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Top Force with The Neck Empty

太極拳　虛領頂勁 虛靈頂勁 虚领顶劲 虚灵顶劲
Taijiquan
Top Force with The Neck Empty

（虚領頂勁 虚霊頂勁 虛領頂勁 虛靈頂勁 虚领顶劲 虚灵顶劲）

In the sports world, there is the word of “entering the zone”.

What does it mean? If you enter the zone, you can drive your best performance.  In this state, relaxing and tense are living together, and your concentration is peak. You are in mysterious state.

 

Traditional theory in Taijiquan tells us an importance of “Top force with the neck empty (虛領頂勁)”.

Today, I would like to explain the relation between “Top force with the neck empty” and “entering the zone”.

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Horse Patrol Stands High

太極拳　高探馬　太极拳 高探马
Taijiquan Horse Patrol Stands High 1

“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.

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Heel Kick

太極拳　蹬脚 太极拳
Taijiquan Heel Kick 1

Heel Kick (蹬脚)

Generally speaking, people who are doing Taijiquan seem to be not good at kicking.  I often see the kick that the direction of power is not focused when kicking with a toe or with a heel.

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Step Forward Parry Block and Punch

太極拳　進步搬攔捶 太极拳
Taijiquan Step Forward Parry Block and Punch 2

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.

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The three tips align with each other

太極拳　三尖相照
Taijiquan
The three tips align with each other 1

“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.

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