Since mostly the exercises are part of some other discussion I (Reinhard) snipped those lines.

Author Mike Sigman to neijia list on 1 Jan 95

[Snip ..]

Storing and releasing practice for basic close is like leaving your hands on the trunk (boot) lid that is only partially latched, pushing from the ground into the lower (or middle) back and then releasing down in conjunction with a severe weight drop (careful not to get involved in shoulder motion). Technically, that motion is quite similar to what you were talking about, so no problem.

The next portion to train involves a motion I can only *roughly* describe without showing. While standing upright, breathe in deeply *to the chest* while pulling both shoulders as far to the rear as possible. Then exhale quickly (almost sharply) while snapping the shoulders far forward *and* sinking *and* slightly bowing (contracting) the back. This element of closing begins to give the chestßternum area the flexibility and power almost of a large, closing hand. This sort of movement (while maintaining the core basics) powers many of the short range closing hits.

Hope that helps.

Regards,

Mike Sigman


Author Mike Sigman to neijia list on 1 Dec 1994

[Snip ...]

One of the basics powers of qing-jing is the ability to leap unusual distances. The way to train involves the following classical method; stand in a hole 1" deep, knees locked (so you can't use them), sink and bow your lower back outward, and leap up out of the hole using mainly your back (some hips will come in, too). After a period of time, make the hole 2 deep, 5, 10", 2 feet, etc. When this power you've trained into your back is added to your normal highly trained leg strength, you will be able to jump very far.

However, in training your back like this, you also train one of the main motors of the internal arts. Granted there's no peng, etc, but your power in hitting, pushing, etc., will be very highly augmented. Since this is a close relative to the powers of the internal martial arts.. well, that's why I considered it.

Comments?

Regards,

Mike Sigman


Author Eric Hoffman to neijia list on 3 Feb 1995

[Snip ...]

Stand facing your partner, one knee up so the thigh is parallel to the floor and the foot is hanging down. Have your partner push on your knee as you take it in *through your center* into the floor. As you feel more comfortable with this, let the push work further down the leg until it's pushing on the foot.

Also play with taking their force into the floor, then opening and pushing them away (using the same exercise). This part will help develop the kicking power and the peng in the legs.

eric


Author Mike Sigman to neijia list on 19 Jan 1995

[Snip ...]

Push open doors by dropping down slightly, arm sort of straight (plenty of angle under the shoulder, too) and straighten slightly up into the door. Use the absolute least muscular effort. This will begin to train peng to the arm and pretty quick your setup motions will be almost unnoticeable.

Open doors by stting up the front leg so that it pushes into the back... that will pull the arm, which will pull the door.

This will begin training the arms to just act as transmitters of force.

All of the reeling silk exercises, the Xingyi neigong, etc., etc., do exactly the same thing as this, they just train the use of these kinds of strength through different angles and uses.

A form just trains this kind of strength through (originally) martial usages.

The results of all of these trainings, though, is more sophisticated than the beginning leads you to believe.

Regards,

Mike Sigman


Author Mike Sigman to neijia list on 22 Mar 1995

[Snip ...]

However, consider the example of you standing at rest with your arms by your side... someone grasps the bicep area of one arm and begins to liftly gently, but increasingly up. If you relax and keep assigning more and more weight into their hands, they'll have trouble lifting you your arm upward. Yet, there will be no local tension. Your body will automatically assign the required muscle pattern to do this.

In other words, if you relax with the right intent, the body will assign what it needs to do the task. That's more in line with the mind-body concepts which is built around the internal arts ideas of whoe-body connection and peng strength.

[Snip ...]

Regards,

Mike Sigman


Author Bernd Becker to neijia list on 10 Feb 1995

a good exercise to practice this posture (IMO) is to hold a balloon between your arm and your body (about 1ft diameter). then let your partner push against your arm. There is a direct connection to your body so it is easy to ground the push. Do this several times. Then do the same thing without the balloon but try to hold the feeling you had when you worked with the balloon. You will get a kind of flexible resistance in your arm without beeing stiff. Your arm will not be pushed all the way to your body and you'll be able to ground the push

Bernd


Author Xuanlinh Tran to neijia list on 10 Feb 1995

Can I extrapolate this and hang a sand bag to exert constant pressure on my structure??? The bag is hung at an angle such that the resulting force (Fx+Fy) will point to my back foot.For example:

                  ----------
                      /
                     /
                    /
                  000
                 000
                    \_o
                      |--/
                     /|
                     | \

Mike Sigmans answer: Almost exactly what I do. Works great... good thinking.


Author Phil Good to neijia list on 26 Feb 1995

[Snip ...]

Stand in ward-off and have someone apply pressure to your forearm, it doesn't need to be a lot. Try to absorb their pressure through your arm, into the opposite foot and into the ground. Try to keep this connection, then relax (or drop or extend) your shoulder. Again, try to keep the path, then relax, or round (the opposite of arch), your back a little. You should now be more relaxed and yet still be applying a force to the pressure on your arm. You should be able to resist more force in this posture and not by simply using more muscles.

Hopefully what you will see is that it is possible to connect with the ground in a relaxed non-rigid way. Try to find this connection in the other movements of the form. It should only take about a lifetime or two.

Hope this helps

Phil

 


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