Jim R: Some time ago, I had a conversation with someone who was an editor at a book company and who is also an author of a book on Tai Chi applications: I am rewriting as much as I remember from the conversation, and I hope this helps one from what I learned from Master Hwa: A civil conversation about training for Fajin and the "Springs" of recent posts on Youtube, and viewing "A chat with Sifu" by Wynter.
The editor: "I think I understand what you are proposing; however, I still find the emphasis surprising. I should say that although we talk about the legs generating Jin, it is true that the waist, arms, and hands also do something. They cannot be limp and may even provide substantial energy. One of how I teach as I try to translate my understanding of the classics in simple terms is to say that we should always generate power with the biggest and strongest muscles available and let smaller muscles do supporting work. According to at least some definitions, the muscles controlling the thighs and pelvis are the strongest. They certainly have more range of motion than the muscles controlling the lumbar spine. I would say that the waist can add power to the legs, but not the other way around. I would say that the legs are the heavy springs, and the waist has the medium springs. Once the heavy springs have stored the maximum energy they can, they can share some with the medium springs without loss of collective power; however, if you try to maximize the storage in the medium springs before the heavy ones, you will steal energy from them and limit them."
Jim R said:
Hi , "What you say makes sense if one takes the giant steps of a large frame. As Master Hwa has said, what we do biomechanically only makes sense in a small frame, a small circle. (I show very small steps of Wu Chien Chuan and Hua Jiping in this Blog) I have to disagree that legs are the strongest, and they certainly are not possessing the most dexterity coupled with great strength. After all, a great baseball player or tennis player may move the legs and arms to set up the "shot," but the waist, in its turning, gives it the power, the "oomph."
"I am not talking about large springs, large steps, or large frames as done in Yang, Wu, or Chen styles. The "springs" are weak in the elbow and the shoulder and strong in the waist. There are "reaction" forces to be reckoned with when pushing from the legs. The concept of "firming" the legs inopportunely only serves to negate any relaxation of the legs, much as "firming" up the arm that way as well. Failure to relax arms and legs subjects the body to reaction force which a giant stance may well absorb, but significantly large tai chi stances have many drawbacks. Mobility, Orthogonal forces, double weighting, and more.
The compact and tight compact Forms use "pulling" with both front and back. The step size is relatively small in a compact form, minimal in a tight compact, and much smaller than what Wu Gong Yi showed in the Gold Book. That pulling is by the "engagement" of contracting (abdominal, back, buttock) core muscles with the legs. The style does not eschew pushing with the legs; it uses it with discretion. For instance, it can use pushing once the opponent's balance is offset. A pushing movement, even with a larger step, can be added opportunely as far as elaborating on the reasoning for "rooted in the feet, generated by the waist, controlled by the legs and manifested through the fingers," as you have talked about in your appreciated books about Tai Chi Classics.
This statement may apply to certain Large Frame moves which use the leg to generate the pushing force. But, it is not usable in the Compact Form, which produces power from the torso, and it is essential to remember not only the difference in frame size that I speak of here. It is important to remember how equal and opposite force will be sent from the waist down through the pelvis to the leg, finally absorbed by the ground through the foot. During that instant, the buttock and leg will naturally energize to transmit the force to the feet, thus firming the lower body structure to support the fa jin."
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