Sifu Jim R: Right here we’re on the “World’s finest Tai Chi Studio”. In gentle of Newton’s third regulation we all know to not use “Bizarre power”, aka exterior, muscle flexed, inflexible, and so on after we push. This is refreshed data from Discussion board 10’s dialogue on the dan tien’s vitality/rigidity on not utilizing Bizarre power. This is how as a substitute to make use of Fajin in “Peng/Keep off” when the priority is with the arm. Word that Grasp Hwa’s fist isn’t clenched, however the crimson shirt pupil’s fist is. Grasp Hwa maintains a small area in fist, like holding a “birds egg”, so now learn why that is.
A pupil, Jim D. writes: I perceive the utility of redirecting incoming power, however when blocking, how is it that the arm stays comfortable and refined (in order that we might pay attention) and never inflexible as in exterior martial arts?
Grasp Hwa’s response: In Discussion board 10, I mentioned the same query relating to the Dan Tien: it’s essential be energized but not inflexible. In brief, the rigidity in an exterior martial artwork is indiscriminate, with each muscle within the arm stiffened as much as the utmost. In tai chi, solely the mandatory energizing is employed. As well as, your blocking of the opponent’s arm ought to use a power simply sufficient to keep off his arm. When you use an excessive amount of power, then it is now not redirect however push again, and also you lose the benefit of redirect. Subsequently your ward-off transfer may be very fluid and delicate. This redirect can solely be achieved if you end up not stiff or inflexible.
Sifu Jim R: The above image taken on the “world’s finest tai chi studio” is the “human model” of Grasp Hwa’s following experiment:
Grasp Hwa: I’ve an experiment I need you to strive: Attempt to press the again of your hand towards, say, a door body, similar to you’re blocking an opponent’s incoming arm. Do you discover that one aspect of your forearm muscle is energized whereas the opposite aspect of the arm’s muscle is relaxed? Let me know your outcomes.
Jim D. responds: I attempted your suggestion to “press the again of your hand towards a door body” a number of occasions and had a number of completely different experiences. They’re as follows:
*A tightening of the skin of my forearm and again arm.
*A tightening of the entire arm to incorporate the forearm and biceps, and again arm.
Resistance from the door jam appeared to power me backward as I pushed ahead.
These experiences gave the impression to be affected by the quantity of strain I utilized.
Grasp Hwa’s response: Your experiments confirmed three completely different circumstances, illustrating some very attention-grabbing factors: 1. This sensation is the anticipated case. You must be capable of block utilizing solely the skin muscle of the forearm(extensor) whereas the within muscle of the forearm (flexor and palmaris) ought to be fully relaxed; in different phrases, you solely use the mandatory muscle to attain the duty. Your arm remains to be supple and responsive, and you may make a counter transfer with the arm in a short time. 2. Right here you’re tensing or stiffening your total arm; the muscle tissue within the arm are stiffening indiscriminately. The arm has a picket feeling and doesn’t reply in a short time. One may obtain this state very simply by clenching the fist. That’s the reason Classical Tai Chi has no clenched fist in its type. 3. Right here you’re making use of a power past what your physique construction (rooting) may help, similar to ahead fa jin with the physique perpendicular to the bottom. While you apply a power there may be an equal and reverse response power that must be absorbed by the bottom via the physique.
If the bottom doesn’t firmly help your physique construction in comparison with your opponent’s, your physique will transfer as a substitute of your opponent.
That’s the reason I emphasised within the Overview Video that fa-jin is beneficial solely if you detect a gap in an opponent’s motion, reminiscent of profiting from his physique’s momentum or deficiency in his rooting and hanging with none forewarning. It isn’t a transfer with brutal power however with fineness and sensitivity. That’s the reason coaching a tai chi fighter is rather more difficult than coaching an exterior martial arts fighter. I imagine case 1. is the pure response. Case 2. is a discovered habit-a unhealthy behavior at that. These days, all TV and films present martial arts with tight fists and muscle tissue bulging on your complete arm. Folks get brainwashed considering that is the norm. This bravado is only for present. Will probably be massively mistaken if one thinks that is the best way to struggle. Training tai chi will refine your pure potential to make use of solely the correct quantity of power within the actions and never be affected by feelings reminiscent of worry and tenseness because the transfer is instinctive. When you strive circumstances 1 & 2, you possibly can sense the way you do otherwise between these two conditions.
