Taijiquan, Back to the tradition
There are no martial arts without Jin (勁). What is a traditional Neijin (内勁)?
In Northern Chinese martial arts, “Stroking the wild horses mane (野馬分鬃)” is taught as a side strike with the backhand fist from the cross hands.
However, Tai Chi does not use a backhand fist, it is a strike with the backhand open palm.
Let’s explain.
Today’s topic is Middle Dantian.
If you just say “Dantian”, it is generally pointed out Low Dantian, which is located about 10 cm beneath the navel.
This is the center of energy and also the center of gravity of the body.
Stable movement with high efficiency can be done if setting the starting point of movement here.
Low Dantian is very famous as “Dantian”.
However, it seems that the existence of Middle Dantian is not well known.
This time, based on my martial arts experience, I would like to talk about Middle Dantian.
Cloud hands are Tai Chi (Taijiquan) essential movements.
There could not be Tai Chi without practicing the cloud hands.
Tai Chi uses the hands as touching sensors.
This is the Tai Chi fighting style.
“Grasp the Peacock’s Tail (攬雀尾)” is often compared with “Lazily Tying Coat (懶扎衣)” of Chen style Taijiquan, but these two are completely different techniques.
Grasp the Peacock’s Tail is a joint lock technique and it’s application is veiled. Let’s get started to explain what it is.
“Horse patrol stands high (高探馬)” is a technique to hit down with your right hand, with controlling the opponent with your left hand.
This technique itself is not special, very simple as many martial arts have this technique. But, it might be different in the point of view how to use the power of the backbone.
Let me explain.
“Sink the chest, raise the back (合胸抜背)” are the words that Taijiquan practitioners may commonly know. It is one of the important teachings so I would like to explain it in my own views.
Taijiquan warriors mainly use a palm to give the shock to the brain during fighting. However, there is also a technique of the fist attack that breaks bones.
“Step Forward Parry block and Punch (進步搬攔捶)” is a technique to throw the punch toward the center of the chest while blocking the opponent’s guard hand.
The chest plate is covered with thick muscles so that there is an image that it would be difficult to give the damage on it with punches.
However, there is no muscle in the center of the chest, you can attack the bone directly.
Let’s explain the details of the technique.
“Flash through Back (閃通背)” is a technique of counter attack with the palm strike.
Let me explain it.
“Reverse Reeling Forearm (倒卷肱)”is a technique to entangle the opponent punch with your hand to draw back, and hit back to their face with your palm hand.
“The three tips align with each other(三尖相照)” is one of the important teachings of traditional Chinese martial arts. However, I feel that its essence has not been known in general.
At the moment of hitting, the ground and the fist hitting point should be connected directly. In this reason, it is the rules of posture that must be taken. Let me explain it.