waist and stomach tension

[Paul T England]

I have been noticing a more solid feeling when doing tai chi, wing chun and any movements using waist power.

Is this good or bad?

its not tension as such but that general feeling

Any idea?

Paul

[rett]

It sounds good to me, but you might need a teacher to look at you to say for sure.

As I'm sure you've noticed, there are many experiences, feelings, changes, and discoveries along the path. It's really fun stuff. I think so anyway:)

[Scott R. Brown]

This comes with learning how to properly move your body from it's center, tan tien.

I am guessing your movements are also smoother and project more power while you also feel more physically balanced too?

[YouKnowWho]

using waist power...

Do you feel your "waist power" make you to speed up or to slow down?

[Paul T England]

My current thinking John is that using the waist allows faster and shorter movements for close range and this comes from my tai chi and wing chun play. Using the hip power seems to be great for medium and long range ie reverse punches etc.

I am focusing on my centre and breathing more, sometimes using reverse breathing but not forcefully in tai chi form. I find my abs feel tense and yes more balanced, smother movements.

One of the students does pilates and says i am telling him the same things as he gets from his pilates teacher which is interesting. He really feels in in the waist and abs...

Paul

[bawang]

secret of tai chi is relaxed tension.

chen family tai chi tenses up every single muscle very slightly.

[xinyidizi]

If I remember correctly my teacher once told me that when you first start to experience the taiji power you notice that your body moves and your power slowly follows that. The next step is that your power moves first and your body follows the power. The final step is that they slowly start to synchronize. I remember that when I experienced the second step it was like my kua was on autopilot which was a funny feeling.

[rett]

If I remember correctly my teacher once told me that when you first start to experience the taiji power you notice that your body moves and your power slowly follows that. The next step is that your power moves first and your body follows the power. The final step is that they slowly start to synchronize. I remember that when I experienced the second step it was like my kua was on autopilot which was a funny feeling.

I've heard something similar with a water metaphor. First you feel like you're training in water. Then you feel like water is in your body, like a pressurized hose. Then you are water.

I remember slipping into a feeling where it was like the kua was a heavy piece of machinery on oiled tracks, and it was like gears connected it outward to the limbs, everything going smoothly but with a huge inertia behind it. [could partly have been power of suggestion, plus some concentration from training intensively at a five-day camp]. It was very clear when the feeling came, like a door opening, and a bit less clear as it tapered off and disappeared.

There are a lot of odd and pleasant sensations on the way (and I haven't got very far yet). I believe several other people training who I know have experienced things but don't talk about it much.

But I still believe the end goal is a feeling of normalcy. Very undramatic. Like a long detour to get to something natural and ordinary.

[Tame The Tiger]

secret of tai chi is relaxed tension.

chen family tai chi tenses up every single muscle very slightly.

That's an interesting comment. Yang Style does something similar, although the relaxed tension is only in the hands and arms.

I blame Cheng Man Ching for the almost universal misunderstanding that Tai Chi should be completely "relaxed."