Gilman Studio On-Line Lessons
Yang Style Long Form
Tai Chi Chuan
This Lesson Contains:
Movement # 69 – Fair Lady Works At Shuttles – Left
We continue on with Fair Lady. Here the opponent attacks with his right arm. I neutralize, close him up, open his center, and counter-attack. This is very similar to Movement # 64, only we don’t use Replace Step. We use the common Forward Step.
Yoshi attacks with his right arm and I neutralize it to the left.
Shift the weight back onto the left foot and pull up the right toe, keeping a bit of root in the right heel. As you do this, turn the torso to the left until it faces the direction the left toe is headed (slightly to the right of west).
As you draw back, the right arm drops straight down. The palm now faces down and is on the right side of the waist. The left also drops straight down and ends by the left side of the left hip.
Focus on the back of the right wrist/forearm for joining and sticking.
Note: As the attack came in, I moved back and turned to avoid the punch. At the same time I attached to his arm.
Yoshi was a bit forward so I circled his right arm clockwise across my body, closing him up.
At the end of the shifting back in the previous movement, turn the right toe out to head halfway between west and north. Now shift the weight onto this foot and roll up the left foot onto the toe, freeing up the left foot for blocking, kicking, or stepping. As you shift forward, turn the torso until the nose points to the right knee.
The right arm makes a clockwise circle in front of the body, ending with the palm face down by the right side of the chest. The left arm moved to the right with the torso. It guards the lower body and threatens the opponent. You are in center position.
Focus on the right hand for sticking and leading.
I now open Yoshi’s center.
At the end of the previous movement, I added a pull to the right and sank deeper into my right Kua. This disrupted Yoshi’s root and as he tried to escape, I followed his energy and opened him up to my attack.
Step forward with the left heel. The toe faces slightly to the left of west. Be careful to step wide enough to the left to provide a solid base of support for your coming attack and to seal the probable retreat of the opponent. As you can see in the picture, I have stepped behind Yoshi. The torso remains facing slightly to the right of west.
As you step, the left arm rises with the palm facing to the right. It ends slightly overhead. The left hand stays by the right side of the chest.
Focus on the left forearm for lifting.
I attack with a push or strike.
Shift the weight onto the left foot and turn the torso until the nose points to the left knee.
The right arm extends out to end with the palm on the right side of the center of the chest. Keep the elbow and shoulder soft.
The left arm softens. The palm turns to face outward. It is still slightly overhead.
Focus on the right palm for striking.
Note: There is a strong connection between the two hands at the end. The right is pushing outward and the left is pulling inward. This makes for a very strong, balanced release of force.