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| Yielding basic skills | ||
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Modern society
School children are encouraged to voice their
opinions, beliefs, assumptions and point of view from an early
age.
Many refer to this as "their own truth" - which in itself is clearly a naive
misconception - and nicely highlights the issue.
They are voicing a perspective, not the truth. The
truth (reality) is, and is not subject to bias,
speculation
or opinion.
Drawback
The drawback with validating opinions is that they are drawn from
memories and experiences.
In a tai chi class, this is a problem.
A student may feel/think
that an exercise or drill should be performed a certain way...
so what?
Their opinion is worthless.
What matters is the means, the outcome, the actual, the truth.
Doing things your own way can be martially
suicidal; for you are drawing upon zero experience and no
skill rather than many years
of tai chi practice.
Real life combat
Take a look at MMA people featured on-line.
These guys don't look friendly.
Martially, you cannot expect to neutralise them if you use force against their
onslaught.
On a level playing field they will destroy you. You must learn how to yield...
A challenge
Yielding basic skills challenges the student with 9 drills designed to explore
various aspects of yielding.
The challenge is to set aside what you
think, what you know, and what you
expect.
Embrace the unfamiliar.
Nothing you currently know will enable you to
perform these drills with skill.
Only by concentrating on the
new material and slowly training your body to execute the
movements correctly, can progress be made.
We live as if asleep, never waking up to the amazing, awesome one moment in
our lives where we stand poised over eternity, aware that it is the only
moment we will ever have, and that if we don’t embrace it we have lost
everything.
(Wolfe Lowenthal)
Relationship
Unlike qigong exercises,
stretches and
form, yielding basic skills aims
to teach abilities relative to somebody else.
This may sound straightforward.
But it isn't.
In practice
When exploring the 9 drills, you address:
•
What your own body is doing
•
Feel how your body is
responding to what your partner does
•
How your actions are
affecting your practice partner
Not so easy?
Tai chi fighting method
Yielding is mentioned frequently throughout
The Tai Chi Classics and the
Taoist Classics.
The methodology of yielding is clearly explained.
But most people don't read the Classics. And if they
do, maybe they just don't
understand.
It is rare to encounter a tai chi
practitioner who is
truly skilled with yielding. At best, they may be good at
pushing hands but
tense-up in combat.
1. Finding internal space
This initial exercise is about getting rid of the tendency to brace,
anticipate or resist contact.
Instead of doing anything, simply feel the
pressure and let it move you.
Do not consciously, deliberately move out of the
way. See the emphasis?
The pusher does the work, not the yielder. The yielder is 90%
passive.
Yin/yang. Wu wei.
Pusher
The role of the pusher is also relevant:
Do not use disconnected pushes
Make sure that your body is behind the push
Do not push forcefully/aggressively
Step as you push
Do not reach
Push relative to the degree of resistance encountered (4 ounces)
2. Both moving
This is more difficult than the first exercise because it introduces
a whole series of considerations.
Once again, the yielder must give way to a push and
step.
But only relative to the degree of incoming
force. Moving ahead will break the
connection.
If the push lacks 'body' then there is no reason to move.
The drill is almost a 2 person version of the 'yielding
exercise'.
Pusher
Step, align behind the pushing arm and make sure that your body weight
produces the push.
If you encounter resistance, do not
force the push.
It is quite easy to disconnect and collapse.
In time, you will feel whether or not you have 'groundpath'.
Remember to turn the waist in the same direction as the push.
Only extend
your arm to 70% of reach.
Forgetting to step, leaning and failing to
yield are all major errors.
3. Both hands
This is a precursor to chin
na and shuai jiao.
It also trains the student how to get out of a
hold or lock with relative
ease.
The onus for the yielder is upon feeling and then following the line of
force, allowing the muscles to move freely and the body to
adjust without interference.
By gently exploring the effect of leverage upon the body and experiencing
structural imbalance, the student
learns how to respond and how to produce the effect.
Pusher
The pusher gains skill through the manipulation of the skeleton.
An understanding of the joints, balance, centre
and 4 ounces will ensue.
If the pusher is forceful or the yielder is
awkward, then nobody is
learning.
4. Take balance
At first, this appears to be a
small circle repeat of the last drill.
But that is not the case.
This exercise is concerned with balance and
centre.
Breaking the root (by causing imperceptible
imbalance in the body) offers endless martial
potential. Gentleness, presence and awareness are
paramount.
Pusher
The effect must be achieved using the
least amount of physical
effort.
Only a mild shift of weight is necessary.
Be subtle.
5. Sticky
It is tempting to charge
around the hall but that is not necessary.
If your partner runs away, let them. Make contact once more when they are
close.
Use one hand or use both hands, but do not hold on.
6. Drawing
The tendency here will be to just pull your arm
out of the way.
Don't. That is 'disconnected'.
Turn the waist first, shift the weight and move the arm
as part of your turn.
If your partner succeeds in holding your wrist, that is fine. Your waist
turn/weight shift will have taken their balance. Feel and
take their centre.
7. Hold
When someone establishes a hold, the habit will be
to resist by bracing.
This is 'external' and is addressed
with Newton's 3rd Law.
Instead, follow the pull. Use your mind to feel
their centre and take it.
Holder
Only use a 'baby grip'.
Anything else is redundant and pointless.
Aim to hold the wrist or elbow of either side.
Deliberately employ unpredictability in
order to agitate the yielder into becoming tense
and fighting.
8. Neck rolls
This is about going with the hold whilst
maintaining stickiness and movement.
Instead of evading and moving out of reach, stay tight and
elusive.
There is only a narrow window in which to roll. If you are tardy, the hold
will be established.
9. Both arms held
Students believe they are connected until they are
pressure tested.
Faced with the simplest of drills, most people
immobilise themselves with their own
tension.
How come?
They are not remotely connected and have mistaken the idea for the
actual (see top of page).
Only by re-considering the nature of
connection can the student recognise the folly of force.
Holder
Only use a 'baby grip'.
Anything else is redundant and pointless.
Hold both wrists (front or back).
Use intention to prevent the yielder from using
force.
Crucial skills
Yielding basic skills teach
abilities that must be employed throughout the
syllabus.
When a student flounders at
various stages in the curriculum, it is
often because these simplest of yielding concerns are being neglected.
Page created
16 August 2004
Last updated
16 June 2023
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