Bao wrote:I don't understand the question.
The result comes from the condition. Conditioning comes from the exercises.
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So I just work on getting to the state and keeping it. It vanishes so easily.
So how to deal with, or interact with, an opponent is not important. Building conditions and maintaining them are.
Got it.
IMHO, both aspects are important, but I guess YMMV.
But sure, keeping a certain mind-body state is probably the most important thing. One of my teachers used the word "integrity", that you must always keep it intact. I like this way of expressing it. You can also say that your balance, structure and mind all have a specific integrity. The problem is to keep it all when dealing with outside force. You still need to understand how to interact with force to be able to keep your own integrity, or to maintain certain conditions. I can't really see how you could separate the aspects of interaction, but again, YMMV.
Everything can be isolated. We work on what we need to work on, and you are inserting sentiment and statements into what I am saying.
What I have done since last time I worked with opponents is those exercises, solo. That doesn't mean one should never work with opponents. Stick with what I'm saying not what you want me to say.
When it comes to this stuff it's easy to get it muddled because there is a lot of crossover effects.
The more one speaks the less accurate it becomes.
I like integrity, it's close to what I am working specifically "integration" so integrating the proper interface between the feet and the earth, proper energy in the legs, proper release and alignment in the tailbone, proper expansion of the spine, proper seating and alignment of the shoulders and then letting the arms just shut up and go home.
Keeping that integrity/integration is 95% of everything in my opinion. Like light speed though that last 5% can be a real challenge.
So getting the base conditioning in, then maintaining a correct use of it. Correct physical and mental posture that does not hold tension that would break that integrity. Either can tank you.
So like there's a part where he's pushing with everything he's got and I'm just kind of lightly keeping him at bay. I'm not doing anything there other than not letting him put his strength on me. How? I don't know man, fang song?
Learning to use it better is then the next thing, but in my experience if you maintain the integrity of your integration and proper mental posture then it's largely self working. Like an abacus. Force comes in, spends itself, and then you can respond, basically.
You can get better with it. Like there's a spot where I have him stuck but my improper movement can't budge him, so I send a pulse up from my foot to uproot him.
Largely though it isn't about "an opponent" so much as it is about working with the energy itself. The opponent is just a medium. Could also be a chair, a door, a dog, a refrigerator, a girlfriend, an auditorium.