Taichibob...standing

[Hobbs the vagus]

Taichibob, you recently posted about standing and made reference to using psoas muscles.

I have been doing a lot of research/thinking regarding standing and would like to hear more about how you explain the physiological part standing. You seem to understand the anatomy. What muscles are we trying to target to relax? What muscles are we trying to engage? Psoas, iliacus, quadratus lumborum,erector spinae?

Secondly, how do you get this mind/muscle connection idea to your students? Everything I have read and been taught is to stay absolutely still. But, I really feel that I connect with these posture muscle more after I stand for 10min perfectly still, and then slowly try and contract and release these muscles. Example, after standing for a while I will contract the psoas muscle and try to move my lumbar spine up using only that muscle and then hold it. It is my abdominal muscles that I have a hard time relaxing without my back curving,

While we are on the subject, what mental ideas do you address with your students regarding post standing? What do you have them focus on? My experience has been "focus on the Dantien". Well, that is whole nother post, but I have been in the abdominal cavity and there an't no Dantien. Don't get me wrong I am not anti-qi etc…. I have an open mind, just have not made peace with the qi/dantien idea yet.


I address Taichibob, anyone with advice or ideas please jump in.

Thanks,


Hobbs

[Hobbs the vagus]

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[TaiChiBob]

Greetings Hobbs..

Yikes, that's a lot to address.. For me, the psoas offer the best opportunity to relax most other muscles while maintaining posture.. the abs can then function efficiently as breath and "Chi" pumps rather than posture maintenance..

Seperate exercises for rotating the dantien (lower abdoninals) are used to train this area to act as a sort of sling.. while rotating we collect and concentrate a portion of "chi" like a rock in a sling, or more appropriately swirling water in a glass.. as we "intend" to apply the chi we simply release it along the path intended.. "path" as in a well trained posture and relaxed but guided (guided by trained "intention") muscle structure..

I was watching TV a couple of years ago and saw a building being demolished.. what struck me was the replay in reverse.. as the building appeared to reassemble itself from the chaos of destruction.. similarly, as we execute technique and apply "chi", we intend the result, the energy (chi") is released from the dantien area and accelerates along the path that forms the technique.. this is a microsecond event, behind which, like the building reassembling itself, our structure firms up to support the energy application.. "firms-up" is not so rigid as the building, but establishes a connection from the earth through our flesh to the target.. treading water in a pool, or suspended in space we have no foundation for pushing/pulling.. the energy we use is supported by our connection to the earth.. hence the importance of stance work.. The firming-up process is a process, it reaches its maximum firmness then collapses into fluid chaos in preparation to receive energy or re-express its potential again..

Putting the mind in the dantien doesn't mean to think about being there.. I often have the students kneel and position the eyes at dantien level, then ask them to sense what an opponent looks like from that perspective.. thats how the energy senses its path to target.. Now, when standing, sense (don't "think") from the dantien perspective.. rotate your "sling" and release with "intention" from the Dantien perspective.. During Wuji, we mentally explore the pathways of potential energy expressions, explore by sensing, by subtle contractions and expansions, pumping (slinging) Chi along various pathways in wave-like patterns.. this is very subtle and barely noticable but an intense workout.. This exercise is not the standard Wuji, it is Wuji with "intent"..

I hope this helps.. these are difficult concepts to express without interactive physical dialogue.. Be well...

[woliveri]

TaiChiBob wrote:

I often have the students kneel and position the eyes at dantien level

Geezz Bob, are these all female students? Hey, I never thought of that one. Good going... Haa Haaa Haaaa


Sorry, I couldn't resist.!!!

[TaiChiBob]

AARRGGGGHHHHH... why didn't i think of that angle...

nice call, Bill...

[Hobbs the vagus]

Taichibob,

Thanks....

Fascinating, absolutely fascinating. So beyond my current understanding. I like to save descriptions like these and read months/years later as my experience grows. They always have new meaning. I like the sling analogy. The acceleration from a sling shot is a powerful image.

Thank you.

Hobbs

[Walter Joyce]

Hobbs,
Excellent point. I am still working out concpts I learned intelklectually years ago, but now I am trying to know them through my body. I think most would agree that is the nature of internal study.

[omarthefish]

A couple months ago I got a pointer which really helped with getting that 'screwing' energy into the legs. (seen lots of pictures but seldom had the feeling without first standing for twenty minutes)

Someone told me to push my knees back. Weird. Not to stand up. Keep 'sitting', tailbone tucked, lumbars pressed out a bit, head lifted, chin tucked and then press the knees back. It helped a lot.

Another thing he told me which I'd never heard before was to train with my eyes open and focused on the tip of my nose. Slightly cross-eyed? Like one of those Japanese samurai paintings? Never heard it before. Any one know anything about this?

[TaiChiBob]

Greetings..

I have heard "focus on the nose" , but.. the misconception is that it is a reference to the eyes.. My understanding is that it is a reference to breathing.. inhaling and exhaling through the nose is recommended.. inhaling, we have a filtering system (hairs and mucous).. exhaling, the body's moisture keeps the mucous moist and functional..

Aside from that, crosseyed focusing on the nose gives me a headache, it just seems to violate common-sense..

Be well..