Dr. Yang Jwing-Mng has a series of books on Yang Style Taiji that have some very interesting application techniques for the postures you mentioned and more. Even some intricate chin-na for single whip, etc. You can find the books at most reputabale book stores, or order directly form Yang Publication Center--www.ymaa.com.
This might be a good start. I found that the more I practise the postures the more applications come to light. But a book like this is great for a start.
)))Solar Stance(((
studying applications is good for general purpose. what I have experienced is that most of my teachers show the applications out of push hands training and that study of form, push hands will develope hua jing which is necessary for the martial aspect. This comes from training hard with a good teacher, and having correct form. It is easy to display ming jing or obvious power, but the true goal is hua jing or hidden power. then the applications have true internal power within.
the suggested books above show some applications and may help to a degree, but a good teacher with sound knowledge will advance your practice.
There is nothing in the universe that says you have to believe what I mentioned about applications practiced out of push hands. Speaking from my own experience with many teachers there is great mistake in practicing rote applications. The taiji oral explanation for developing skill is something like ni na ting hua da fa - stick, adhere, neutralize, follow, attack and emit this is the heart of push hands. Applications practiced in a stop and go fashion have some functions, but in taiji one purpose is developing sensitivity and softness to react naturally and this is done with push hand training. All the techniques that pung_lu_ji_an is interested in are within the push hands method.
i have to get back to work will check later to claify if necessary.
peace
Out of the 10 routines of Yang Style taijiquan who practises the 6th “Xiao Jiu Tian” (Small 9 Heavens) often. Do you find the coling aspects advantages to your normal practise.
I do not practice that form; however, I also study Chen style. The coiling aspects of that form and its practice have helped me in my normal Yang Style practice.
The continuous internal strength, coiling, and quick direction changes in Chen Style have helped me get over rough spots in my Yang Style.
So I see coiling practice as advantageous to normal Yang Style practice.
Few people teach taiji shan-sou. As my experience.
Taiji application is from pushhand training. First, you should train with
all the sensitivity and huajin tech. then you got train the ying-yang and
xu-shi, which give you a pretty good eyes to watch and judge people. So
called “wo shueng, ren bei” and it is the basic. Then you you train with
power develop. Current taiji training give people a misunderstanding like
that taiji doesn’t need power. Actually it does and has series training
method. The difference between taiji and other martial art is that taiji
empasize to use power on most efficent way, which still need training. As a
whole, it is diffic to learn taiji from book.
It is easy to show someone how to apply ward off, roll back, brush kneee, repulse monkey and cloud hands of of push hands and examples with a student , but in actual combat it will be hard to apply.
wave hands- is a shoulder strike or blocks high kicks
repulse is a sweep and arm lock
brush knee blocks a kick and presses to face
single whip blocks a strike and chops to troat
ward off is a neck snapper
roll back is a yielding move
press is a cavity squeeze to the chest
push is obvious.
wave hands- is a shoulder strike or blocks high kicks
repulse is a sweep and arm lock
brush knee blocks a kick and presses to face
single whip blocks a strike and chops to troat
ward off is a neck snapper
roll back is a yielding move
press is a cavity squeeze to the chest
push is obvious.
This is application at its most basic level. It is easier in person that talking about it, but single whip as an application of blocking a strick and chopping the throat is the obvious one most teachers show and is usually done to large to be effective in an actual fight.
There are so many applications I don’t think any one person knows them all. For single whip I came up with a nasty one that I’ve never seen taught by any teacher that I know. I start the sequence from fishes in eight through most of single whip. From a high punch from the opponent the fishes in eights is an effective mini-rollback with an arc that sucks the opponent forward. The fingers stab out (going for the throat, one of the pits or creases of the throat in particular) and then for single whip (in Yang Lu’ Chan at least) does a small circle and punching through the center with crane’s beak basically. Internalize this…really small circle driven from the center. So after the stab to the throat you internally circle the hand and thrust (punch with crane’s beak). What really happens is the after the stab you torque/dig into the pit or crease as your rotate the hand along your index finger. From the dig your hand crawls up the neck to give a strike with knuckle(s) (in an upward 45 degree angle). Two movements internally looking like one externally…two strikes for the price of “one” movement. This is a fairly devestating strike, for when me and a partner was working this out we did it as slow and soft as we could and I still hit him too hard (the neck being sensitive as it is). The torque and power dynamics is something else.
My old teacher “discovered” some great but unheard of applications as well. I suggest really taking a look at the form your favor…every movement, turn, weight change, etc. Taking the ends of one movement and the first part of the next like above. I took the last portion of fishes in eight and the beginning of single whip in the Yang Lu’ Chan form. Watch just one hand. Perhaps your form has a tell as George Dillman and Chris Thomas describe in their forms. One hand during a movement in the form would be showing you where to strike and the other is the how to strike. Leave no stone unturned and you will be surprised what you could find within the form you do.
I would first like to mention how grateful I am to how found an intelligent forum in which to further explore tai chi and martial arts.
Now as, to the applicability of Yang movements I must first declare only limited knowledge. My teacher is a Wushu expert from Wuhan, China who has studied Wushu from the tender age of five. We have only touched upon push hands in the two years I’ve studied with him. My own practice however is a few short years older. My experience has show me that the applications will sometimes “spark” before you as they are needed.
My example comes from this summer as I was beginning my Shorin Ryu karate training. My Sensei in an effort to illustrate an application from kata suddenly burst forth and grabbed me by the throat. Unfortunately it was not Shorin Ryu that came to my rescue but Tai Chi. I immediately responded with the “toe stretching kick” of the Yang short form. Both of my hands flew to his fore arms in an inside-out motion with the outside edge of my palms striking the inside of his forearm. At the same time my foot went up and into his groin and it was only as I recognized the softness with which my foot encountered did I realize the accuracy of my strike and I tried to pull it. Luckily, this took place at my house and my Sensei is also a good friend.
My point is that I think that with practice the body gets “hardwired” to move in certain ways. In times of need the applications make themselves known. I teach a basic introductory class in the yang short form (24) I only discuss applications in terms of illusrating more concretely the individual moves themselves and perhaps as a visualization aid to aid the student in her practice.
I would not presume to teach tai chi as a martial art, although that is the way I personnally choose to study.
To the comment about Yang Jwing Ming and his tai chi applications, I will say that I attended one of his seminars awhile back and was very impressed. He is an impressive human being and his martial art is very real. I would not dismiss him so quickly.
Thanks.
