Section 1 Connecting Arm Movements with the Movement of the Torso Upper Quarter Body Movements New
via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtozo5QIdOE
Friday, July 17, 2020
Tuesday, July 14, 2020
The highest level of Taijiquan is high stance and small circle
In this video link, The highest level of Taijiquan is high stance and small circle my student, J.W. Bulger is doing an "authentic" high
stance, small circle, square form. Let's talk "authenticity" since
there has already been too much disagreement with no substantive rationale
for why. The video link is of my student J.W. Bulger doing "high stance,
small circle Square Form" which is misunderstood by many people,
many of whom do "low stance, large circle".
While we were making the video "The Tao of Martial Applications" and now in "Section III, group discussions, of the Classical Tai Chi Teachable course" my own teacher, Master Stephen Hwa told me Internal Discipline, (the key to Fajin) can
only be cultivated through "high stance, small circle because the
biomechanics of "low stance, large circle" Tai Chi will not support
it" In his book "Uncovering the Treasure," he says it is sometimes
called the Torso Method" by Master Jou Tsung Hwa in his celebrated
treatise, "The Tao of Taijiquan": "The Second Stage. The hallmark of the second stage is the use of the torso method. Torso method is
characterized by the use of the body, specifically the waist and spine, to initiate
and empower the movements of the arms and legs. Only those who reach this
stage can truly be said to be practicing Tai Chi, yet these are few
indeed."
I don't have an ultimate source but other Masters such as Yang Jwing Ming in one of his writings is attributed to have said it is of the "highest level":
"The highest level of Taijiquan is the high stance and small circle. In
a high stance and small circle, you can conserve your energy to a maximum level.
This is very crucial in battle. Endurance has always been a crucial key to
surviving a long battle. Moreover, in high stance and small shape you can reach
a very relaxed state, the mind is highly concentrated and alertness can be
extremely sharp"
THE TAO OF TAI-CHI CHUAN: Way to Rejuvenation", Tai Chi
Foundation, 1991, page A31,
Liked on YouTube: Walking is square form
Walking is square form
It is interesting that other Tai Chi states the Square Form of Classical Tai Chi is "Robotic". Actually for the purposes of doing the Square Form, the more "robotic" it is practiced...the better. Surely, other Tai Chi cannot think that they know every "Form" that Wu Chien Chuan knew, can they? In light of how recorded History muddies so much, Isn't this a bit like sitting in the bottom of a well, looking at the sky and yelling out "look how big the world is"? One has to think as well that old masters did not have super slow-motion video ability to analyze their movement after the fact. Besides its many other facets, Classical Tai Chi Square Form provides us with this ability to analyze movement as it is being done and correct it in the same time frame.
via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oiA-RH5Pjc
It is interesting that other Tai Chi states the Square Form of Classical Tai Chi is "Robotic". Actually for the purposes of doing the Square Form, the more "robotic" it is practiced...the better. Surely, other Tai Chi cannot think that they know every "Form" that Wu Chien Chuan knew, can they? In light of how recorded History muddies so much, Isn't this a bit like sitting in the bottom of a well, looking at the sky and yelling out "look how big the world is"? One has to think as well that old masters did not have super slow-motion video ability to analyze their movement after the fact. Besides its many other facets, Classical Tai Chi Square Form provides us with this ability to analyze movement as it is being done and correct it in the same time frame.
via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oiA-RH5Pjc
Monday, July 6, 2020
"...is it an internal move, or is it an external move..."
Classical Wu Tai Chi turning movement
For most of the video link above, my teacher Stephen Hwa said this about "...is it an internal move or is it an external move...": "The most important instruction on Internal Discipline passed down from Wu Chien Chuan to my teacher Young Wabu is that": "Every movement in Tai Chi Form has to have two complementary parts of the body, a moving part (called Yang) and a stationary part (called Yin). When the yin-yang junction is located in the torso of the body, it is an internal move. When it is outside the torso, it is an external move".
David M. said: " I have two of Master Hwa's DVDs and I find his concepts fascinating. I am a practitioner of Wu Style TCC (disciple of the Wu Family). However, we have been taught that all of the movements are generated by the "hips" first, not the "waist". I still do not understand why Master Hwa thinks that the hips should remain less mobile than the waist. The hips are the fulcrum of the body and connect the upper with the lower.
Master Stephen Hwa said: "Turning at the waist vs. turning using Kua/Hip When you teach or demonstrate the internal move “turning at the waist” in Classical Tai Chi, you likely will encounter questions “why not using Kua/hip”. Most external martial arts and large numbers of tai chi schools practice the use of Kua or hip for that turning motion. Jim Roach, our first certified instructor, spent his early years of martial art training using “turn with Kuo/hip”, then he switched over to learn Classical Tai chi using “turn at the waist”. He has good insight to this discussion. "
Jim Roach: " It would seem the only thing that is not said is "you will lose your balance" IF "you turn in these postures from the hip" IF you are in a "small frame" Tai Chi stance. I partially agree with "only turn the hip" side of the discussion on what I experienced. What I never heard stated is how "frame size" has such bearing on whether hip turning causes the feet to move. One can indeed turn such amounts of the hip in the large stances that some teach. Also what both sides seem to miss is the proper use of the hips via such things as timing. For instance one can turn the waist, THEN turn the hips in a follow-up We see this in the cooperative push hands of Tao of Martial Applications. This is indicative that turning the hips is not eschewed, it just means it should be done in the right situation. After all, I am sitting in a chair as I write this, lo and behold, I cannot turn my hips but I can turn my torso.
For most of the video link above, my teacher Stephen Hwa said this about "...is it an internal move or is it an external move...": "The most important instruction on Internal Discipline passed down from Wu Chien Chuan to my teacher Young Wabu is that": "Every movement in Tai Chi Form has to have two complementary parts of the body, a moving part (called Yang) and a stationary part (called Yin). When the yin-yang junction is located in the torso of the body, it is an internal move. When it is outside the torso, it is an external move".
David M. said: " I have two of Master Hwa's DVDs and I find his concepts fascinating. I am a practitioner of Wu Style TCC (disciple of the Wu Family). However, we have been taught that all of the movements are generated by the "hips" first, not the "waist". I still do not understand why Master Hwa thinks that the hips should remain less mobile than the waist. The hips are the fulcrum of the body and connect the upper with the lower.
Master Stephen Hwa said: "Turning at the waist vs. turning using Kua/Hip When you teach or demonstrate the internal move “turning at the waist” in Classical Tai Chi, you likely will encounter questions “why not using Kua/hip”. Most external martial arts and large numbers of tai chi schools practice the use of Kua or hip for that turning motion. Jim Roach, our first certified instructor, spent his early years of martial art training using “turn with Kuo/hip”, then he switched over to learn Classical Tai chi using “turn at the waist”. He has good insight to this discussion. "
Jim Roach: " It would seem the only thing that is not said is "you will lose your balance" IF "you turn in these postures from the hip" IF you are in a "small frame" Tai Chi stance. I partially agree with "only turn the hip" side of the discussion on what I experienced. What I never heard stated is how "frame size" has such bearing on whether hip turning causes the feet to move. One can indeed turn such amounts of the hip in the large stances that some teach. Also what both sides seem to miss is the proper use of the hips via such things as timing. For instance one can turn the waist, THEN turn the hips in a follow-up We see this in the cooperative push hands of Tao of Martial Applications. This is indicative that turning the hips is not eschewed, it just means it should be done in the right situation. After all, I am sitting in a chair as I write this, lo and behold, I cannot turn my hips but I can turn my torso.
"Two complementary parts...", Chapter 1, The Internal Discipline of Tai Chi, page 2, Uncovering the Treasure, Classical Tai Chi's Path to Internal Energy & Health, Stephen Hwa available Amazon.com
Saturday, July 4, 2020
Correct Stepping in Cloud Hands
Correct Stepping in Cloud Hands (A "...look at the logical...")
Click the "Correct Stepping..."link above for video, then "like" it on Master Hwa's Youtube post: " Attention on the hip, knee, and ankle includes: avoiding overextension of the joints, such as the knee projecting beyond the toe and high kicks, avoiding torque or shear force in the ankle, knee, and hip joints by following rules such as "hand follows the foot, elbow follows the knee, and shoulder follows the hip" or "upper and lower body following each other". Cloud Hands involves constant body turning. Notice, in these turns, the movements follow the rule of"hand follows the foot, elbow follows the knee". There is no torque or twist within each side of the body, right side or left side. Each side of the body is geared for up and down energy flow without any hindrance. Each side of the body follows the yin-yang rule that one side is turning while the other side remains still. Therefore, two sides of the body fold and unfold using the spine as the hinge"
"A Look at the Logical", page 125, Uncovering the Treasure, Classical Tai Chi's Path to Internal Energy & Health, Stephen Hwa available Amazon.com
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