Part of Master Stephen Hwa’s Tai Chi Walk Lesson in Classical Tai Chi DVD, www.classicaltaichi.com. – I found this an extremely useful exercise on its own. www.classicaltaichi.com In Chinese www.wutaichi.com.cn
Internal Discipline in Tai Chi Walk
23 Responses to Internal Discipline in Tai Chi Walk
Very useful to talk about this. Thank you.
Doesn’t it mean that the foot must not leave the soil until it’s not QUITE “empty”? And then afford again soil still quite empty before the weight comes progressively on it?
This is possible in almost all the mouvements in Wu, Yang and even Chen styles. With more exception in the latest.
Am I wrong?
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The foot has to always be weightless (empty) as it leaves the ground otherwise you would fall over.
You are correct about the weight still being off the foot (quite empty) before the weight transfers over progressively.
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Omigod awesome video!
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Weight distribution is 100%/0% and it alternates between those percentages with every step. A line of scales in front of you would reflect those percentages as you step from one to the next in line and so on.
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With respect Mr Hwa, this this not deal with any internal discipline but with anatomical aligment.Slight misrepresentation then in the title of the film?
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“Internal vs. External” question about this video is dealt with extensively in Empty Flower MA Forum, this video also posted there.
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thank you for posting.
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Postural alignment is essential to internal arts. As well as about 20 years training it! Without the correct posture, balance and coordination in attack and defence are lost. I think this video is correctly titled.
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This link gives more info. about the “internal discipline” of walking…more than postural concerns and alignment…although they are important “external”. Search name “parea10″ in YouTube and see “Classical Tai Chi Forum 16, Companion Video 1. Notice the abdominal (core) movement that one of the students (female) aptly demonstrates as good example of internal discipline while walking…it is quite obvious. Also make sure sound is on to hear commentary.
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“Baby step” is the fundamental forms to improve kong fu. but it is not this kind
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Very interesting, do you have experience with Wu Jianquan Style? Or, perhaps you are simply expressing conceptual knowledge? I also did this type (not exact) stepping while a student and disciple of Wu Kwong Yu (Eddie) in Toronto.
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this exercise is like Silk Reeling. focus is on sinking throughout each step rather than push/pull/drop/fall/strain which makes u tense & disconnect ur center from ur support
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Fact: Humans are “bipeds”, in other words they do not walk on all
“4′s”. Fact: Stand on a busy street corner and you will see “bipeds” walk in a variety of ways. They bump others, fall, stagger, sway, etc Acknowledging the varieties of walking however is not the same as to see one’s personal relativism regarding the neurological/mechanical basis of walking. Actually duplicating the demonstration shown above should have a salubrious effect on the validity or self efficacy of one’s opinions.
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if you are well balanced(able withstand force from any/all 8 directions) & hav total control over each&every step, then u are better than taiji master. But if u fall, then u r limited by the speed of gravity, hav little control over each step, & thus little power stability & acurracy.
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human body is a body. An idiot would move his arm by his arm & foot by the foot forgetin about his body thus creatin instability. The body should move as a body thus creatin stability+intrinsic power that is many times greater than any hard brute strength
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if u hav total stability(can withstand any force from 8 directions), total control & internal power over each step, then u r better than taiji masters & i would gladly come to study under you. but if u lean/wobble/fall, then u r bound by gravity, hav almost no stability, thus no control or real power. Such a movement can NOT be considered walking but rather a limited ‘control falling’.
this is the reason why no judo/jujitsu moves work on a real taiji master
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good stuff
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He reminds me to ‘uncle Iroh’ from avatar…=3
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This was quite helpful. It’s amazing how easy it is to miss something as simple as this.
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This is like the basic training of traditional Wu’s Tai chi.
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I like this man, I must listen to him talk for hours.
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depending on how you walk and carry yourself you could be weakening yourself instead of growing and becoming stronger.
most people with poor walking or posture habbits don’t even realize.
learn about your body and your true center of gravity.
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excellent video…
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