I realize none
of you care about this, nor will you read on. But I am doing my best to record
everything for my students. Not for the tai chi, for they are not tai chi
practitioners. Rather to understand the process I went through to analyze a
motion, any motion at all. And perhaps learn something from that.
I have studied
and practice Yang Tai Chi Chaun continuously since 1979, and I know not so long
a time. When Ernest Rothrock instructed me on the form for 2 years, it was just
that form instruction. Movements were impressed into my existence. At first it
is sections, or poses, one learns. And I
remember postures that would cause a charly horse on one strand of the
quadriceps, karate did not prepare you for the study.. But quickly you learn.
So many things
which were different. Stepping, the continual flow of both hands and arms
throughout the form, use of breath to consciously slow down. The continual
movement of the head rolling through the form, the focus of the eyes over the
hands constantly changing, the realization that tai chi was not a collection of
postures, rather you entered the flow and then you left it. The constant
demands of conscious thought throughout the execution of the form to accomplish
all those things.
The study of
Yang Tai Chi Sword. Where you had to do all of the above and control a sword in
your hands as you did it.
Single Pushing
Hands, Stepping Single Pushing Hands, Stepping and Turning Pushing hands.
Double Pushing Hands, Stepping Double Pushing Hands, Stepping and Turning
Double Pushing Hands. Too often just mentioned without the detail beginning to
be discussed. Much more in depth than realized. Perhaps some day that might
make an interesting topic.
I realize there
is much more there, but this is what my studies covered. I was not interested
in the martial use of Yang Tai Chi, and except for basic description, such was
not what I studied.
Then time
passes, a lot of time, Then one day Ernest showed me the remainder of the Yang
Sword form, and of course life got more complicated.
A number of
different things intervened. For one thing I read as much Tai Chi literature as
I could find, finding the topic even interesting. I was especially interested in
Advanced Tai Chi 2 by Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming. That book concerned itself with the
martial applications of Yang Tai Chi Chaun. And while there are thousands of
varying Yang forms, what was shown was very close to what I studied. I even
showed the book to Tristan Sutrisno, who I was also studying with, in Shotokan,
Aikido studied and Tjimande Studies. He looked through the book and was amazed,
proclaiming “These were the things his father taught him.” And he did not do
tai chi.
Tris grabbed a
technique at random, and performed it on me (painfully), then technique after
technique. I believed him.
However I did
not run out an work on it, I had way too many other things I was working on.
The book just sat on the shelf and became another occasional read.
Then I reached
the point, Ernest changed my Yang practice, by dramatically showing me how
correct alignment in my tai chi chaun works.
My form did not change, but my
understanding how, why and what I should be doing became greater, understanding
how correct alignment increases the force of a gesture, or conversely how
incorrect alignment could become a weakness that could be attacked.
Back to
practice.
I was teaching Yang to a small group of my karate students who each were interested
in the topic. In a year they learned the form, then the Sunday morning group
became more fun, getting deeper into the study. At times, for fun, I would randomly
select a technique from Dr. Yang’s book and every time I made it work. It was
an interesting time.
My own studies
into Isshinryu application potential were progressing. No small part of it was
something I learned from Dr. Yang’s book ‘Advanced Tai Chaun 2, the martial
applications.’ For every movement he demonstrated there were at least 3
possible applications.
Downing the Opponent meaning using the technique as a
takedown of throwing technique.
Chin Na controlling techniques which could also project the
attacker.
Cavity Strikes or where the technique strikes into the body
for effect.
I explored this
far more in my karate research.
Tai Chi Chaun
for the group was more focused on those aspects I had studied.
I also was studying
with Sherman Harrill and his incredible wealth of Isshinryu applications. That
would continue for a decade.
After some time
I started to get creative. At times on the conclusion of the tai chi class, a
karate application would come to me, and of course I grabbed someone to try it
on in slow motion, and of course most often damaging them in the process.
Then at times an
the conclusion of an adult karate class a tai chi application would come to me, and of course I grabbed someone to try
it on in slow motion, and of course most often damaging them in the process.
Very quickly
everyone suggested I stop mixing the arts at their expense. And for quite some
time I did.
I was getting
deeper in to the arts in which I had been trained, deeper into my own Isshinryu
studies, deeper into those things I was learning from Sherman Harrill. So
whether intentional or not, I began thinking about the tai chi possibilities
too.
The reason I was
practicing tai chi was not for martial purposes. But I clearly saw they were
there too.
One of the
things I saw was articles explaining the Yang practice of Da Lu. This was
before youtube. Among the early explanations for DaLu was this one by Earl
Montague
I explain some of what I saw in Isshinryu
contrasted with the DaLu practice in the Yang System here. https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2017/01/chinto-and-da-lu.html
In no small part
a portion of my mind was thinking about my Tai Chi.
I realize these
musings are going all over the place, Of course this was what led up to what
followed next. My discovery of the actual nature of the tai chi press.
When you learn
the Yang Long Fist Tai Chi Chaun, in the beginning there are 4 postures that
are very famous. Meaning tons has been written about them.
The Tai Chi
opening postures
* Peng – ward
off-intercept and control opponent’s advance upward {1 of 4 straight
directions}
* Lu -rollback-
deflect opponent down and back {1 of 4 straight directions}
* Ji (chi) –
follow-apply force forward {1 of 4 straight directions}
* An – press
weight into opponent, downward {1 of 4 straight directions}
One of the
things I had learned was that even the most insignificant motion in karate
could have devastating application potential.
So one
day I decided to focus on the tai chi press, A very small motion within the
Yang form. After you have rolled or drawn away from an attack, both hands
beginning from the waist, have the left palm touching the right wrist and then
both hands press into an opponent, done as the hip shifts to the right,
supporting the strike.
Done slowly
seemingly the slightest of motions. In fact the two hands hardly travel 1 foot,
surely not for much impact.
So one day in
tai chi practice, I ‘borrowed’ Dennis Driscol and asked him to strike at me in
slow motion, for having an idea I wanted to see what it was like.
Dennis came in
with the strike. It was a standard linear stepping punch.
I remained still
and then stepped slightly towards him and performed the press movement exactly
as in the Yang form. My right hand struck into his chest,
Dennis was most
soundly struck and went down to the driveway.
I rushed to help
him up and of course apologized, for I never intended to strike him so hard.
But still
curious about what had happened, I asked Dennis again to step in and strike,
Promising to go even slower.
Again he struck.
I moved ever so much slower this time, And I hit even harder, almost to the
point of caving in Dennis’s chest. That was not my intention. Enough for that
day.
That being the
first thing on a Sunday morning the remainder of the day I tried to work out
what was happening.
Later that day I
called Rothrock Laoshi, and explained to him what had happened.
Laughing he replied,
“Victor, don’t you remember I told you never do that to
your students.” Which was even privately funnier as we had not explaord
tai chi as for martial application.
Of course I very
quickly worked things out. And it was
supported by many things he had taught me about the use of alignment in tai
chi.
There were a
number of things happening at the same time.
1.
When you use the ‘press’ your left palm touching the back of your right wrist
in the execution of the movement, automatically aligns the left side of your
body with the right side. This becomes a very powerful force enhancer.
2.
Whey you execute the ‘press’ your hip (or core) rotation rolls toward where the
press is intended. That rolling motion is another force enhancer.
3.
Those two force enhancers working together make a more powerful strike.
I then began to
work on just that subtle motion, rolling my hip into that press, using smaller
and smaller motion. Quicker and quicker execution. I did learn how to control
myself not to damage my students, but there was another key force enhancer in
play. I knew my form, I trusted my form.
It was something
I worked on for myself. A slight subtle movement with with I could surprise as
opponent, coming seemingly out of nowhere.
My tai chi
students were very good students, but the day came each of them for their own
reasons moved on, leaving the flow so to speak.
I never did
stop.
And of course I
now had a new toy…. One among thousands of others.
Here is a demonstration I once did using the opening of the Yang form. You can see the press as I studied it.
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