The most interesting book I’ve ever discovered on the application of technique was published in 1986 by Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming. It was ‘Advanced Yang Style Tai Chi Chaun – Volume Two Martial Applications’.
Dr. Yang did not discuss an application for a technique, he discussed a range of applications for a technique. He broke that range of applications into three categories:
1. Downing the Enemy
2. Chin Na Control
3. Cavity Strike or Striking the Vital Points
“Downing the Enemy techniques break the opponents balance and either cause him to fall or bounce him away.” (page 8)
“Chin Na Control is a way to immobilize the opponent by controlling one or more of his joints” . (page 9) This can be done by ‘Misplacing the Bones’ or by ‘Dividing the Muscles”.
“Cavity Strike is an attacking method in which the martial artist uses his Jing or Chi to strike the opponents acupuncture cavities to either control or kill him.” (page 9)
For most Yang techniques he shows multiple versions of each category.
Though an practitioner of Yang from my training with Rothrock Laoshi, after my initial training we ended up living a great distance from each other, making advanced practice very difficult. But the concepts of Dr. Yang as to the potential of a movement are possible.
This was one of the structural pillars behind my own efforts to understand the applications of Isshinryu kata technique.
To my best knowledge Dr. Yang’s work was the first to share this understanding openly, and to this dateI do not know of a similar public work with as much structured detail.
I can only suggest you should seek this out.
Dr. Yang’s association is YMAA and he’s published a great deal of information on his Chinese arts and studies, as well as on video tape.
Allow me to suggest a few short You Tube video’s for the above.
YMAA Taiji Aplications http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NagW6BImF8
Tai Chi Chin Na http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmV7WL1A4Ww
