Strange Standing Posture

[Appledog]

If you found a strange standing posture, how would you figure out what it was for?

It also seems some postures are categorically different so it is not always the same way to figure it out!

Or is it true that just doing it will always reveal the answer?

[johnwang]

If you found a strange standing posture, how would you figure out what it was for?

Why should you care about that strange standing posture? First you have a goal. You then find a path to reach it. It's not the other way around.

[BruceP]

What John said

Doesn't matter what it is if putting it into the body is understood - then understanding how to test it. Without those two steps, it makes the error of putting form before function.

[Doc Stier]

In my experience, the most efficient way of testing any posture or training method is through 'feeling', i.e. by monitoring and evaluating what is felt in the body while standing in the posture for a given period of time, or while repeatedly practicing a given movement pattern.

Note in the process where blood is felt to flow, where energy presence is felt, where strength is gathered, and so forth. As always, ymmv, since these are subjective personal perceptions which vary among individual practitioners.

[Bao]

What is a "strange posture"?

Why would you want to practice something that feels strange?

You should only learn postures directly from a teacher who can correct you properly. A good teacher will explain it in a way so it won't feel strange.

[origami_itto]

If I found a strange posture I would put it back where I got it. No telling where its been and what kind of disease it's carrying. Someone is probably looking for it.

[D_Glenn]

Standing postures are possibly one of the most important things to have the inner door knowledge that’s handed down through a lineage, the direct verbal instruction. Typically it’s just the slight differences that will make the posture actually strengthen the intended tissues and bones, versus just being a waste of time. But in some cases it’s a health issue. Long term health problems can occur because the nature of a Zhan Zhuang. One hour of ZZ is equivalent to 8 hours of Striking Drills and Forms, in terms of changing your body. So if something is being done incorrectly then any health issue will be compounded. The Baguazhang songs about the 8 trigrams mention the organs that can be damaged by incorrect Postures.

One example that is often seen in Xingyi and other styles is when someone puffs their chest up or out, instead of concaving the chest. They gradually and unwittingly gain some somatic control over the contraction of their pericardium muscle, and it becomes overworked or doesn’t function correctly and they can have a heart attack when someone punches them in the heart or chest. This can also happen in bodybuilders who bounce the bar off their chest when doing Bench Presses.

[ParadoxTeapot]

If I found a strange posture, I would just ask my teacher.

There. Problem solved.

Application-wise, looking at a movement makes more sense than looking at a static posture which is likely just a snapshot of something bigger.

[everything]

Agree with the comments but am just curious what was/is strange.

Why is it strange etc.

Some people might think “normal” ones like hug tree or santishi are strange enough already.

[ThomasK]

i would just ask the person what they are doing, what they think they are getting out of it and then to punch me lol

[Trick]

danger danger at worst, nothing at best if one try to ”figure out”（as in tying it by ”training”）the postures.
Just follow your well experienced teachers guidelines and all is good.
when Yiquan came in vouge, ”everyone” began teaching doing standing poature even if had no clue.about such,thepostures looked simple enpugh to do and one could squize a few more dollars teaching them

[Appledog]

Typically it’s just the slight differences that will make the posture actually strengthen the intended tissues and bones, versus just being a waste of time....
One example that is often seen in Xingyi and other styles is when someone puffs their chest up or out, instead of concaving the chest.

But this would arise from an un-natural effort. If your just seeking wuji in a posture there shouldn't be much that could go wrong.

danger danger at worst, nothing at best if one try to ”figure out”（as in tying it by ”training”）the postures.
Just follow your well experienced teachers guidelines and all is good.

These postures were invented from experience. At least part of that experience had to come from a base set of information + experience that allowed them to synthesize new material.

Thus, some amount of research may be required, and given the rules for that research it should be relatively safe. But that being said what kind of dangers do you think could exist?

[origami_itto]

An external shape does nothing in and of itself without the correct intention and, for lack of a better word, internal work.

If you just stand there holding your hands in a funny position you aren't getting much. Do something different and you're doing a different exercise.

So basically, what the heck are you doing? You want to give us some pictures or videos of the posture so maybe somebody might be familiar with it?

[D_Glenn]

But this would arise from an un-natural effort. If your just seeking wuji in a posture there shouldn't be much that could go wrong.

Even in Wuji you need to be following the principles. Actually Wuji is where you position your body and establish the principle requirements and then relax into it. Then take a moment to settle into the Wuji posture, before moving onto the actual posture. Where you still want to be following these principles along with the other requirements of that particular posture. These are used in Qigong and Zhan Zhuang, and Circle Turning (Xing Zhuang) but some of them will be dynamic.

☰ Qian Heaven - The Top, Middle, and Bottom are solid and coordinated - harmonize your Yi/ Intent with your hands and feet. Bring your mind down and out to your extremities, which anchors and relaxes. Your hands hanging at your sides aligns the tips of your middle fingers with Fengshi point. Which is a point that you can actually press to help get into a meditative state of mind.

☳ Zhen Thunder - The Bottom is held solid - meaning the ten toes must grasp the ground which slightly raises up and activates 湧泉 Yongquan point in the arch of the foot.

☵ Kan Water - The Middle is held solid - meaning the 丹田 Dantian is kept solid and full. Relax the abdomen and let your breath come down into it.

☶ Gen Mountain - The Top is held solid - meaning the crown of the head is brought to the top by lengthening the neck and tucking the chin, which closes off 大椎 Da Chui point and brings Baihui point to the top. The back is rounded and the shoulder blades are dropped.

☷ Kun Earth - The Top, Middle, and Bottom - Arms (shoulder, elbow, wrist), Torso (waist, chest, neck), and Legs (ankle, knees, hips) are flowing and open. Meaning all the joints are slightly bent and not locked out straight. Bend the knees, but don’t let them go past your toes, which requires settling your weight back towards your heels.

☴ Xun Wind - The Break at the Bottom needs to be closed - so the tailbone/ coccyx is tucked so 會陰 Huiyun point is aligned with Baihui point and the pelvic basin is held taught and pulled upward to support the Dantian from below.

☲ Li Flame - The Break in the Middle needs to be closed - so the chest is concaved to keep the opening to 中廷 Zhong Ting (heart and solar plexus area) protected.

☱ Dui Swamp - The Break at the Top needs to be closed - so the tip of the tongue is touching the soft palate - connecting the interior Daoist Ren and Du meridians.

[ThomasK]

Imo if you seek wuji in only one posture for a hour every day and not switch it up you will run into trouble

Seeking wuji is more a process that can be done in every posture imo, but also a name of posture like in beginning of Tai Chi forms