Gilman Studio On-Line Lessons
Yang Style Long Form
Tai Chi Chuan
This Lesson Contains:
Movement # 75 – Single Whip
Another application for Single Whip. This one deals with two attacks from the opponent. First he punches with his right hand to my center. I neutralize this to the left and down and attempt an upper strike with the back of my right hook hand. He catches this and follows with a strike with his right hand again. I neutralize it to the left and follow with a strike with the back of my hook hand to his chin.
This is the final position for Wave Hands Like Clouds. I have stepped to the left, Warded Off, but have not brought in the right foot yet.
Yoshi approaches from the front. I move into center position. I am now ready to react to the threat.
The weight sinks deeper into the left foot/Kua. The torso turns slightly more to the left, which allows the left toe to pivot out (using the heel as the pivot point) to the left. It faces halfway between north and west. The right foot rolls up onto the toe.
The hands relax into center position.
Focus on the energy returning to the center.
Yoshi throws a punch with his right fist. I join, stick and lead it to the left, pressing down slightly.
Step straight forward (north) with the right heel just touching. The hands stay basically in center position.
Focus on the left palm.
I step in and attempt an upper cut to Yoshi’s chin with the back of my right hand. Yoshi retreats and catches my strike.
Shift the weight onto the right foot. The torso turns to face north.
As you shift, the left palm presses down and the right wrist rises straight up and makes a hook. The right hand ends up at the center of the body, at chin level. The left palm faces down by the left side of the hip. There is a strong connection between the up and down energies of the two hands.
Focus on the left palm for pressing down and the right wrist for striking up.
Yoshi redrew his right hand, then strikes again, this time to my face. I join and neutralize to the left.
Sinking deeper into the right leg, open the torso slightly to the left and step out the left heel, with the toe facing west. Be sure to step wide enough to the left in order to provide a solid break for your movement in that direction.
As you step, circle up the left hand, palm inward, to end by the left side of your upper body. Keep the elbows and shoulders relaxed. The right elbow keeps a bend in it.
Focus on the left wrist for joining and sticking and the right hand for sticking to Yoshi’s hand.
Note: You can’t see it in this picture, but I am sticking to Yoshi’s hand/wrist with my hook hand so he can’t attack me with it also. There is a feeling of expansion between my two arms.
I attack with my right wrist to Yoshi’s chin.
Shift the weight onto the left foot until the knee just covers the toe and as you do, turn the torso until it lines up with the knee and toe. You can see that the application and form pictures are different. Make sure to end up with everything facing west in the form.
The left arm moves with the torso to the left and ends in line with the left knee, palm rotates to face north. The right hook arm straightens and strikes outward to the north or slightly to the right of north.
Focus on the left hand grabbing the wrist and the right wrist striking outward. Keep the hand in the hook, which will make it easier to strike with the end of the forearm, not the hand bones.