” or yelling technique and quickly eject a small sound to make qi sink to your lower abdomen.

3. Before discharging power, the palm of your front foot should be slightly empty or relaxed. When releasing power, the palm of your front foot has to push hard into the ground and at the same time your back leg pushes forwards. Discharging power is like suddenly braking your car. Your head strikes forwards, your legs push hard and your hands release power. You release power at the point of contact and then stop immediately. When you move back to your starting position, your knees move outwards and your back hip sits slightly back.

Reference:
www.yq-zywg.com

Finer points of yiquan push-hands

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by
thomas
11 months, 1 week ago
in Martial Art, Principle, Pushhands and Yiquan
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By Yao Cheng-rong

Translated by Tu-Ky Lam

Push-hands, which is a combined application of zhan-zhuang (standing practice), shi-li (testing of energy) zou-bu (stepping) and fa-li (power discharge), is an important part of Yiquan training, aiming to improve the martial arts skill of practitioners and students. Push-hands supplements free sparring very well as it can help practitioners and students to improve their fighting skill and reduce the chances of getting injured to a minimum.

There are two kinds of push-hands: single push-hands (left and right) and double push-hands.

If you want to improve your push-hands skills, you must frequently take part in push-hands practice. During your practice, you must pay attention to the following:

Spend a lot of time doing zhan-zhuang and shi-li so that you can have some foundation skill to rely on.
Avoid turning circles without any purposes. Make sure that there is “yi” (mind/intent) in every one of your moves. You need to stand up and face your opponents and should not run away from them.

When doing double push-hands, you should use “Hun-yuan-zhuang” (Embrace a tree) posture, with 30% or 40% of your body weight on your front foot and 70% or 60% of your body weight on your back foot. Both of your arms should be kept round, like embracing a big balloon. Your feet should be kept at a comfortable distance from each other. Then move your front foot to the center line between your opponent’s feet (your back foot has to follow), and make your front forearm come in contact with that of your opponent, with your front forearm pointing to the center of your opponent’s chest. Your back forearm should be raised and kept round and in contact with your opponent’s other forearm. (Your opponent will do the same as you.)

The point of contact between your arms and those of your opponent is the focus of the push-hands battle. Through the spiral and circular movements of our arms we know, from the point of contact, the energy of our opponent and volume of his strength. Through our forearms, we use the strength of our whole body to threaten our opponent’s center-line (chest), trying to unbalance him. Throughout the push-hands practice or contest, our wrist, forearms and upper arms should have spiral force. In other words, the spiral force comes not only from our arms but also from our whole body. It is the result of our whole body working together as a unit. The sayings such as “Moving your hands out like using a steel file, and moving it back like withdrawing a fishing rod” and “your waist should turn like a wheel and your legs like a drill” are examples of spiral force.

During push-hands practice, do not use too much force on your arms otherwise you will not be able to know the substantial and insubstantial changes of your opponent. During push-hands, you need to find out for yourself how much force to use, how fast to move, and where to move. Once an opportunity arrives, you should mobilize the strength of your whole body and release it. If you use a lot of force once your arms contact your opponent’s, you will be top heavy and your strength can easily be used by your opponent. Your strength can also be stiff and cannot change. Even if you have an opportunity, your strength cannot reach your hands and so your power cannot be discharged.

Of course, if you use too little strength, you will not be able to ward off your opponent. How much strength to use all depends on the strength of your opponent. If your strength can be used by your opponent in a contest, you have made a mistake. If you can use your opponent’s force and control him, you have got it right. Generally speaking, just use medium strength when your arms get in touch with those of your opponent. Your strength is between substantial and insubstantial and can change easily.

In push-hands, people often talk about listening skill. In my opinion, listening skill means the skill or ability to control our opponent. If we do not know the changes of our opponent’s strength, we cannot control him. And we often hear people say relaxation and not using force are very important so they dare not use force during push-hands. When we ask them why, they say if you use force your whole body will be stiff. I think relaxation does not mean not using force. If we do not use force, we will not be able to contest with our opponent.

Relaxation does not mean not to use force, but reduce the degree of force that we use. Relaxation and tension should interchange. We use more force when we need to, and relax when we do not need to use so much force. Then we should go further to make sure that in tension there is relaxation and in relaxation there is tension. If we relax properly, we can produce strong force when we tense up.

Push-hands is a test of our training on zhan-zhuang, shi-li, zou-bu and fa-li. The purpose of doing zhan-zhuang is to develop “hun yuan li” or whole body force. Shi-li is an exercise by which we try to test the internal strength developed through doing zhan-zhuang. When we do any movement, we have to make sure that our yi (mind/intent) and li (strength) are always present and not broken. Zou-bu or stepping mainly prepares us for fighting. If we are good at stepping, we can move fast and can create opportunities for us to discharge power. During stepping training, we must remember that when our legs move, our upper body and arms will have to follow and vice versa. We must try to keep our whole body well coordinated so that we can feel strong and comfortable when we move forwards, backwards, left, right, or up and down.

Push-hands practice or contest is closely related to Yiquan’s basic training. The reason why beginners do not know how to use what they learn from the basics (zhan-zhuang, shi-li, zou-bu and fa li) is that firstly, they do not understand the purpose of push-hands, secondly, they care too much about winning and so forget the principles, thirdly, they try to look good and lack the power to threaten or destroy their opponents, and fourthly, they have not spent a lot of time doing shi-li and so they lack the ability to control the opponent.

All push-hands techniques are based on Yiquan’s basic training. If you want to be good at push-hands, you need to spend a lot of time practicing shi-li, such as “hook and Hang” shi li, spinning shi-li, throw a ball shi-lli and “the holy turtle moves out of the water” shi-li. You need to spend time doing zhan-zhuang and doing zou bu shi-li which is shi-li while stepping. Without training hard on the basics, it is very hard to improve your push-hands skills.

During push-hands, you must not be nervous and should not care about winning or losing. You must try to feel how your opponent’s force is changing and try to control your opponent. You should also pay attention to the movements of your opponent, while maintaining the good coordination of your body. Only when you know yourself and your opponent well, can you achieve what you want.

The speed of push-hands varies. Sometimes it is fast, at other times it is slow. When it moves very fast, it is very hard to apply our techniques. In this case you need to stick to Yiquan training principles, later on the good result will show up. During push-hands, you should be very alert so that you can deal with the intention of your opponent. When you have good concentration, you will know what is happening and can utilize the hidden potential in your body. Do not treat push-hands lightly, thinking it involves only turning circles, some pushes and power discharge. We should treat it like fighting an enemy who is trying to kill us. Once we get in contact with his arms we should be able to control him, and we should not be controlled by him.

All the techniques in push-hands are executed through using our internal strength. We should also learn how to use our shoulders, elbows, knees hips, head, palms and fists so that they can be useful to us. We must be careful and try to avoid injury.

When facing our enemy during push-hands or sparring, we should adhere to these principles: do not attack if we cannot hit our target, do not attack if our strike is not heavy enough, and do not attack if we cannot put our opponent out of action completely. We must be so highly alert that our opponent feels intimidated. Every one of our movements should be so powerful that it will destroy our opponent, otherwise we cannot defeat our opponent.

Reference:
www.yq-zywg.com

Yiquan Conference Beijing 2007

Published
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thomas
11 months, 1 week ago
in Event, Martial Art and Yiquan
. 0 Comments

The Sung of Zhu Datong

Published
by
thomas
11 months, 2 weeks ago
in Energy, Mindset, Pushhands and Taiji
. 1 Comment

Links:
Wu Style Taiji/Taichi quan Kongfu of Zhu Datong youtube.com
Wu Style Taiji/Taichi quan Push hand of Zhu Datong youtube.com