Everybody falls | ||
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Circularity
The skill to making somebody fall is to avoid getting
entangled.
You must maintain the circularity of the opponent's attack and simply
draw them into a place where they have no more
balance.
If you allow them to establish a firm hold, you need
to slip it immediately and take them down. Circularity is the key to making somebody fall.
Falling down
We do not throw people using the
conventional methods popularised
by judo, jujitsu and aikido.
Those throws are often stylised and perhaps stem from a
time when warriors wore armour.
Sifu Waller uses stickiness,
peng and balance
instead.
Throwing?
Eventually, students learn how to throw.
For now, you are just going to make people fall.
The fall stems from the flow of the incoming
movement, or from the instability we create when
turning our attacker.
It is called 'breaking the root'.
No breakfall
Do not give your attacker time to breakfall.
Breakfalls are a classroom courtesy from
Japanese martial arts schools.
If you break your opponent's root earnestly, they will not have time to
break their fall.
They must simply fall.
A surprise
A good fall is entirely unexpected.
The attacker suddenly finds themselves on the floor with no advance
warning.
It must feel effortless to you; struggling and
forcing are not tai chi.
If the person will not fall, then you have not broken their root
successfully.
Find and remove their balance. But do
not force it.
Gravity is your friend
Work with gravity and people will fall easily.
Your attacker's weight will do most of the work. Your weight will do the
rest.
If you can lead the attacker where they want to
go, they will feel to fall of their own accord.
Unorthodox
Your aim is put your opponent on the
floor. To do this you must let them get very close to you.
Use whatever approach feels appropriate.
Do not drag it out. Make sure that people start
falling from the onset.
Stepping, kneeling,
plucking, hooking,
sweeping, tripping, 2 points of support,
falling into them and striking are all quite
acceptable.
Follow the opponent and not your own inclination. Later your body can follow your mind, and you can control yourself and still follow the opponent. When you only follow your own inclination, you are clumsy, but when you follow the opponent, then your hands can distinguish and weigh accurately the amount of his force, and measure the distance of his approach with no mistake. Advancing and retreating, everywhere the coordination is perfect. After studying for a long time, your technique will become skilful.
(Li I-Yu)
Page
created 8 February 2002
Last updated
16 June 2023
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