I have just started searching for examples of this movement on the internet and realised that among all the people doing Tai Chi out there I might just be the only one who would apply Cloud Hands the way I do. I have found different variations of the movement itself as well. This makes my writing about my version and its application a bit unfair as you will be missing out on some really elaborate applications. Now- how I always did this movement is starting from a posture like the Lute Playing posture like the picture below- or the Spread Wings posture like this: From either one of these ready postures I then rotate my front foot and let my body follow while my leading hand makes contact with an imaginary thrust and I then complete the rotation by passing the attack while I guide its force past me with minimal effort and my free hand follows the blocking hand to wind up for an outward strike. When the rotation and step is complete I shift weight ...
Hello, everyone. Today's post is old news to Taijiquan students, but if you study karate at your average Western dojo (Take note: average- I know there are teachers who go the extra mile) this stuff may be news to you. I don't know about you, but I find a tremendous amount of the classical teachings in the mythologies of Dragonball Z, martial arts films and stories. I am going to use these stories as examples to show where the forces of Yang and Yin work in our stances. Now- just so that we start off at the same place: In this context I am not going to talk about good and evil, light and dark and other irrelevant manifestations of this concept. The forces I am going to discuss are gravity as the Yin force and then - as the Yang Force- that force that resists it. The anti-gravity force... If you have watched Dragonball Z you'd know that Goku flies. This levitation phenomenon was often mentioned in classical tales in the Chinese martial arts world. Having ...
If you already have a couple of Karate matches behind you you may already have realsed what I am writing here. Some karateka who have been suffering at tournaments may actually find their lives a bit easier after reading this. Here it is- many of us get hurt at tournaments, because we landed a blow, but the referee and the judges just ignore it (because they are assholes- or got instructed by an asshole to do so- which would still make them assholes, I guess...) so the bout goes on longer and you end up getting hit. Any Karate sensei worth his salt will tell you to go into any bout with zanshin (continuing spirit) and that you should not let your alertness waver. This is very true and good advice. On top of that I can add- Do not trust anyone at a tournament. Not the referees and definitely not the other competitors... If you do land a blow do not relax and think your job is done. Stay alert and be ready for counters and keep attacking until the referee stops you. The refer...
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