Stepping

Discuss Taijiquan or other soft styles. Theory, practice and applications. Please stay on topic.

Moderators: nyang, Dvivid, Inga, taiqiman

Re: Stepping

Postby yeniseri » Sat Jun 30, 2012 8:51 pm

For me, shifting weight is the precursor to actual stepping!
yeniseri
Forum ÜberGuru
 
Posts: 511
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2005 3:18 pm
Location: USA

Re: Stepping

Postby wpgtaiji » Sat Jun 30, 2012 10:18 pm

Mistakes? 1000's of them! It wasnt a mistake though. One pete was this...
wpgtaiji
Forum ÜberGuru
 
Posts: 397
Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2011 10:48 pm

Re: Stepping

Postby caesar » Sun Jul 01, 2012 7:50 am

I don't really understand what the problem is, if a teacher instructs students to relax while doing the form, or before.

If I start doing tai chi with a tensed mind, then I usually also move more tense, whether I'm walking on a street or doing tai chi. With tensed mind, my body is tensed and not so willing to do things soft.

In a state like that, if I immidiately jump to do the form I most likely will do more damage than healing for myself. For example, I would take the first steps unrooted. And when not being rooted, I'm not relaxed...not being properly rooted means I must use unnecessary muscles and I can immidiately feel the tension starting from my feet, reflecting to my lower back, neck and head...not feeling good, and totally unrelaxed.

Sometimes again, being tensed...taking the first steps is the moment, where I'm suddenly able to redirect the energy coming from the tensed mind, to a more open minded state where softness beats tension and relaxation starts.

At other times I can't do that, for some reason. At those moments standing 10sek - 5min in wuji position forces me to confront the fears, tensions and other obstacles that prevent me from relaxing properly. At those moments an instructor who reminds me to "RELAX" might just be the key to soften up again.

"Don't do it if it hurts you." And what's wrong with this sentence? The first thing my teacher said to me is that when doing the form, don't hurt yourself. Taichichuan should make us healthier, I think the path to that is to learn what pain is good and what not, when one is relaxed and when not, discover the tensions building up the body when falling off from the center.

I might do same kind of exercises before I go for a walk. After all, how I train affects how I walk so I have to go through the same issues in everyday life, even now when I'm sitting.

I'd like to have an instructor right here beside me, watching as I type this text, and reminding me to sit properly and feel my shoulders relaxed. ;)
caesar
 

Re: Stepping

Postby pete5770 » Sun Jul 01, 2012 2:24 pm

caesar wrote:"Don't do it if it hurts you." And what's wrong with this sentence? The first thing my teacher said to me is that when doing the form, don't hurt yourself. Taichichuan should make us healthier, I think the path to that is to learn what pain is good and what not,............


FWIW this "If it hurts don't do it" thing has been around for at least as long as I've been
working out, going to gyms, doing Tai Chi, etc. There are whole bunches of people out there
who really don't have a clue about how to get in a good "workout", if you will. A lot of these people who are attracted to Tai Chi have never engaged in any kind of sporting activity. To them exercise is something "too hard". Bunches of Tai Chi instructors sort of cash in on this kind of mindset by telling everyone that Tai Chi is all about easy, slow, no pain, no impact, etc. Exactly what people who don't want to break a sweat want to hear. When these people come back for their second lesson they all say their legs hurt and the "instructor" will say something like "we'll take it easy today". All kinds of people like that out there who don't know the difference between muscle ache after a good workout and the pain of something wrong. Sad, but these people will most likely never learn much Tai Chi, much less "get in shape".
pete5770
Forum ÜberGuru
 
Posts: 560
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2012 3:16 pm

Re: Stepping

Postby pete5770 » Sun Jul 01, 2012 2:37 pm

yeniseri wrote:For me, shifting weight is the precursor to actual stepping!


Could you be a bit more specific?
i.e. Brush Knee Push. I see myself standing on my right foot and thinking about shoving it into the ground. All my weight on the right. Left foot leaves the ground and travels past the right to it's position out in front. Left foot goes down to the floor. All weight still on the right foot. Now, since I have confirmed that my left foot is on a safe footing I can THEN start the weight shift / twisting onto that left foot, along with the "arm waving" if you will. Although in fact the arms simply go along with the body, but that's another story.
Something like that if you could please.
pete5770
Forum ÜberGuru
 
Posts: 560
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2012 3:16 pm

Previous

Return to Taijiquan / Tai Chi Chuan

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 15 guests

cron