by escher on Mon Jul 21, 2014 8:46 am
Hey guys, I had the chance to talk to Marcus about this... he wanted to reply himself, but he hasn't been able to access his account. He wrote the following and said he will respond in greater detail when he can access his account.
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Hello and thanks for your interest in my vid clips. As for quality, I am aware that these clips are rather amateur-istic, but they are for the most part, clips that didn’t make it into the primary video series I am working on, to explain the theory and concepts of “the three gates.
Anyway, as for the shoulder lift (violation?) question.. if need be, I’ll make another vid to demonstrate why it is not a violation, however I think that has been addressed rather well by Bao, Bishop BC, Shawn and a few others. Anyway just to set the record straight, what some would call a “shoulder lift structure violation”, I would call “ba bei”. This “ba bei” lifts then overturns into a han xiong formation. In fact, that dynamic is key to providing passage through the arched terrain of the jade pillow region. This is a actually a key part of the “three gate entrainment method., which started my little video series on youtube.
As I demonstrate in that fist clip, this pulling up of the back is actuated as the chin is tucked in, causing a slight vertical elongation of the cervical segment. Any one can try this very slowly, while sitting or standing and immediately experience this natural lift as well as the spinal entrainment it produces. When it is held in place, at the peak of this entrainment, it is called “ding” or brace-ing. That doesn’t mean however to keep it in place as you begin moving, it is only to show you how to get to the top before you release. There is also a lifting of the intestines and the chest but they as well should not be suspended as a rule. They lift and drop with the spinal wave, breath and intention.
At any rate, three gates theory and practice is often contained with the different variations of “guihe gung” or “guihe huxi fa”, the turtle crane qigong breathing methods. Many internal and external martial art systems have some variety of guihe gung.. In regard to both Bagua and Xingyi “ba bei” is generally associated with Tiger pouncing motion, which is central to Xingyi’s rise, fall, overturn sequence. Tiger neck is thus the wave rising upward causing the chin to tucks in, …just before the release into an overturn han xiong formation.
With that said, I think “Bao” nailed it… and I can’t say it much better than he…but in usage “han xiong ba bei” is meant to describe the fluid motion between those two shapes.. they are like yin and yang counterparts. .. Ba bei meaning “to pull up the back” is a movement dynamic …however it not only pulls up the back, it will lift the body right towards the crown of the head (baihui pt). At that point however, the lift turns over and drops downward, completing the circuit. If you look at my clip again, you will notice I tuck my chin to retract back and up, in order to roll over his arm and then apply downward power. It is actually the intent which initiates that elevation, however the chain of structural adjustments may be traced by following the slight tuck of the chin, in which case it motivates the body to retract or lift upward through the spine.
To contain the chest, “han xiong” on the other hand tends to open the sacral lumbar back gate and actually cause the wave motion to move downward, toward the back of the body. Han xiong ba bai is a mechanocal dynamic which occurs in even regular walking.
In Bagua there is a kind of special training used in cultivating this continuous lift and drop and consequent opening and closing of the spine, while walking the circle. If you watch my videos ..No.1 is specifically about the han xiong ba bei movement dynamic and development.
In my experience this particular, vertical three gate movement theory is more commonly found in Xingyi and Bagua systems… whereas Taiji generally rotates the gates along around the vertical axis, on a horizontal plane of movement. Both of these gate entrainment methods are however important from an internal martial arts point of view. As for Xingyi, this movement is also explicit within the very first element “Pi” chopping fist. as you draw the hands in and rotate the spine, the lift, twist and suspension is created and then released as the hands complete the chopping movement.
If the “han xiong ba bei” movement is not activated correctly it will definitely cause confusion as regards the lower lumbar / sacral back gate as well. I know plenty of old taiji hippies that walk around with their hips tucked under, in order to demonstrate how long and straight their spines are (spinal envy?). This alleviation of the spinal arches is a good way to prepare for eventual back surgery, but not much else. Teaching people these subtle spinal articulation methods are generally the best remedy for repairing the damage as is it original purpose. Without such lumbar sacral articulation the power of the legs and lower body will not transfer power efficiently through the back and into the extremities.
There is a lot more to say, especially in terms of how this is related to the cultivation of spiraling motion… for another day.
