strucutre and alignment

RT writes: "But ... many people spend so much time concentrating on their alignments that their subsequent movements are stiff and forced. Hence the benefit of the first point (rootedness in movement). Static tests can be cheated if one does not have the requirement of being able to move through the opponent - which is when naturalness and alignement coincide."

This is really the crux of my point. By avoiding double-weightedness (force vs. force) and keeping the structural alignment as I have described you one can keep their wuji alignment and retain a moble root. Your point about less movement and higher levels is in line with my understanding as well. I hope that people will try the physical drills we have been discussing. Based on the reaction of the body, it is possible to tell exactly where the strucutre broke down. I go over this with my students so that they can correct themselves when they practice at home....your one statement above that they spend so much time on their alignment that they are still....I disagree with....the additional presure from the incoming force makes you adjust your alignment so that you can take the force....but the body must be pretty well developed internally to do this with great force and do it smoothly.

Question, how can the static test be cheated As far as I see it....you can either take the force and step or you can not...I suppose if you ues a great deal of muscle..grunt and groan..
The step should be smooth and easy. But...there are of course different degrees of smoothness as the player developes.

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"your one statement above that they spend so much time on their alignment that they are still....I disagree with"

Here I was referring to solo practice drills. People will want to take the feedback gained from two person work and integrate it back into their form work, solo power training etc. It is with this aspect of the solo work that you can see stiffness developing - admittedly at those who are still developing skill rather than posessing it.

Classic mistake is to be so concerned with doing it right that one is dictating to the body - stiff. Better is to do it in such a way as one deeply feels how your body is responding to the movement. This awareness (natural) in and of itself often brings about the correction required in real time. The mistake is to watch for the error, recognize it, take positive action to restore it ... etc. all of which is essentialy 3rd person (my will on me) rather than first person (my body, let it move with natural alignment).

Not sure if I'm explaining myself as well as I ought.

"Question, how can the static test be cheated"
Partly by brawn - if one has been training at a proper level of intensity for a number of years, one will have developed a credible degree of physical strength. If the push were released, one would typicaly throw oneself in that direction as one was effectively pushing against the force.

But mostly by letting the other person try to bend your body in directions that it does not go. It has been explained to me in terms of bows - if someone pushes on a bow, then it is very good at flexing and storing the energy. One can do this with the joints (when combined with a certain amount of strength). However, this approach is incorrect as, should the partner suddenly remove their push, you would "unbend" in exactly the same way as a bow would if it were stressed the suddenly released. In other words, it makes one vulnerable to any partner with the sensitivity to change their force into and then out of the bow. Note - the direction the bow flings itself when released is not necessarily in the same linear direction as the push came from.

There is a difference between letting the force be stored/ accumulated in one's structure (the bow referred to above), and one's structure accepting the force in such a way as it is not internal locked in (as in the bow). Only with this second example (i.e. free not locked) can one maintain the freedom to move. In other words, one is not looking for force-counter force, but ways of changing the game such that the force is directed in such a way as it does not effect you, possibly is directed back at the partner, and preferrable affects them in such a way that they are no longer actually pushing in the vector that they thing they are.

On that last point, someone pushes on your chest when you are in a decent stance. A small movement opening one of the kua will effectively mean that they are no longer pushing towards your center - even though the movement is minute. If sufficiently small, their body will be confused as it is effectively no longer doing what it thinks it is ...

Hope that is a little bit clearer that it was
RT

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Great post and fantastic explanation Rob.
Jeff(fuzzy30)

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RobT "Here I was referring to solo practice drills. People will want to take the feedback gained from two person work and integrate it back into their form work, solo power training etc. It is with this aspect of the solo work that you can see stiffness developing - admittedly at those who are still developing skill rather than posessing it."

I got you now. I completely agree and this is why we need good training partners to help us. This is true of tai chi and pa kua as well. The form seems so stable and nice...until someone touches you ...then the balance goes. By focusing on this type of training, we can keep the from more true to its combative purpose.

RobT "Only with this second example (i.e. free not locked) can one maintain the freedom to move. "

Again, I agree completely. That is my point of the physical test. Hsingi when done as an external art still works well for strong and aggressive people. In some way, that detracts from the art's true essence. Unlike taichi....so few people can fight with taichi....but...hsingi....many can. The form itself lends itself to obvious combative applicaiton. Sadly, through no fault of any student/teacher, the wrong ideas about the crux of the art become accepted because they seem to work. The art is then degraded. And I want to emphasise, this is no ones fault. It is just that the true meaning of the classics etc. are not common knowledge.
The moving root is just one of many aspects of the art that are no longer common. Of course, this can be tested in many ways.

Thank you for clarifying your poitns RobT.

I would be very interested to learn how others test their progress.

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whats your webpage adress jd

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My web page is
www.jimdees.com

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oh i didnt realise who you were while i was reading this i love your web page

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Good forward intention on your santi Jd, are they any more pics on ur website

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Joseph writes: Good forward intention on your santi Jd, are they any more pics on ur website

I am sorry but there are not at this time. I am hoping to update it soon to include more pics to illustrate things as well as some pics from China. I will let you know when it is done.

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