Slow Progress

Yesterday, I was dreading my lesson. It was to be the first day of very warm weather leading into a heat wave, so I was concerned. Already, I had been trying to prep and gradually build up my strength and tolerance, but man, time slips by and although I have been following my schedule, still, I was plagued by quick tiredness and fatigue.

We started off working on Lao Jia Yi Lu with Shifu very closely monitoring my every detail. By the time I got to the kicks I was clearly tired and my jump kick must have really sucked because he insisted on me learning a non-jump methodology to the form. While it is cool that I now have two interpretations/variations of the motion, a big part of my ego, was screaming, "You FAILED." ugh.

Next up, my broadsword form practice. Despite trying trying NOT to go too low in my stances, the fatigue from the Chen form practice overcame my desire to perform well, and I soon showed obvious signs of forgetting a number of the sequences. Shifu said, "you haven't practiced!" But, I know, and even had a partner during my practice on Friday night, sigh...

Next, we moved into the push hands practice and I clearly have to work more on my trunk and hip spiralling...

I'm not discouraged, but need to keep up all the practicing and hoping that all my ancillary and auxiliary training will catch up to my class demands, soon.
J

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

The Push Hand Form - More detail about it.

Had a chance to discuss this form-method of practice with Shifu on Saturday and Sunday.
Learned that we were working on 4 motions that have chinese names, my apologies for the spelling/pronunciation of them.

Peng - to ward off

Lieh - to split; to separate or twist or offset with spiral motion

Ji - Press

An - to Push.


Discussing this with one of my seniors, he was showing me one of his methods of practice doing just the footwork motion concentrating on the hip motions and weight shift, spiralling, then in combination with the hand work as well. Just another thing to think about and practice!
J

Monday Log Update

While the weekend was productive, I could have been using my time better. However, practice is practice, exercise is good whenever you can find time to do it. Friday nite, very pleased with myself, did cardio, then a friend came over, we went out to dinner, and THEN, we drove into chinatown where he practiced Jow Ga, and I did my broadsword for another hour before heading home!

Saturday and Sunday, had class... then this morning, did my cardio before heading into work.

So many things to work on!
More postings to come!
J

Updating the Log

Well, here is a view of what i've done leading up into this morning. I'm pleased and happy to note that in addition to the exercises done, I've managed to get in a couple of sessions of cardio, as well.

Reviewing what I did last night at home, I do think I need to add in application practice, and basics practice/fighting techniques into the log as well, with a goal of doing that at least twice a week in addition to my Chen practice.

I know that in order to improve and to make actual growth in practical skill, there needs to be sufficient practice put in with a partner. Since I teach my Kali classes on Monday and Thursdays, I'll grab one of my students and try to get in a half hour on those days doing some basics and some fighting applications.

Once I get more versed in push hands, i'll add that into the mix, but that would be only once a week for a goal i'm projecting at this time.
J

Being Productive with Practice

My new shoes arrived from Zappos yesterday, so of course that inspired me to get outside and practice Chen! Tell you what, in my own experience, working on rough concrete with new shoes is NOT an easy task. But it is good practice I think to work on different surfaces when we practice; although, my least favorite surface is grass, as I find I slip and slide alot and don't move as firmly as I prefer.

Following my Chen practice last night, I went inside, and did a half hour of cardio! Yeah! I hate cardio by the way, lol, but I figure it is important to be able to sustain a level of endurance. This morning, I did another half hour of cardio before showering and heading into work.

The recumbent bike pictured above is what I use in my home. I hate cardio, yes, but I hate running more lol, so for me, the recumbent bike is my cardio method of choice.
My intention tonite is to practice some sword work, and maybe do some more Chen tonight.
J

Strength Training Re-Visited

Found this very well-written article that I thought would be useful for readers of this blog. Link Here!

Essentially, the author talks briefly about some history of Chen Tai Chi as a combat art and then describes some methods and rationale for strength training to improve our fighting capability using Chen Tai Chi. Good stuff!
J