When practicing the transition from white crane spreads its wings to brush the knee, I was told I have corners. Master Chen then demonstrated how to perform the technique without breaking structure (without protrusions or indentations). Following that correction, Master Chen mentioned that at the beginning, the movement will look awkward. This is because in an attempt to do the moves correctly one will move in steps, and these steps will be large. If we look at the movement of water, it seems to be continuous however when examined scientifically, even the movement of water and air is broken down into steps. If a human step is measured in feet, then water is measured in one billionth of a foot.
While explaining the transitions form posture to posture, Master Chen demonstrated how to move through stretching. This involved having all the parts involved in the appropriate gear. (Not having one part too large or too small so power would not get stuck, or be lost.) This led to a demonstration of how different body parts stretch against each other. The lesson then turned into “how to learn”.
After his previous demonstration, Master Chen asked us how we should practice the skill he just demonstrated. Everyone present gave an answer, none of them were correct. We were told that this is a common issue. There was a specific exercise Master Chen demonstrated and it needed to be copied exactly: the body posture, the movement, and even getting a partner who places their hands as reference points. One must watch, feel, and record the exercise in writing so they can try to replicate it. Master Chen added that proper notes are better than video because you can write down the feeling right after the experience, the video does not record the feeling.
— Anton
