Taichi energy -- cai, lie, zhou, and kao

[k2square]

hi,
what are cai, lie, zhou, and kao "energies" in Taichi. Which movements contains these "energies"??
Thanks

[count]

These are the 4 yang energies of spirit that balance the yin energies of essence (peng, lu, ji, an) and allow complete circulation. If you want a really good read, pick up The Invisible Web by Dr. Su Yu Chang. It is one of the best explainations of Tai Chi Chuan I have ever read. In one chapter you will find which postures activate which energies.Ô

Count

Kabooom.com (http://kabooom.com)

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[Kevin Wallbridge]

Pluck, split, elbow, shoulder.

"The heart of the study of boxing is to have natural instinct resemble the dragon" Wang Xiangzai

[ChemE1]

Be wary when you hear things about "energy." It isn't that mysterious. The fellow who said simply, "pluck, split, elbow, shoulder" is quite correct and succinct. These are four of the eight most basic techniques that should be mastered for self-defense via TCC. Chen and some Yang schools tend to teach them as standalone drilling exercises (much like kicking and punching). The term "energy" can then be thrown around to expand the range and application of the techniques.

ChemE1

ChemE1 -- better chemistry through living.

[Kevin Wallbridge]

I was just cruising quickly through before but I'll expand a little now. One approach Yang style practitioners have taken is that if you are skilled the "four sides" (beng, lu, ji, an/ward-off roll-back, squeeze, press) should take care of all of the mid-range grappling issues. You see this in grasp-sparrow's-tail in Yang style or, in a slightly different order, in lazy-about-tying-coat in Chen. As well, it apears in the four-hands two person push hands drill.

[An aside on four-hands. Many people do a loose or backwards timing in this drill and some of the energies become quite muddy. Try to find someone who knows the forward timing to really see how beng-lu-ji-an pass back and forth. In the solo exercise you do the four one after another in that order, but in the two person drill you alternate with you partner using the next move to neutralize or counter the last. So in 4-hands you do beng-ji-lu-an. As well there is an unnamed spiral movement in there which is critical/integral to the drill. Some people call it "George"]

However what if you are overpowered or make an error? Then you use the "four corners" (cai, lie, zhou, kou) to recover the square. The movements where this is most explored is the Dalu or Big Rollback. The Dalu involves cornering footwork and is a direct extension out of 4-hands and can appear out of it at any time.

Look at ji/squeezing for example. What if when you go to squeeze to counter the opponent's rollback but they have managed to overextend you? Then you substitute elbow or even shoulder if they have taken you that far.

"The heart of the study of boxing is to have natural instinct resemble the dragon" Wang Xiangzai

[count]

Say what you will, most people on this forum know where I am coming from and my experience. I take a more practical approach to martial arts than 99 percent of the people who post here. Tai chi chuan is a secondary system for me but I do know something about it. Energy is what makes tai chi chuan work. You can do tai chi chuan your whole life and if you do not know how to circulate energy through your organs you are not doing it correctly. You can learn applications 'till the cows come home, beat yourself and others around class until you are black and blue, practice your form to exhaustion and if you do not understand how to activate your internal you are not doing tai chi chuan. This post was here for almost two days with no replies. You can not break out and describe specific applications in a forum without posting many pages of text, unless you are Sam Wiley, so I decided to kick it off with a brief introduction and a recommendation of a good source of explaination. That's all! ("Be wary" if you want to, what I said is not incorrect.)

Good second post Kevin!!

Count

Kabooom.com (http://kabooom.com)

Chi Kung International (http://chikungintl.com)

[bamboo_ leaf]

“You can do tai chi chuan your whole life and if you do not know how to circulate energy through your organs you are not doing it correctly.”

Exactly, more practice and real experience.

enjoy life

bamboo leaf

[ChemE1]

Yes, you are right about activating your internal.

Many T'ai Chee'ers in America focus on energy work to the point of excluding the physical and structural aspects of the art. How many schools tirelessly discuss esoteric aspects of the art while their forms are limp? At the same time their push hands rely on muscle force.

He asked what cai, lie, zhou, and kao mean. To a person who would ask that question, do you jump in to discussions about activating their internal, or do you discuss what the techniques mean martially?

If you do not study TCC martially, you are wasting your time. Might as well study yoga.

Now, it sounds to me like you have much of the martial aspects of your personal study down, and you prefer to emphasize work on energy. More power to you (pun intended). However, students of T'ai Chi Ch'uan can often be lost for a long, long time when they study with folks in your position (assuming that you start with energy work). The energies come when one understands the intent, the structure, how to move, and how to breathe.

I do not question your skill. It sounds like you are on the right path: for you. Most beginners or people who ask about four of the basic techniques should start from a less advanced perspective.

Take care.

ChemE1 -- better chemistry through living.