question on angle of hips

[wild child]

Hi there,

As a newbie to tai chi, I have heard of two different opinions to this. Hopefully someone will be knid enough to point me in the right direction.

I am studying Yang - if that helps.

In a position, for example, Ward off, should your hips be aligned straight forward or should they be at a 45 degree angle?

Hopefully thats clear. When in a leading stance base, to allow maximum stregnth in the base, which is the best angle or correct angle to have your hips.

thanks in advance to those who answer

wild chil

[Water Dragon]

Think of your whole pelvis, not just your hips. Your pelvis is a straight line that forms the base of a triangle. So you have a line coming from your left hip bone and a line going from your right hip bone. Where those two imaginary lines meet is where the power will go.

Does that make sense?

[Vapour]

Question. Is it short Yang form or proper Yang form you are learning. If you are learining short Yang, it can be considered as a separate style known as Chen Mang Ching style. In CMC style, your hip must face forward.

[Shooter]

In a position, for example, Ward off, should your hips be aligned straight forward or should they be at a 45 degree angle?

Depends on what you're doing with your ward-off at the time. The hips can be 45 or square to the line of intention at the point of issuing in your push-hands, shuai-chiao, and san-shou.

The form is just one big, silk-reeling transition though, so the posture is hidden in the movement. The standing posture is practiced with the hips square, elbow over knee, knee over toes.

[Water Dragon]

Originally posted by Shooter

Depends on what you're doing with your ward-off at the time. The hips can be 45 or square to the line of intention at the point of issuing in your push-hands, shuai-chiao, and san-shou.


What would you use the 45 for? I'm having a hard time seeing it.

[Shooter]

yeah I dunno what I'm talkin about

[Water Dragon]

:confused:

[wckf]

WD,

Could you elaborate on how the line from your hip bone will
dictate the end result of power generation?

[Water Dragon]

Sure. As much as I understand it anyway.

Anyway, you have this "triangle" in your head. The base is a line from your right hip to the left, and the point is in front of you. As I said before, your power will center where the point of the triangle is.

If you draw a straight line from the point of the triangle to the base (so that it cuts the base in half) you'll note that there is a straight line going from your center to the point of contact. Basically you get your whole body behind the punch.

.................................../\ <-- point of contact
................................./....\
.............................. /........\
............... left hip ---------- right hip

the straight line on the bottom is your pelvis

[Vapour]

This article will sort you out. The answer is both is correct.

http://www.sataichi.com/compare.html

[wild child]

Now that was really useful.

Cleared a few other things up too.

Many thanks

wild child