Re: Double Weighted
Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 7:09 am
One of the ways I like to understand it; a nice, simple and basic practical demonstration I can offer the board. I think it is also informative. It can be extrapulated to 2 person interaction, but first order of business is to recognise it. To recognise double weight, I think first is to recognise "single weight".
I also agree that "Weight" can be really problematic, and I would rather use the terms connection or (lines of) force. But even though you could use "force", connection can replace it and is more precise and can't be confused with other things that force can describe like the force of an impact.
The checkerboard description is also useful as I also use the idea of cross body lines of force - these correlate with Yin and Yang.
So, rather than rollback and dissecting a clip as Charles suggested, my suggestion is simply go and issue ward off against a wall and freeze the frame.
For those that want to play along; what is now fixed and what is free ?
You should find there is a line of force issuing up from the back foot all the way up and across the body to the opposite side arm to the extremity of the hand. This is fixed and immovable in this snapshot. This correlates to Yin/ earth in my understanding. The other cross body line should be free to move; heavenly and Yang. I guess we also have other terminology handed down to describe this phenomena/ sensation; namely empty and full. So this latter cross body line is empty, free to move and act next.
From this freeze frame and what I've said I think one can start to extrapulate the practical knowledge and applications that are useful; solo and interacting with a partner.
For the record weight distribution and or head placement whilst have effects on connection and lines of connection, I personally don't see much value to saying weight evenly distributed in the legs/ feet is double weighted therefore an error.. Shifting weight can be a very small and subtle thing, it can be accomplished with rotation not only simply obvious translation. Tiny shifts can be enough to free a leg to move. Being centred on ones stance can equally mean being free to move in either direction. Being there is not the same as getting stuck there and unable to move and change. On the other hand if you locked/ ramped up, tensed up the connection in both legs simultaniously - what's worse? The latter certainly.
You can be just as likely and moreso to get stuck with your weight and connection all to one side. What weight does is bring gravity to bear and that can create a line or path that is more connected and tied together than the non weighted side. That is why it is so important to have the mental side and yi working to create the connections or lines of force inside. By forgetting these you can more easily fall victim to the arbitrary and natural conditions of gravity; by translating ones weight all on one side it creates a vulnaribility that can be exploited. Often techniques will use that very tactic, to get you on one side and take away the support.
So when you do the ward off test, play around with the weight distribution, notice how little you can get away with in regards shifting the weight between the feet, can the rotation of the torso in TCC play a big part or not? So in effect moving through a form can be like the 2 cross body lines filling and emptying (of connection) in turn. One cross body line stepping and issuing force, the other supporting and readying to make the next step or next issue of force. It's worth rememebring it's a whole body interaction so there can and should be force wherever there needs to be. But here we have to make a further differentiaition between more connected force (full) and less connected force (empty) - neither can be absolute.
The freedom of movement ultimately comes from the joints being free, so to speak. So connection relies on a force transference across the joints. The weight can cause an issue as when one translates to one side gravity presses down and the force of gravity traverses the joints in its path effectivel binding them closer together than they otherwise would be.
I also agree that "Weight" can be really problematic, and I would rather use the terms connection or (lines of) force. But even though you could use "force", connection can replace it and is more precise and can't be confused with other things that force can describe like the force of an impact.
The checkerboard description is also useful as I also use the idea of cross body lines of force - these correlate with Yin and Yang.
So, rather than rollback and dissecting a clip as Charles suggested, my suggestion is simply go and issue ward off against a wall and freeze the frame.
For those that want to play along; what is now fixed and what is free ?
You should find there is a line of force issuing up from the back foot all the way up and across the body to the opposite side arm to the extremity of the hand. This is fixed and immovable in this snapshot. This correlates to Yin/ earth in my understanding. The other cross body line should be free to move; heavenly and Yang. I guess we also have other terminology handed down to describe this phenomena/ sensation; namely empty and full. So this latter cross body line is empty, free to move and act next.
From this freeze frame and what I've said I think one can start to extrapulate the practical knowledge and applications that are useful; solo and interacting with a partner.
For the record weight distribution and or head placement whilst have effects on connection and lines of connection, I personally don't see much value to saying weight evenly distributed in the legs/ feet is double weighted therefore an error.. Shifting weight can be a very small and subtle thing, it can be accomplished with rotation not only simply obvious translation. Tiny shifts can be enough to free a leg to move. Being centred on ones stance can equally mean being free to move in either direction. Being there is not the same as getting stuck there and unable to move and change. On the other hand if you locked/ ramped up, tensed up the connection in both legs simultaniously - what's worse? The latter certainly.
You can be just as likely and moreso to get stuck with your weight and connection all to one side. What weight does is bring gravity to bear and that can create a line or path that is more connected and tied together than the non weighted side. That is why it is so important to have the mental side and yi working to create the connections or lines of force inside. By forgetting these you can more easily fall victim to the arbitrary and natural conditions of gravity; by translating ones weight all on one side it creates a vulnaribility that can be exploited. Often techniques will use that very tactic, to get you on one side and take away the support.
So when you do the ward off test, play around with the weight distribution, notice how little you can get away with in regards shifting the weight between the feet, can the rotation of the torso in TCC play a big part or not? So in effect moving through a form can be like the 2 cross body lines filling and emptying (of connection) in turn. One cross body line stepping and issuing force, the other supporting and readying to make the next step or next issue of force. It's worth rememebring it's a whole body interaction so there can and should be force wherever there needs to be. But here we have to make a further differentiaition between more connected force (full) and less connected force (empty) - neither can be absolute.
The freedom of movement ultimately comes from the joints being free, so to speak. So connection relies on a force transference across the joints. The weight can cause an issue as when one translates to one side gravity presses down and the force of gravity traverses the joints in its path effectivel binding them closer together than they otherwise would be.