Yang Family Tai Chi Discussion Board

At the recent symposium in Nashville, I had the chance to experience some teaching of the Wu Family 16 movement form. It was a wonderful experience, but the shortness of the time left me with a few questions.

1. Is the length of the footwork fixed in the form? If so, it is also supposed to be fixed outside the form?

What I recall, but am not sure I understood correctly, was that the feet should be parallel, shoulder-width or one foot-length apart, and separated by a foot length front to back. The arrangement seemed to be that the heel of the front foot and the toes of the back foot would be on the corners of a square with each side one foot long. Is my understanding correct?

I can see that changing the length of the stride could have implications for the degree of the lean. How is this handled? How is it also handled in moving step, when the length of the stride and the angle of motion can vary? Is the length not so important then? Is it not so important to keep the feet parallel.

In the Association's form, the degree of the lean would presumably change, but this would probably have less of an impact on the open Yang Style stance than it would on a parallel stance. Where Yang Style is affected is in the impracticality of angling the back foot during the transitional Bow Stances. In effect, you end up using parallel footwork unless you are certain to end in a Bow Stance and have the freedom to step straight forward or straight back. If your partner angles off to one side or the other, your feet can end up transitioning through all sorts of angles. As for leaning, I more or less try to remain erect and lean only during certain applications as the circumstances seem to require it.

2. At the end of Parting the Wild Horses Mane, we were told to look at the lower hand that has the palm facing down, whereas in Yang Style we look toward the upper hand with the palm facing up. The rationale in Yang Style appears to be that the eyes and spirit should lead the expression of Jin in the dominant upper arm that is doing Ward Off. Does anyone know the rationale of the practice in Wu Style? Is a different type of energy envisioned?

3. Stepping forward from a leaning Bow Stance seemed to require moving the lower body forward and the head and upper body backward in order to return the body to an erect posture as the moving foot glided into position. Is this the correct feeling?

In the Association's form, we usually have a lean in a Bow Stance, but I have more of the feeling of my lower body catching up with my head and upper body. I have no feeling of a vertical pivot around my waist. I think this is because we usually have a slight lean during even transitional empty stances.

Any ideas or comments would be welcome.

Take care,
Audi

Audi,
Very good questions.
I hope someone can answer them for you as I would like to see the answers myself.

Bob

I am just a student but I will tell what I think is correct.
1)feet should be parallel about one foot width apart(feet should be under the ball joint at the top fo the femur). The lenght of the step depends of the strenght and flexibility of your legs and ankles.
2) I don't know why you look at the lower hand in wild horse. If I get a chance I will ask.
3) Wustyle has 100% weight separation so in the bow stance 100% of you weight is carried on the yang leg. When you step forward your center of gravity will not change. So as your leg goes forward your sholders and chest must move back. I find this very difficult. I hope this helps.

Xueshang Lan,

Thanks for responding.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">I am just a student but I will tell what I think is correct.</font>

Aren't we all students?

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Wustyle has 100% weight separation so in the bow stance 100% of you weight is carried on the yang leg.</font>

Now that you mention this separation, I remember having discussed this point before on this forum. I do not recall hearing any mention of relative weight at the Symposium, but it may be something I missed.

What in fact do you actually mean by 100% weight separation? Does this mean that your head and torso are not between your legs, left to right? If I am in a right bow stance, the only way I can keep my left foot unweighted is to have my head and torso slightly to the right of my foot, which means that right leg cannot be straight. Is that correct?

Take care,
Audi

100% weight means you can lift your yin leg without moving. Your yang (weight carrying) leg will be bent (bowed).Your center of gravity will be above the sole of your foot that carries the weight. So you are correct in that your head will not be centered between your feet but toward the weight carring side. Xuesheng lan

Audi,
I also did not hear any mention of the 100/0 weight seperation at the Symposium.
I was listening for it but did not at any time hear any of the presenters, either Ma Hailong or his daughter, mention this.
Did anyone else catch this while we were there or is there anyone with experience with the Ma Hailong school of Wu style that can clear this up for us?

Thanks,
Bob