That's not exactly correct. True, you must try to stay "straight up and down" but it's less about your physical shape and more about the internal connection to the ground.
Taiji has Ti Da...
Type: Posts; User: Eric Olson
That's not exactly correct. True, you must try to stay "straight up and down" but it's less about your physical shape and more about the internal connection to the ground.
Taiji has Ti Da...
I think you are fundamentally correct but Taiji people don't like to use the term "wrestling" because it implies a test of strength rather than skill.
EO
That actually looks somewhat similar to the free-style push hands at my old Taiji school. You'll notice that Mifune mostly keeps a plumb-line to the ground. Even if he gets picked up he's straight up...
How can you arrive at the same goal with a completely different path? It might make sense from a purely spacial perspective (ie all roads lead to Rome), but we're talking about paths through time as...
Internal lock on elbow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaUP5oabjYo (07:31)
External lock on elbow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPrRMZWDqpM
EO
Internal punch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4w_62WX9Rk (1:21)
External punch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpWELFWecvM (0:14)
Can you see the difference?