Simpleffective Chi Kung Demo

[ChiDragon]

Please make some critical comments.

 

Edited August 20, 2011 by ChiDragon

[zerostao]

thanks for posting. some nice flow. when you are raising your hands(opening) you are doing it much higher than i do. so this is not a criticism, just a difference i notice. i raise mine up to about shoulder height. is there a reason your raise higher?

[ChiDragon]

thanks for posting. some nice flow. when you are raising your hands(opening) you are doing it much higher than i do. so this is not a criticism, just a difference i notice. i raise mine up to about shoulder height. is there a reason your raise higher?

 

Yes, the normal height for Tai Ji is at shoulder height. The reason I raise the hands straight up was to test the breathing level because I had met one person that cannot breathe with the hands in that position.

[thelerner]

Nice video. Well done with good instruction notes throughout.

 

I've noticed raising the hands higher seems to open a little bit more space in the upper lung.

[ChiDragon]

Nice video. Well done with good instruction notes throughout.

 

I've noticed raising the hands higher seems to open a little bit more space in the upper lung.

Thank you both.

 

Actually, it was causing the ribcage to lock up the lungs. The reason I said was because I had mentioned above. I had met one person raising his hands just a little above the shoulder his breathing stopped instantly. I figured that was the lungs were compress due to the ribcage moved inward with the hands in that position.

Edited August 20, 2011 by ChiDragon

[doc benway]

Than you very much for sharing this. It's a nice concept.

 

 

If you're open to constructive criticism, I'll offer some.

Some of these observations may appear subtle or overly critical but I think they're important, provided that your intention is to observe Taiji principles.

 

1. Starting hands - your step out with the left foot was heavy - no distinguishing full from empty. Raising the hands above the shoulder level tenses the shoulder muscles and restricts the breath. If you want to do breathing practice with the arms above the shoulders, I would suggest that you raise them and keep them there for several cycles rather than raising and lowering repeatedly. This allows the arm to settle in and the shoulder girdle to relax.

 

2. Lateral hands - too much inconsistency and disconnection between upper and lower. The waist and kua were not leading the upper body. The shifting of the weight relative to movement of the arms was not consistent and smooth.

 

3. Diagonal hands - again, I'd like to see a bit more waist and allow the hands and arms to follow more passively. Also, I wouldn't straighten the legs quite so much on rising. Keeping a bit more of a bend creates more fluidity and strength.

 

In general, in your side to side shifting of the weight you are pushing off with the full leg before bending the empty knee. This causes your dan tian to rise and fall. This violates an important Taijiquan principle and cause a loss of strength and rooting. There can be up and down, rising and sinking, if desired but it is important to bend the empty knee before pushing from the full. It allows you to stay rooted and prevents double weighting and improves song and flow. Overall, I'd like to see the arms more passive, the shoulders more song, and the waist and kua much more active. Finally, your stepping needs to be more mindful with proper distinction of full and empty.

 

I hope you take my criticism in the constructive spirit with which it is offered.

[ChiDragon]

Steve, thank you for your valuable unbiased comments. I must commence you on your knowledge of the fundamental principles of Tai Ji. You have the revealed the hidden Yin-Yang concept in your comments. You must have a good teacher and absorbed the concept well.

Yes, what you said about the no distinguishing full from empty is very true for a novice. For Tai Ji beginners, the practiced in slow movements, therefore, one can go from Yin to the extreme Yang. Another word, extreme Yang mean one has to go from low to high e.g. from low position to high position. At low level of practice, the hand has to go to the peak almost stopped before returned to the low position.

In the intermediate level, it was more dynamic, the movements do not have to go to the extreme before returning to the opposite direction. This may be considered to be the Yin is within Yang and Yang is within Yin. In the novice level, Yin is to Yang and Yang is to Yin.

Same thing with the foot work. As you had mentioned "your step out with the left foot was heavy". At higher level of practice you want the foot to be heavy to have a good foundation on the ground as analogous to tree with the root solid to the ground.

BTW That was kind of response I was expecting to be coming from the Tai Ji practitioners.

PS...
You may find some minor technical errors in the video because it was my first video. However, basically, the concept was there.

Edited October 13, 2013 by ChiDragon

[zerostao]

remember i am not a higher level. but i would echo steve's comment about

in the diagonal hands i am thinking the waist should be leading more.

i do applaud you for posting the video as i had asked for some taiji players on the

forum to post a simple video for world taiji day. there were no takers on that.

i hope that more members would post videos in the spirit that we could all

give constructive criticism. i think we all would benefit.

i should have a camera by the end of september and will put up a little of my clumsy bagua.

[ChiDragon]

Yes, I know what you guys are saying. I do accept it as a must at the novice level. However, when the body was in a dynamic mode, the gestures of the body should be more tolerable. Anyway, the purpose was to exercise the body holistically. I would considered that the gesture to be a little less significant. I just move in according with my body as natural as it allows me to do.

 

You might have noticed, when I moves, my whole body flow smoothly. I was not ashamed to be a little proud of that.

 

 

PS...

Sorry, for the BS.

[Friend]

Edited November 16, 2011 by Friend

[ChiDragon]

If you're open to constructive criticism, I'll offer some.

Some of these observations may appear subtle or overly critical but I think they're important, provided that your intention is to observe Taiji principles.

 

1. Starting hands - your step out with the left foot was heavy - no distinguishing full from empty. Raising the hands above the shoulder level tenses the shoulder muscles and restricts the breath. If you want to do breathing practice with the arms above the shoulders, I would suggest that you raise them and keep them there for several cycles rather than raising and lowering repeatedly. This allows the arm to settle in and the shoulder girdle to relax.

 

Thank you for your time and a good observation. I, also, appreciate that you are observing the Tai Ji principles and speak the Tai Ji language. However, a point of view from the beginning level was well accepted. If you have noticed the left foot was heavy, that means you are able to see the distinction between the primary and secondary levels. The terms you have used here, "full and empty" were reflecting your understanding of the Yin-Yang concept. The "full" was being hard or solid as the Yang attribute while "empty" was soft as the Yin attribute.

 

You are correct about raising the hands above the shoulder which restricting the breathing. This is a good test for one's ability to breathe. Remember, I had passed the primary level, therefore, breathing is not a problem issue in the secondary level. I had demonstrated that I can raise my hands as high as I can and still breathe efficiently.

 

I would suggest that you raise them and keep them there for several cycles rather than raising and lowering repeatedly.

 

If I follow your suggestion by raising my hands up for several cycles rather than raising and lowering repeatedly, then, this would be contradicting the principle of Tai Ji. Raising the hands is Yang and lowering is Yin. Hence, one must inhale and raise the hands to be Yang; and while lowering the hands and exhale to be Yin. This is the complete Yin-Yang cycle, by definition, in Tai Ji. If I have my hands in the airs and breathe several times, then it would not be Tai Ji. It is because the movements were not in sync with the breathing. At high level of Tai Ji, both breathing and the Jin in the muscles must be synchronized in order to Fa Jin. Otherwise, if there was no breath then there was no Jin.

Edited August 21, 2011 by ChiDragon

[doc benway]

If I follow your suggestion by raising my hands up for several cycles rather than raising and lowering repeatedly, then, this would be contradicting the principle of Tai Ji. Raising the hands is Yang and lowering is Yin. Hence, one must inhale and raise the hands to be Yang; and while lowering the hands and exhale to be Yin. This is the complete Yin-Yang cycle, by definition, in Tai Ji. If I have my hands in the airs and breathe several times, then it would not be Tai Ji. It is because the movements were not in sync with the breathing. At high level of Tai Ji, both breathing and the Jin in the muscles must be synchronized in order to Fa Jin. Otherwise, if there was no breath then there was no Jin.

We're discussing Qi Gong following Tai Ji principles, not Fa Jin.

One can still maintain Tai Ji and practice breathing with the arms overhead.

This is achieved in many ways - raise and lower on the toes, sway side to side, rotate side to side, raise and bend the knees, and so on.

I didn't mean that you would hold completely still.

This is a common component of multiple Qi Gong sets.

Nevertheless, if you feel the raising and lowering of the arms overhead works for you, please continue to use that.

I'm not an authority in Qi Gong, just offering some basic criticism as requested.

[ChiDragon]

Since somebody had mentioned Qi Gong following Tai Ji principles; and Tai Ji was my initial form of practice. I just wanted to share my part of understanding. I am only speaking for myself because others do have their own concepts. I think it's worthwhile to discuss the subtle difference between the two. Unfortunately, I know some of you do not agree that Qi Gong may or may not involve breathing. For discuss sake and those who do not agree, please bear with me. Otherwise, I cannot shared my thoughts.

 

Tai Ji is Qi Gong but Qi Qong is not necessarily Tai Ji. From this simple statement, one will see that breathing is something in common. However, there is a subtle difference also. Let's narrow it down. Based on my experience with Tai Ji and others as well, breathing was not emphasized at the beginning. The first thing taught in Tai Ji are the basic movements. From the continuous practice, the breathing spontaneously improving which it has an indication that the movements were guiding the breathing.

 

In Qi Gong, the first thing taught was breathing. Then have the slow movements follow the breathing. The movements of Qi Gong aren't as complicated as the sequential movements in Tai Ji. The movements of Qi Gong do not require to stand on one leg to support the weights of the whole body as Tai Ji does.

 

Both methods of Qi Gong, do develop a tremendous body strength. The body strength in high level of Tai Ji was referred as Jin(勁). There was no specific term for Jin in Qi Gong, sometimes, it was just referred as Chi.

[Informer]

Thanks for this demo ChiDragon.

 

Have you tried these movements while sitting? It seems to not make much of a difference if I am sitting or standing.

[ChiDragon]

Thanks for this demo ChiDragon.

 

Have you tried these movements while sitting? It seems to not make much of a difference if I am sitting or standing.

 

You welcome. Informer.

These movements are decided to exercise the whole body. However, it can be done while sitting down also; but obviously the legs are not being exercised.

[Informer]

O, well I thought it was for chi-flow, because that's what I feel, not really any muscles exercise.

 

I generally make waves with my hands and arms to get chi flowing.

 

Do you not feel the energy while practicing this? Are you considering it an aerobic workout?

 

What I was wanting to know is if you do feel energy while doing it, is there any difference in the energy standing vs sitting?

 

Thanks again

[Informer]

The reason I don't offer critique is because that there is no way for me to know how well the energy is flowing for you. Sure it could look more aesthetically pleasing, but really I don't see the point in impressing others, but only in doing what works best for the chi-flow.

 

If I don't feel any chi-flow I won't do it. If I find something that works better then I will switch to that, etc. Who cares how it looks really?

[ChiDragon]

O, well I thought it was for chi-flow, because that's what I feel, not really any muscles exercise.

 

I generally make waves with my hands and arms to get chi flowing.

 

1. Do you not feel the energy while practicing this?

2. Are you considering it an aerobic workout?

 

3. What I was wanting to know is if you do feel energy while doing it, is there any difference in the energy standing vs sitting?

 

Thanks again

 

Thank you for clarifying.

1. Yes, my body felt more energetic while in the standing position. Since I had done this for eight years. Even when I go for a walk, I felt the Chi flowing all over my body. It was just a great feeling.

 

2. It was completely different from aerobic workout because the speed of the breathing and movements are much slower than aerobic.

 

3. It makes a big difference in standing than sitting.

[Informer]

Thank you for clarifying.

1. Yes, my body felt more energetic while in the standing position. Since I had done this for eight years. Even when I go for a walk, I felt the Chi flowing all over my body. It was just a great feeling.

 

2. It was completely different from aerobic workout because the speed of the breathing and movements are much slower than aerobic.

 

3. It makes a big difference in standing than sitting.

 

Thank you for the quick reply.

 

1. Do you think it could be possible to have the same flow through sitting meditation?

 

2. Have you found love to also have the same characteristics as the energy you are feeling while doing the chi kung? Like are there certain movements that will promote that aspect as well?

 

"Even when I go for a walk, I felt the Chi flowing all over my body. It was just a great feeling."

 

I found that once practicing any of these long enough that it will become almost autonomous. Walking or sitting I think.

 

Thank you for replying

[ChiDragon]

The reason I don't offer critique is because that there is no way for me to know how well the energy is flowing for you. Sure it could look more aesthetically pleasing, but really I don't see the point in impressing others, but only in doing what works best for the chi-flow.

 

If I don't feel any chi-flow I won't do it. If I find something that works better then I will switch to that, etc. Who cares how it looks really?

 

Yes, I know what you are saying. One cannot take the work from another without trying it. Any method require a substantial time of practice to feel its efficacy. It cannot be done over night...!!

[Informer]

I think it is nice that you find things that work and share it freely! This is an admirable trait in my opinion.

[ChiDragon]

Thank you for the quick reply.

 

1. Do you think it could be possible to have the same flow through sitting meditation?

 

2. Have you found love to also have the same characteristics as the energy you are feeling while doing the chi kung? Like are there certain movements that will promote that aspect as well?

 

"Even when I go for a walk, I felt the Chi flowing all over my body. It was just a great feeling."

 

3. I found that once practicing any of these long enough that it will become almost autonomous. Walking or sitting I think.

 

Thank you for replying

 

1. Yes.

 

2. Yes, I have found that there was more than love in practicing Chi Kung. I found every movement and breath will promote that aspect as well.

 

3. Exactly.

 

You welcome and I thank you too.