Lower Basin Training: Ji Bu (Chicken step)

[C.J.Wang]

Hi Brady,

I was looking at video 13 and 12 on the Youtube page titled Xinyi exercises. Are those frog hopping exercises a traditional part of Xinyi practice in your lineage?

[Brady]

Hi Brady,

I was looking at video 13 and 12 on the Youtube page titled Xinyi exercises. Are those frog hopping exercises a traditional part of Xinyi practice in your lineage?

Not that I know of. Was towards the end of practice and just playing.

[GrahamB]

Interesting to compare:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQDpgsJX5MA

[Bodywork]

Not really a comparison. Brady's video is demonstrating a deep extension of spiral and functional lines of the body in a twist. What is more important is that in that twist the pelvis and hips are left free ( or should I say worked and forced to remain free ) to walk forward. If you place a naginata or a complete sword cut in his hands you will see the basis for correct body alignment (though much less forced in actual use) in weapons work.

In the video you presented; you see the shoulders and hips aligned in a more normal martial arts movement.

I have taken men who moved like that and present them with moving from the dantian / waist region and seen them frozen solid-they couldn't move at all.
For that reason among others Ji Bu and others like it are is an excellent exercise to "open" them up.

[GrahamB]

Not really a comparison. Brady's video is demonstrating a deep extension of spiral and functional lines of the body in a twist. What is more important is that in that twist the pelvis and hips are left free ( or should I say worked and forced to remain free ) to walk forward. If you place a naginata or a complete sword cut in his hands you will see the basis for correct body alignment (though much less forced in actual use) in weapons work.

In the video you presented; you see the shoulders and hips aligned in a more normal martial arts movement.

I have taken men who moved like that and present them with moving from the dantian / waist region and seen them frozen solid-they couldn't move at all.
For that reason among others Ji Bu and others like it are is an excellent exercise to "open" them up.

There you go - that's exactly what a "comparison" is - I have to agree with somatai, you nailed it Dan. You might be difficult to talk to on t'Internet, but I think you know your shit

[somatai]

Dan nailed it! But why wouldn't he is already in the room......xylhq has many tremendous exercises to develop the body in the way that I understand you to be speaking about it Dan. Shortly after Dan pointed out to me some crucial mistakes in my understanding of body mechanics I was blessed to be introduced to Peng and his Xylhq.....so many exercises to develop and demonstrate the ideas of internal connection and unifying the body.

[Bodywork]

You might be difficult to talk to on t'Internet, but I think you know your shit

Well, believe it or not I'm actually trying to work on that, Graham!
If it matter's at all- most will tell you that training with me is a great dea of fun-we tend to laugh a lot. I just have to figure out a better way to convey that in this medium.

Another interesting point is in dealing with force coming in from the side. With normal movement when a force comes in from the side- you have some substantial and limiting factors (hips and shoulders aligned) in being able to absorb it without losing your posture. With waist turning movement (really from very low, involving a lot of tissue) you can absorb that force and send it around the body and down, or around and up, while being free to move front and back at the same time. So when they think they "Got you" you are both stabilized and positionally free. If you combine that movement with cross-line body work and spiraling, any "energy-in" is used to strengthen the connections held in opposition. Let's say the side force is someone trying to get kuzushi and going after a leg- the force gets sent round and down and to them the leg feels like a freakin tree trunk and the force gets sent back into them. During which you can add your own and toss em or hit em. It's much easier to show this stuff then talk about it. When grappling In person it feels like you stuck you hand in a blender...you're just going for a ride; getting neutralized, then getting kicked. or knee'ed or getting punched but you can't feel or sense the weight shift or seem "to find" any center of mass to throw or enter into.
I just wish more TMA guys would consider adopting their shit into MMA standards. There was never anything wrong with TMA body work-in fact it is superior. It's just the outdated combative modes they try to use it in the modenr era.
Dan

[GrahamB]

You might be difficult to talk to on t'Internet, but I think you know your shit

Well, believe it or not I'm actually trying to work on that, Graham!
If it matter's at all- most will tell you that training with me is a great dea of fun-we tend to laugh a lot. I just have to figure out a better way to convey that in this medium.
Dan

LOL! Luckily you have made a few good friends who are working hard on that behind the scenes for you

[Brady]

Dan,
In a couple of the videos from our practice on Saturday Derek is going over some of the structure and movement with me. You can see us using a lot of the ideas you showed us to work through and develop the intention. I am always going back to the cross lines in front and back to determine where I'm losing structure and messing up. Its been a great fusion of work that has helped me move through this material at a bit of a quicker rate.
-brady

[Bodywork]

LOL! Luckily you have made a few good friends who are working hard on that behind the scenes for you

You don't know how grateful I am for that. I do like to go out and have people in, to play. That's always helped to balance out my horrible ability to communticate on the internet. A good friend of mine- himself an author- said I am in more desparate need of an editor than anyone he knows...ouch!!

Dan,
In a couple of the videos from our practice on Saturday Derek is going over some of the structure and movement with me. You can see us using a lot of the ideas you showed us to work through and develop the intention. I am always going back to the cross lines in front and back to determine where I'm losing structure and messing up. Its been a great fusion of work that has helped me move through this material at a bit of a quicker rate.
-brady

I can't tell you what a gas it was watching that whole series of vids on you tube....I was sitting there watching and laughing-with you and for you!! Good on you guys!!
I'd still comment on some tightness and some breaking of connections between the body and arms,(maybe thinking of the upper cross connection arm-to-arm in union with the cross-line body work), but who cares. With type of training I see- it looks like all will be taken care of in time. I got an invite to train with you and now it's on me to find the time to get there and play. I think you two found a great teacher.
Cheers
Dan

[Brady]

The arms have been an incredible problem for me and I think I'm making a little progress but it is going much slower than I would have hoped.
Any specific ideas you have to work on that shoulder blade connection? When I start to get the feeling going my arms begin to go through some weird hot/cold and tingly sensations.
I appreciate the feedback, was posting this to get some 3rd party thoughts on my most glaring deficits.

[Bodywork]

I would only tell you that the sensations you are describing can be typically the connections and identification starting to kick in.
I suspect everyone has their own tricks or methods for building connections. As you know from training with me-mine is very systematic. There are some things you can do to feel and attachment across the back and chest and then start to manipulate the connection. One is to connect and then and then open and close the ribs. But honestly I think they work best in a series to build them up. On quck way is with someone pushing on your sternum and directing the force-in, down towards your feet. NOT as a push you over test, but rather as an aid.
Why pushing?
THEY are helping your body wake up and sink the energy to the lower basin sort of -for you. as they are doing this you are stretching the spinal column.
YOU are focusing only on maintaining the connection between your upper cross.
With your arms spread out imagine an extension, tip-to-tip and hold it, while imagining pulling in; all at the same time. DO NOT FLEX ANYTHING!! its very gentle and soft, then with your palms forward, gather a feeling like your baby fingers are connected to your rib cage and open your ribs (in front) with your hands-pinkies up. Do that a few times.
Then with the palms forward again focus on all of those connections and feely your thumbs closing forward and palm down while closing the ribs in front and opening the ribs in the back. If you keep doing it your partner will feel it-he will get a rising and sinking feeling through his hand as you do this and you will feel more of a connection between your arms and your entire rib, sternum, shoulder, scapular, head all connected to apulling sensation bewteen your spine and your arms instead of your shoulders. Tip try to feeeeel through your shoulders so the energy doesn't "catch" there.
This a only a "one-step" thing that needs to be more fully developed in cross-line windings and central axis, opening and closing on and on. But it might help you in the short term to connect "up top." What happens when it connects and you move on the central axis can be...uhm...very surprising in short distance work.
Snce you like the shoulder bump so much- you might want to consider what is connected to what, that rotates where and on what, that increases the sinking force without flexing. I saw your teacher correcting both of you in the bump exercise. Go back and look at what he was hitting you with, how his body was aligned where his head was "looking ascance" at you while we was doing it and why, and how his body was torquing compared to yours which were mostly just sinking and slamming.
Now think about Ji BU and the turn....
Anyway, over time you should have people telling you you have "heavy hands" the age old boxing axium for some boxers who attained certain connecive qualities.
Cheers
Dan

[everything]

no critiques but just tried it and yeah good stuff and harder than it looks!

[Brady]

Thanks Dan. Lots to train and think about, will play with the sense of connection and exercise example you gave me.
The shoulder strike is tough, I get that I don't get it but need some more practice to get the correct feel I believe. Mostly I get this off balance feeling when I twist which I believe is tied to not being able to open up and connect the spiral through the front foot->back hand.
Interesting you should mention the finger tips, just did some fun grappling with Derek where he continually took advantage of my shoddy finger connection to make the point that I should work on that.
I already get the heavy hands comment, but I'm looking to build on it. I remember well getting tossed about by you and would like to have that power for myself some day haha.

Everything: good stuff man. You should come check out Pung's class if you ever are around Boston.

[meeks]

video looks pretty good - I'd say find a nice long field (width of a soccer field or more) and just do it back and forth for about an hour a day for a few weeks. THEN you won't need to ask us - you'll have taught yourself.