Body movement principle is that the upper and lower parts of the body must not be synchronized. When the upper body moves, the lower body must not move. When the left side of the body moves, the right side of the body cannot move. When the hands move, the waist cannot move.
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Master Chen:
Thank you again for another interesting topic. I am trying to understand this concept of “when the hands move the waist cannot move”, as this is something new to me for I was taught to connect the hand to the foot and use the waist to direct the movement (which I now understand to be “tossing”.
I have a question, when “the hand moves and the waist doesn’t move”, is the hand still connected to and “powered” by the rear foot pushing? Or is the foot pushing into the point of contact where your opponent touches you so as to stabilize your body and the hand is working independently of this interaction? Also, is there still the “yin-yang” separation in the elbow and shoulder as you talked about in the Germany Workshop videos (ie., the shoulder can’t “pop” and the elbow can’t “lead”)?
This also ties into a general question I have about the “positive circle” when the hand goes out at the end of the movement. What is “powering” the hand? Is it the foot, the yin-yang separation in the body, or both (ie., the foot pushing into the hand AND the yin-yang separation in the elbow, shoulder, chest,…)?
Thank you!
Gary Readore
Good questions. If there are simple answers, it wouldn’t be taiji any more. But there are answers. I will get back to you on this as it will take time that I don’t have right at the moment!
OK, thank you.
The following was my progress in “moving the hands not the waist” account. The clear distinction (before and after) was split of yin and yang. Before I could express yin and yang split, whenever I move my hands/arms, my whole body moves at the same time. I could fake it by forcing the waist stay while doing the circles. But without yin yang split, the move is empty. With the yin yang split, the “peng jin” connects your hand/arm with your torso, yet, your hand/arm is free. Only then, you can “move the hand not the waist” in the correct way.
学习了，是原则性的东西，我会记住的
过一段时间再来理解同一句话，有更深刻的认识，行拳架多了，才能领悟的更深，然后按照规矩走内。只有定住了一边，脚底的劲才能出来，否则就是晃。