Tai Chi - weak can defeat the strong (Master George Xu)

Cook Ding's Kitchen: Designing a Martial Art

Cook Ding's Kitchen: Designing a Martial Art: Over at The Budo Journeyman , there is an interesting thought experiment. Based on what you know now and what you have experienced, if you w...

Cook Ding's Kitchen: Tao, The Watercourse Way

Cook Ding's Kitchen: Tao, The Watercourse Way: I posted before about ChunLiang Al Huang , who was one of the early Taijiquan teachers in the US, and part of the Human Potential Movement ...

Love the freedom of movement and how he isn't stuck in "posturing"

Feet and Earth

I came across a great quote from Thich Nhat Hanh " Walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet".

Which reminds me of how how I was taught , when placing the foot on the ground it is with sensitivity as you may need to pick it up without lurching or being off balance.

The ground may have an obstacle, hole, maybe avoid a foot sweep or you want to kick. Don't be mentally double weighted in your stepping.

Cook Ding's Kitchen: The Aging Martial Artist

Cook Ding's Kitchen: The Aging Martial Artist: There was a post over at Budo Journeyman about aging and training. An excerpt is below. The full post may be read here . I found myself in a...

Getting Value from Push Hands

A few months ago I had a comment on post with a link to an article looking at why practice Pushing Hands and what are our goals.

I particularly like the sentence "push hands works to undo a person's natural instinct to resist force with force, and teaches yielding and redirecting of force"

So much of what you can see on the internet from pushing hands competitions appears to be resistance.

Dr Chi Chiang Tao said 20 years learning to yield, 1 year learning to push. 

Here is the link to the article by Alan Ludmer Getting Value from Push Hands

Cook Ding's Kitchen: Mind Like Water

Cook Ding's Kitchen: Mind Like Water: Over at the Isshindo blog , there was a post about Mizu no Kokoro, Mind Like Water. An excerpt is below. The full post may be read here . Mi...

The Legs

 Watch this

Exercise to integrate the arms and torso

 I've probably put this on here before but repeating it as it's a great exercise.

Once you've got the hang of the arms try it with the legs, standing on one and tracing the yin/yang symbol with the other.

Cook Ding's Kitchen: What is Your Style in a Real Fight?

Cook Ding's Kitchen: What is Your Style in a Real Fight?: Below is an excerpt from another thoughtful piece at the Budo Journeyman blog on Substack. The question being addressed is this: despite al...

Sensitivity in Tai chi

 I didn't write this. I tried out Co-pilot as an experiment and this what it came up with. If you click on the blue links it will tell you which website it has pulled from so credits go to them.

Developing Sensitivity in Tai Chi: The Art of Listening with Your Body

Tai Chi, a centuries-old Chinese martial art, is renowned for its graceful movements and profound health benefits. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, Tai Chi emphasizes the cultivation of internal energy, balance, and sensitivity. One of the key aspects of Tai Chi training is developing sensitivity, which allows practitioners to respond to subtle movements and intentions. This blog post explores the importance of sensitivity in Tai Chi and how to cultivate it through various practices.

The Essence of Sensitivity in Tai Chi

Sensitivity in Tai Chi refers to the ability to perceive and respond to the slightest changes in your partner’s movements and energy. This heightened awareness is crucial for effective self-defense and martial applications. It allows practitioners to anticipate and neutralize attacks, maintain balance, and flow with their partner’s energy rather than resisting it.

Push Hands: The Gateway to Sensitivity

One of the primary methods for developing sensitivity in Tai Chi is through the practice of Push Hands (Tui Shou). Push Hands is a partner exercise that involves controlled, continuous, and circular movements. The main goals of Push Hands include:

• Developing Sensitivity: Push Hands cultivates the ability to sense and respond to the subtle movements and intentions of your partner¹.
• Maintaining Relaxation: It teaches practitioners to stay relaxed under pressure, preventing stiffness and tension¹.
• Enhancing Balance and Stability: Practitioners learn to maintain their balance and stability when subjected to external forces¹.
• Applying Tai Chi Principles: Push Hands provides a platform to practice Tai Chi principles such as yielding, redirecting, and neutralizing force¹.

Sticky Hands: A Deeper Level of Sensitivity

Another practice that enhances sensitivity is Sticky Hands (Chi Sau). This exercise involves one person leading and the other following, maintaining light and unbroken contact. The leader moves slowly and gently, while the follower mirrors these movements without breaking contact or applying pressure². Sticky Hands emphasizes:

• Timing and Rhythm: Moving in sync with your partner while maintaining a constant flow of movement².
• Concentration and Focus: Letting go of distracting thoughts and emotions to remain calm and centered².
• Listening with Your Body: Using a light, sensitive touch to feel where your partner’s intention and power come from².

Practical Tips for Developing Sensitivity

1. Practice Regularly: Consistency is key. Regular practice of Push Hands and Sticky Hands will gradually enhance your sensitivity.
2. Stay Relaxed: Tension blocks sensitivity. Focus on staying relaxed and maintaining a soft touch.
3. Be Patient: Developing sensitivity takes time. Be patient with yourself and your partner.
4. Focus on Breathing: Deep, mindful breathing helps you stay relaxed and centered.
5. Work with Different Partners: Practicing with various partners will expose you to different energies and movement styles, enhancing your adaptability.

Conclusion

Developing sensitivity in Tai Chi is a journey of listening with your body and responding with grace and fluidity. Through practices like Push Hands and Sticky Hands, you can cultivate this essential skill, enhancing your overall Tai Chi practice and deepening your connection to the art. Remember, sensitivity is not just about physical touch; it’s about tuning into the subtle energies and intentions of yourself and others. Happy practicing!

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ZMQ37 Ben Lo Principles: 'Turn the Waist'

You can contemplate anywhere

YouTube short by Peter Ralston

RIP Michael Phillips (1944 - 2024)

Sad to see that Michael Phillips has passed away.

 I did a couple of workshops with Michael Phillips  years ago to learn some qigong and his Kai Men Fascia exercises which were absolutely brilliant. 

Here is a tribute to him from one of his students:https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxYsxSp4gVR3_A7rqfBgWQNksISt2c-vm3

Cook Ding's Kitchen: Bruce Lee's Reading List

Cook Ding's Kitchen: Bruce Lee's Reading List: The last article posted here was an excerpt from The Art of Manliness , which examined Bruce Lee's training regime and philosophy. In th...

improve your tai chi chuan training

Weights | Building Internal Power

Adele Cloony Workshops August 2024

 Check out and book on one of Adele Cloony's workshops covering Enso painting for kids and adults as well as as Zen Enso Fan painting workshop.

You can book here: https://www.adelecloony.co.uk/event-list

    

The Intuitive Body

I've dug out the Intuitive Body (Aikido as a Clairsentient Practice) by the late Wendy Palmer from my collection.

The book focuses on using Aikido principles and influences from her teacher Choygam Trungpa to look at how we can cultivate awareness, attention and self-acceptance.

Here are some movement exercises presented by her:

Cook Ding's Kitchen: Tingjin in Taijiquan

Cook Ding's Kitchen: Tingjin in Taijiquan: Below is an excerpt from a post that recently appeared at the Thoughts on Tai Chi blog. It examines Tingjin, or "listening" in Tai...

The Real Push Hands - part 2 (Master Geroge Xu)

The Real Push Hands (Master George Xu)

Cook Ding's Kitchen: Tingjin in Taijiquan

Cook Ding's Kitchen: Tingjin in Taijiquan: Below is an excerpt from a post that recently appeared at the Thoughts on Tai Chi blog. It examines Tingjin, or "listening" in Tai...

Tai Chi Tip #47: Turning from the Lower Tantien in Tai Chi

Tai chi Tuishou The secret of Pushing hands

What makes a powerful martial art? The foundation will be based on princ...

Sunshi Guan Family Taijiquan

Peter Ralston: Uprooting and Throwing Skill

"One Point Mind" Brutal efficiency. Mind-Body-intention focused training

Sometimes

Sometimes you have to forget about theory, intellectual considerations and so forth and just do your form.

Then the experiential becomes your teacher if you listen.

Cook Ding's Kitchen: Whole Body Movement in Taijiquan

Cook Ding's Kitchen: Whole Body Movement in Taijiquan: At Thoughts on Tai  Chi , there was a good post about whole body movement. An excerpt is below. The full post may be read here . I try to fo...

The Kwa Squat: The Engine of Your Practice #taichi

Basic Body-Being Exercises - Brendan Lea

Every Step

 

Every step should have the potential for a kick

Thymus Tap

Lawrence Gallante - Tai Chi

 Amazing what you can find on Youtube.

One of the first books I bought about Tai Chi was by Lawrence Gallante. Here he is doing Ch'eng Man Ch'ing's form.

Advanced Internal Martial Artists; Guide for

More Stepping stuff

So over the past month I've been focusing on stepping forwards.

Firstly I've been making sure I don't just put the heel down and transfer the weight immediately. I put the foot down without any weight to ensure it's safe to transfer the weight. I may also want to pick the foot up to step elsewhere without lurching backwards to do so or execute a kick.

This means staying on the supporting leg a little bit longer. 

Secondly I step with the ball of the foot almost touching down before the heel and foot rest on the ground. The image I have is a swallow swooping down but very gently.

Unlock Your Tai Chi Potential: Strengthening Kua and Yao for Mobility

Q&A on how to increase breath or lung capacity

Chungliang Al Huang: TaiJi at Wu Yi Mountain. A Film by Guido Ferrari Part 2

Chungliang Al Huang:Tao at WuYi Mountain. A film by Guido Ferrari Part 1

Cook Ding's Kitchen: Stoked to Practice

Cook Ding's Kitchen: Stoked to Practice: Sometimes our daily practice becomes drudgery. It's sometimes difficult to be enthusiastic about our practice every day, and yet it is e...

Tai Chi Chuan Lesson by Marshall Ho'o1986

Step like a Cat

So I'm concentrating on my stepping in the form.

Instead of just rolling my weight onto the foot I'm mindful of remaining balanced in the supporting leg and being able to pick up the foot I've stepped with without lurching or losing balance. 

If the ground is ok where I've stepped, i.e., no holes, obstructions etc. then I shift my weight and only then.

In practice this means a nanosecond longer in the supporting leg before shifting my weight.