chi vs. li

[KC Elbows]

Pardon me if my terminology is bad. It might be yi vs. li, I can't recall right off hand right now.

How long did it take you to learn to move the opponent just enough, and not give him or her the shove they need to initiate an attack?

Certain movements I've gotten to the point where I put the appropriate pressure on, and others I still give them too much pepper for further attack. It'll take practice, but I'll get it down.

Anyway, what has been your experience with this?

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

i guess i suck cause i have no idea what your talking about

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

i mean i understand that if someone pushes me i can turn with it and counter attack, but i dont understand why you would want to hold back on anything. i thought you were just supposed to attack with everything behind it and deal with their counter if it comes.

[KC Elbows]

Not so much referring to the attack, GDA.

Example: Using a crane block to deflect an attack, in my system, you don't want to "throw" the attack you're blocking out of the way, you want to nullify it but give the attacking limb no momentum with which to start a new attack.

Make sense?

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

oh i see.

do you think it could be a problem with over extending a block?
one thing that definately helps me is remembering to not block open air. you just need to get the attack deflected barely past your shoulder line no more. suprisingly the thing that has helped me most with overextending blocks is practicing them in a static horse/L stance. i know overextending isn't exactly what your talking about but i think it could definately contribute to the problem.

[KC Elbows]

Actually, it pretty much is what I'm talking about. Good advice. In practice, I'm good about not overextending, but in the heat of battle, I tend to lose some of those lessons.

I'm improving though.

[Water Dragon]

Think about pulling them in or drawing them into you. The way you think influences how you respond physically. If you can find the right way to think about it, you can usually do it.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

haha .. i had a pragraph trying to say what you just did wd, but i thought it sounded stupid so i erased it. every time i would try to write something i would just keep picturing myself tensing for a split second in some type of block and countering immediately. just couldnt get the words to come. tried to say something along the lines of having the mindset of not blocking, but getting something out of the way just enough to attack.

[Water Dragon]

Or we can go with the standard "Where the Yi goes, the Chi follows"

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

yi is intent?

[Water Dragon]

That's pretty much how I would define it. My understanding is that Yi refers to any though process that requires some type of a goal and a plan of action to achieve it. Planned thought maybe?

This is versus Xin which would be random thoughts, emotions, desire, etc.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

i would see intent a little differantly, all feeling/no thought, but i'm not that smarter.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

definately see what your saying though.

[Water Dragon]

Originally posted by GunnedDownAtrocity
i would see intent a little differantly, all feeling/no thought, but i'm not that smarter.

I agree to a point. To me, that's a more advanced concept: Wuji

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

i grope the falling away on the smartness. what's wuji?

[Water Dragon]

Maybe it's WuWei. I know in Japanese it's called Mushin. It basically has to do with bypassing active thinking and flowing with the go.