Sean wrote:Hi Giles,
Those are some very good observations. I do have problems with my lower back on the right side and have been struggling to loosen it up through my practice. I really do need to find someone here that does good body work, though. I had a good shiatsu person, but, alas, they moved away.
And you’re right, I do have a slight forward lean when I do the form, but it’s intentional. Comes from the wrestling and grappling I do, I guess. When I do the form and imagine a resisting opponent in front of me It’s just natural to have that forward intent. But maybe I’m doing too much. I’ll take your advice and try to integrate more sinking energy into the stepping.
Hi Sean,
Aside from shiatsu, you might like to check out the osteopaths in Lille (a quick search shows there are several). Expressed very crudely, some osteopaths tend to work more with explicit interventions to the movement apparatus (which can be great if they do this well). While others work more with, or at least include, the craniosacral approach, which is also anatomy-based but goes deeper into various underlying systems in a more non-directive way. Kind of asking your body questions, or making a few gentle suggestions, and seeing how you respond at a deeper level. (Some might call this pure 'woo-woo', but it ain't. Speaking from personal experience, I can say that this sometimes influences/heals in a very effective way, also regarding muscular issues). I would recommend you try someone who takes this approach. Of course, in the end the quality of the practitioner himself/herself is even more important than the label on the box).
One-on-one Feldenkrais work (Functional Integration, which is basically a 'treatment', too) is also worth looking at.
If you can dissolve the blockage in your lower back/pelvis to some extent, then you may well find this in itself helps you sink more through the legs/feet and generally move in a more 'vertical' manner. Leaning forward is in itself no problem. After all, there are plenty of Wu style peeps who have that pronounced external forward lean and still don't move their centre even a millimeter forwards out of alignment; they are still very much 'downwards/vertical' in their orientation.
I don't do Sun style but when I'm doing my own Yang-ish form, by myself, I sometimes do the Sun-style thing of moving 100% into the front foot in 'an' or suchlike. Whether remaining in a 70/30 bow stance or going 100%, I generally try to send my mind in two main directions
simultaneously: the part of my mind governing my weight/centre goes straight down into the earth, while the mind element governing the arms/hands doing the forwards-oriented technique goes out towards the horizon. Of course I don't push my hand/hands out of my 'sphere' but the idea keeps going out and gives the hands a different quality and connection.
Of course there are other mind directions, too; this is just a good basis.
Hope this isn't too much yaddayadda on my part; just like to share some of the stuff I'm training.