|
|
||
| Peng (4) | ||
| The first power | ||
classes qigong tai chi kung fu about us reviews a-z
.JPG)
Energy
It is important to understand that peng is not entirely a physical quality.
By aligning the body in a particular manner you can enhance and cultivate peng.
However, peng is energetic not physical.
Only by using the mind can this jing come to fruition.
As you practice tai chi, your physicality must lessen and you must become
softer and softer.
Ultimately, you should not be able to feel your limbs themselves; only the
movement. In combat, you should only feel the opponent.
Your own body becomes increasingly insubstantial.
The onus is upon energy transmission,
not muscles and bones.
Moving through water
Tai chi people are commonly asked to imagine that they are 'moving through water'
but this phrase is not always explained.
Think of it in terms of physics - solid, liquid, gas.
When you push against water, it pushes back, it offers resistance.
Air/gas does the same, but only if you move quickly enough.
In tai chi, we move slowly, not quickly.
You must treat the air as if it were water and imagine a subtle pressure against
your body as you move.
This encourages peng to connect through to your extremities.
If your peng is adequate, your body will feel as if it is moving through water.
Sustained peng
Once a student has started to feel peng they must train to a point where it is
present in every movement, without effort or thought.
This will allow the neigong to be explored more effectively.
As each successive neigong augments the practice, power and substance is added
to the tai chi.
When applying tai chi, peng must be sustained throughout the
entirety of the movement.
This is achieved partly through groundpath, intention, body weight and 4 ounces
of pressure.
Yet, it also something more. You need to feel the kinetic energy
of the movement itself.
At no time can peng be lost.
If your peng is not sustained, you will crumple or tense-up and be incapable of
delivering energy.
Convex and concave
An
experienced student's peng is very much an outward, rounded shape: convex.
This is necessary in order to assist in the stretching of tendons and ligaments.
An expert expresses peng differently: the shape moving between convex and
concave without any loss of jing or connection.
This is facilitated by folding and reeling silk.
Reeling silk
In tai chi the body needs to sustain a consistent vector of force in a
given direction.
This is achieved by aligning the body so that a path is provided for the force
to travel along.
The path is called 'inherent peng'.
It cannot be broken when the body moves or turns, otherwise the ability to
transmit power is lost.
Reeling silk is a means of utilising the connective tissues of the body, along
with soft muscles, spine and waist - in order to provide this path.
The energy wave needs to use your body as a conduit.
If the channel is weak or tense in any way, the wave will be blocked within.
Your body must be internally strong and loose from the ground to fingertips.
Reeling silk is markedly different from mere connection.
Its unique quality is the use of circularity.
Spiralling and twisting provide the underlying physical framework for this type
of movement.
Wave
You should be capable of projecting a wave of power through the body.
Focus on the wave itself rather than the body mechanics involved.
Feel to be boneless and flexible.
Allow the joints and vertebra to move freely as consequence of the waving
action.
Whole-body
Make every movement a whole movement. Like an amoeba. Feel every part of you
unite as you open and close the body.
Be very careful not to prioritise the striking limb.
Power is coming through the entirety of the body rather than the isolated limb.
Gaps and deficiencies within your connected framework will drain strength from
the overall structure.
Offensive jing
It is important to remember that peng is actually an offensive jing.
Correct application is not passive.
You should aim to uproot the opponent using peng, and potentially take their
balance entirely.
Skilful use of peng should provide you with a rounded pliable framework that can
penetrate defences.
Against a kick (borrowing)
A skilful application of peng is against a kick. This can only be used when the kick is aiming to hit you above the waist.
Absorb the incoming force using peng - adjusting your body and bowing the
back to store energy.
Release the stored energy vigorously using push.
Avoid any form of blocking.
Going with the opponent (following)
If the opponent withdraws, turn and follow.
On a small movement is required to break their root.
Taking advantage of the line of force/momentum (blending)
Apply the peng along the same line of force as the incoming attack.
Small circle
Practice your peng extensively against different types of attack.
Determine the necessary frame size-to-waist turn ratio in order to employ peng
appropriately for your height/size and inclination.
Explore the effect of different considerations:
3-D
70/30 stance
Waist to weighted foot relationship
Range
Angle of attack
Type of attack
Ideally, you
want to find and take the balance immediately upon contact. A very small waist
turn will lead the attacker upwards, severing the root.
Connection is not peng
Many
tai chi
beginners confuse connection with peng. 'Connection' is the process of joining separate parts of the
body together through lengthening the soft tissue.
Most martial arts could offer
their students the benefits of connection through the use of lengthening, but
this not peng.
How is connection different to peng?
Peng has give.
The student must fold.
The stretching is only to 70% and the muscles may not be
tensed in any way.
Indications of the external
People often think that they are using whole-body strength but are still tensing their muscles or just moving their arms. These are the telltale signs:
Pushing
when delivering force
Their
arms tremble when you push them
There is
no 'give' (folding) in the joints
They push
back into you rather than employing inherent peng to absorb and channel the
force (yielding)
Wardoff/peng is seen as a stiff barrier rather than a springy 'feeler'
Page created
18 April 1995
Last updated
16 June 2023
▲