C.J.W. wrote:Many TCMAists, especially IMAists, confuse "training" (練) and "practical usage"(用), ...
C.J.W. wrote:Agreed. I'm very glad you brought up a topic that's been on my mind in light of the series of well-publicized losses TCMAists have sustained in recent months at the hands of Sanda/MMAists in China.
Many TCMAists, especially IMAists, confuse "training" (練) and "practical usage"(用), and thus adamantly insist that the upper-body (including the head) has to be perfectly vertical and straight at all times -- as per Taiji classics. In my opinion, this causes a serious flaw in fighting and turns one's head into an easy fixed target susceptible to knockouts when facing a skilled striker.
C.J.W. wrote:In Bagua, there's this old-school low-basin piercing palm drill that people used to do using a table as the training apparatus. It involves standing at one side of the table, dropping into a very low pu-bu stance while moving under it, and come up and return to your normal stance on the other side.
The main purpose of the drill is basically to train a bob-and-weave type of movement that, like you said, involves adjusting the central axis at various heights and angles while maintaining stability. In application, the movement can be done either large or small and used to slip and dodge an incoming strike aimed at the head.
jimmy wrote:
rojcewiczj wrote:It seems to me that the most important missing link between practicing the form and applying those movements against a resisting opponent is the inclusion of head movement. When I say head movement, I mean the movement of the entire central axis via the head. I feel that the most important function of form practice is the separation of the central axis from the rest of the bodies movements, the ability to move the body freely around the central axis without tossing that axis. However, without the ability to adjust that axis to the appropriate position and angle during combat, ones central axis is easily destroyed via pushing/pulling and face punching. It seems to me that some teachers hide the fact that they move their axis to many different angles during combat and almost never stand strait. I would actually go so far to say that most of the skill in combat is in how to appropriately angle and adjust your central axis, and that a posture that is vertically totally strait is a state without intention for fighting, and can only be called wuji. Until one can intentionally and knowingly adjust the angle of the central axis to appropriately neutralize and avoid incoming force then their form remains just for show. Imagine someone entering the boxing ring without any head movement, and we see someone destined to be knocked out. In yet, the traditional martial arts circle seems to revolve defensively around this single aesthetic feature more than any other, the strait back.
rojcewiczj wrote:It seems to me that the most important missing link between practicing the form and applying those movements against a resisting opponent is the inclusion of head movement. When I say head movement, I mean the movement of the entire central axis via the head. I feel that the most important function of form practice is the separation of the central axis from the rest of the bodies movements, the ability to move the body freely around the central axis without tossing that axis. However, without the ability to adjust that axis to the appropriate position and angle during combat, ones central axis is easily destroyed via pushing/pulling and face punching. It seems to me that some teachers hide the fact that they move their axis to many different angles during combat and almost never stand strait. I would actually go so far to say that most of the skill in combat is in how to appropriately angle and adjust your central axis, and that a posture that is vertically totally strait is a state without intention for fighting, and can only be called wuji. Until one can intentionally and knowingly adjust the angle of the central axis to appropriately neutralize and avoid incoming force then their form remains just for show. Imagine someone entering the boxing ring without any head movement, and we see someone destined to be knocked out. In yet, the traditional martial arts circle seems to revolve defensively around this single aesthetic feature more than any other, the strait back.
Bob wrote:Praying mantis - underrated - intensive training beyond forms
Return to Xingyiquan - Baguazhang - Taijiquan
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 57 guests