Chicken Step (now I understand why the Hsing-I/Ba Gua connection ... sometimes

[Ray Pina]

I first heard about chicken step about a year and a half ago, when a one time student of my teacher beat my old group pretty good with some shielding. But he said it was the step, showed us, and called it chicken step.

It made sense, I played football, I understoop exploding off the line. But yet, it wasn't right. I had to find his teacher -- I did -- but still after seeing the San Ti, which is strong and greta means of determining ther back foot explosive angle and power, I still couldn't move well with it, it was awkward changing afterwords. I could step out or back or explode again in another not too sharp angle, but soemthing was missing.

Now I'm struggling with "circle walking". But my teacher explained how the momentum should be yearning forward, some importance stuff about the knees, and then, remebering to keep the back straight and shoulder's relaxed, I started practicing.

With the weight forawrd, on the balls of the first two toes, the proper relationship with the knees (it's all very hidden;), back straight: HOW THE HELL ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO NOT FEEL LIKE A CHICKEN?

Now, in that basic chicken postureness, the Ba Gua kicking makes perfect sense. Incredible the possibilities. I need to worki it -- a lot; but its gonna be a **** time kicking me soon.

And I see even the vulgarity of some of the seniors (hey, were' all human and having fun with friends) is rubbing off on me, but its hard not to be influenced in such an overwhelming place. Real gung-fu (skilled acquired by hard work, all of it my teacher's, a martial genius) is that impressive. And I'm not easily impressed.

[Braden]

There's a fair amount of variation in bagua circlewalking though. The circlewalking I struggle with is entirely back-weighted, like floating around a circle in alternating santi's. Keeping the weight really, constantly back is quite the trick, and I still will find it forward when I'm stepping out of a change.

[Ray Pina]

My undesrtanding, and I stress that, is now that one should be moving forward, naturally. When walking down the street one does not strech out their leg, keep their weight back, and then pull them self forward. The weight is going forward and your feet just follow.

My break through came when my sifu showed me the posture where the two legs meet, intersect. He stresses one does not stop in the San Ti, but follows through. Stop when your legs are next too each other, still single weighted on one leg, but that's when I feel like a schicken.

At that position, you can move or be moved in any direction, its nutral. If you pause in the San Ti, you can push and pull, but will have a hard time fighting left or right. Again, this is just my understanding after a short time, but I'm working it now and it makes sense. I can kick with ease now from that neutral position because, well, its neutral.

But, I just read a kung fu joke: How many taiji masters does it take to screw in a light bulb?

Answer: 10

One to screw it in and 9 to tell him he did it incorrectly.
:)

[les paul]

Hey nice post

Check out the chicken stance defensive applications in close.

The san ti shi that I was taught possessed the chicken stance, but in a expaned posture. The chicken stance that you speak of sounds like the true chicken stance I do in the chicken form or Pan Gen ( a circle walking exercise simular to Bagua's circle walking)

I do "Xingyiquan zunzhao shou" or seeking hands it's simular to Bagua's Rou Shou but both players face each other in a chicken stance. The usual kicks pushes presses etc etc. However, it resembles more greco-roman style wrestling with snap downs, drags and pulls than anything. (no shooting for the legs except in close, going for a knee) Their is a lot of defense in the chicken stance when it comes to kicks (as you propbably are well aware of by now.

Anyway

cool post


Paul Caluagru