Metal, as described above, can be applied in many arts
e.g.
Tai Chi - Pat the Horse Up High, twist step and push, and
Single Whip.
Long Fist - Flash the Palm.
Ba Gua - Hawk Posture (Yao)
Hsing Yi - Pi Chuan
Etc.
My students, some of whom already had Dan grades in other
styles, have dramatically increased their internal power by using these
techniques.
Internal Power for
Hsing Yi, Ba Gua or Tai Chi.
This article is intended for those who know a little of the
Internal Arts (e.g. Ba Gua, Hsing Yi and Tai Chi), and would like to know how to
express more internal power in application. I will use Hsing Yi as an example
but these methods can be adapted to any style.
Hsing Yi (Heart/Mind Boxing) uses the idea of the 5
elements: Metal, Wood, Earth, Water and Fire as methods of producing effective
internal power. This article describes Metal, with an explanation of how the
useful power (jing) may be issued.
Metal - Pi Chuan
(Chopping).
Chi Gung (Breathing/Energy exercise) - Dropping the
pearl into the ocean.
Stand with feet shoulder width apart, left hand on Dan Tien
(navel), right hand covering left.
Imagine a thread supporting the top of your head and 'hang
the spine' from it,
slightly bend the knees.
Turn the right palm up, as you breathe into the Dan Tien
using reverse breathing (hold the tummy slightly in).
Fill the Dan Tian as you raise your right hand slowly to
the Sternum, continue to raise the right palm, and fill the sternum area with
breath (do not stick the chest out),
as your right palm nears your chin, fill the throat area.
Now this is where your mind comes in more, as you feel a
slight pressure due to the full lungs, condense your breath/Chi (energy), into
the centre of your throat and slightly stretch the spine upwards.
With chin held slightly in. Imagine that your breathe/chi
is condensing into a pearl sized sphere in your throat.
Suddenly drop the pearl, down to your Dan Tien - the Ocean
of Chi,
at the same time strike forward with the right palm (with
the palm facing forward),
and emit energy from the palm and fingers to the far wall,
and gently curve the spine forward making a turtle back shape(coccyx tucked
under, spine slightly rounded, shoulders rounded forward, chest sunk and waist
sunk).
In this posture, I am about to
emit a spiralling jing related to Water of Hsing Yi, but I am performing Chen
style Tai Chi.
Thus demonstrating that these
Chi Gung methods can be applied to many arts.
This will convert the internal dropping energy into forward
power, in a similar manner to a childrens slide - see fig1.
John Read has taught Martial Arts for 38 years and is a
National Judge for the BCCMA and is the Chief Instructor for the East Midlands
Wushu Association.
He has also judged at International level, and teaches
Hsing Yi, Tai Chi, Ba Gua and other styles to private students, and at his
Nottingham club.
For further information see mysite.freeserve.com/wushu or
phone 0115 9223999.
John
Read 08/Mar/2004