Variations of the Opening Movement

Shifu spent quite a bit of time working with us yesterday on understanding some of the variations in which we could perform the opening movement. I have it generally pictured here above. Subtle variations in the execution of the movement have variations in the application of the movement to different directions of incoming energy, or attacks. How we apply, chest compression and expansion, where we apply emphasis in position of our hands/wrists relative to our shoulders and elbows also affect the direction of OUR energy applied against an opponent.

These complexities in motion AND ultimate intention and REACTION to an opponent's incoming forces allow for a multitude of techniques and redirection. Learning to combine our spinal/lumbar motion and direct it with our responses is also a critical component of understanding.

Shifu was explaining to us that by so examining and studying the opening motion, we would learn how to apply that to other motions as well. In addition, it clearly showed all of us that the opening motion was a very important one, and NOT JUST how we start the form for practice.

To learn how to avoid too much tension in the arms/hands/shoulders, etc., Shifu directed us to learn to receive the contact, lower the hips and then spiral as needed to achieve the response we wanted from our partner's energies.

One thing that was a recurrent problem for all us to understand was how ONCE we perceived and understood the incoming energy, that we had to react with the appropriate TIMING. Move too late, and the window for a given technique might have passed; move too early and the opponent might be able to withdraw and contact might be lost. I know for myself, until I understood that component of the lesson, I was trying to "sense" what was being applied to me, and hesitating to respond with what I was trying to do, once, I spent less concentration on RECEIVING and registering, I was much better able to apply the techniques.

Shifu was directing us to pay more attention to the Intention of the Movement we are doing at any given time.
J