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Class 2 - Vertical Cicle of LazyGraspingRobe



Before you go on to the next class, please allow yourself for at least:
Suggested Hours: 5, Suggested days: 3.

Class Introduction

"Lazy about Grasping Robe" is descibing a person he extend his palm to his right side, that happened so fast, he doesn't even need to grasp the skirt of your robe. We divided this move into two separate circles and this vertical circle is the first. This first circle is holding position and neutralize the incoming pressure by rotating around center which is rooted solidly.

Instruction Level: Dynamic

1/ Pointing orientation. Start from 30 degree facing right. You need to turn your pointing direction 120 degree to left, then back to right side. Finally to 30 degree left to the end position and the start of next cycle. 2/ Arm. Arm movements is more obvious than legs. All the posture learning are always start from your arm and hand. After you can demonstrate the arms circles that you will shift concentration to other parts' control.

Instruction Level: Static

1. Open both arms, elbows pointing outside, palms facing outward. Facing and toward higher hand direction. Lower hand open to opposite direction, palm facing downward. 2. Body turn to opposite direction. Bring down higher arm elbow closer to 3 inch away from your rib side, finger at belly high, palm facing up. Lower forearm flips up, palm facing you. Elbow pointing downward. Finger tip at shoulder high. 3. Back to start position, both palm facing forward.

Instruction Level: Dynamic

For a beginner, all you can do is to simulate the movement. Watch the relation between hands and feet. It is hard for you to notice other details such as: how to use your waist to drive your torso, or use leg to transfer the ground connection up. However, if you can observe and understand it by looking from the back of this movement, there will be better chance that you won't strengthen your shoulder or arm muscles. That means you could be better relaxed.

Instruction Level: Intention

If the supporting leg should be a spring. We should press it in a direction right through the ends of that spring, so that it won't buckled under pressure. Your leg is not a spring, it is more like an arch. When pressed on the both end it's potential energy gets stored. How to place your weight on top of this arch and pressed right into it, so the energy gets stored?

Instruction Level: Static

This movie (the whole-front view) is always best for your observation. There are three check points, let's see if you can observe those position. 1/ Facing 70% to the side. Both arms bent 90 degree, horizontally erected. The rear palm stay inside of the lead wrist. Both palm toward outside. 2/ Turn to the other side 70%. Both arms opened. The leading arm at upper Conner, the rear arm stay a little lower then hip position. Both palms face outside. 3/ Turn back to the starting side. Both hand stretch 50%. Leading arm high and rear arm low, lawer palm at belly position. Both palm facing up. 4/ Turn back to other direction, weight at rear leg, rear palm is ready to push the leading palm forward. 5/ This move end at the position like the starting one, only facing the opposite direction.

Instruction Level: Intention

This movement is a passive one. By observing the relations between legs and torso, you know it is not in a good position to issue any active energy. What it does is changing it's orientation to redirect incoming pressure. However, at those check points, your postures are very integrated and solid. That is the moment when the incoming energy being naturalized and the opponent lost his target and need to reorganize. At this moment, you are ready and preserved for issuing.

Instruction Level: Static

Observe how the central axis of torso being maintained through out the rotation. No matter how you progress in your Taichi learning, keep this one in the first priority.

Instruction Level: Static

Notice the Body weight always sit more on the rear leg. When you turn to right, your weight sit on the left leg and vice versa. To perform this kind of rotation you need to do the following: 1. Add some pressure to your rear feet. So it can solidly support your rear hip joint. 2. Loose the front hip so that torso weight will slide into it. Think about a see-saw. When you sit your weight into that front hip joint, the rotation start. 3. Now, because you have performed a 90 degree turning, your rear leg becomes your front leg. Your front leg now is rear leg, should support 60% of your weight. Make sure that your leg is prepared for this posture.

Instruction Level: Intention

Breath: You should not care about your breathing, let it go naturally with your movement. The only attention should be given for breathing is: Slow down, and exhale when you reach the end of each cycle. Relax all the joints (remain accurate configure) and pause a while until the end of the exhale.

Choose Class Video for Different Views:
ViewPart:Whole, ViewAngle:Front
ViewPart:Whole, ViewAngle:Back
ViewPart:Whole, ViewAngle:Right
ViewPart:Upper, ViewAngle:Front
ViewPart:Lower, ViewAngle:Front
ViewPart:Lower, ViewAngle:Back
ViewPart:Lower, ViewAngle:Right