Notes From Toronto September ’19 Workshop – Day 3

First I had to not push the opponent and just find the wall with my back. When it wasn’t working so well it was because I was too far from the wall. It got a little bit better, but I was hitting the wall too straight so my stretch wasn’t as long as it could have been. Once that was fixed by lowering more to hit the wall, my fingers were not angled correctly towards the opponent and extending past the demarcation line. Once all those things were corrected, I was able to push better.

Emptiness means that the volume never diminishes. Power goes to the outside and the inside is empty. Taiji power is power on the outside with the inside empty. Our power is that of a balloon.

All taiji is 45 degrees horizontal and vertical. These two 45s must be built into the body. Master Chen’s innovation to teaching is to use scientific descriptions and vocabulary to describe in a better way. The old way of teaching was to adjust physically. 45 degrees is the most advantageous spot because, from there, many other angles can be covered. If we are on the 45 it also means the opponent can’t get a good grip on us.

Put power in the hand to throw someone. Make them think the power and the fight is in the shoulder, and then bring all the power to the hand and bring the hand outside and around the person. There should be nothing between the kua and the hand.