North American Practical Method Training Camp Notes 2018 – Edward Liaw

The body must separate into two. For example in the opening move, part of the body faces forward and part of it rotates 45 degrees

Create an X. Make it so tight it turns: everything must be filled solid so that you cannot toss. In six sealing four closing, after rotating to align the front hand to the rear foot and the rear elbow to the front foot, then lock the hips from rotating and push the front foot to separate from the middle. No action should be in the arms or shoulders (they should feel as though they have not moved).

Place to get a response
The aim should be thin
Don’t move the contact
The move is to open backwards into your foot in line with the aim (without bending)

Create an arch. The properties of the arch are that the power is on the ends, and the space cannot be accessed. If one end releases, the power surges forward.

Independent action drill. Maintain grip but allow elbow and shoulder to be free to match the other person’s movements. Tie the distance between the hand and the dantien and match the force on the hand.
Another independent action drill: lock the hands in space and pull the dantien in. Lock the dantien and stretch the hands out.

The real hit compresses your opponent against something solid so that the force has no escape except within his body

Expand into yourself

Twisting evolves into warping (one side expands faster than the other)

Each body part can not make horizontal movements

No push – everything must be a pull.

Only one thin line goes forward
Everything else has to get out of the way / line up to support it

Issue to the rear / arrive first – taiji adage 後發先至 misinterpreted as attack last, arrive first

T bar analogy: horizontal force converts to vertical rotation and vertical force converts to horizontal rotation

Go lower to make space for the kua. A good stance is like an equilateral triangle – the base is wide enough to accommodate the height