Gilman Studio On-Line Lessons
Yang Style
Tai Chi Dao/Saber/Broadsword
This Lesson Contains:
Movement # 33 – Dragon Jumps
This is a fun movement. The opponent attempts to cut my leg, I jump out of the way, change feet, and cut her arm. The pictures can’t show the jump, but hopefully I can give you an idea of how best to do it.
1) The opponent cuts toward my leg.
2) I am actually in the process of jumping. The first part of jumping is shifting weight onto the left foot to free up the right foot. Shifting back also gets my leg out of the way.
1) I have changed feet in mid air, and land on my right foot. The opponent’s saber has past my leg by and is now on my right side.
2) As I land, I cut downward on the opponent’s wrist.
Shifting the weight and getting the right leg out of the way.
Shift the weight onto the left foot and make sure to really sink into the right Kua in order to jump.
The right saber hand is going to make a large swinging motion on the right side of the body. If you look right, the circle of the saber is counterclockwise. Here it has circled from lower right, up and to the rear, and ends by the right shoulder. Don’t hold the saber to tightly. It is held mostly with the thumb and index finger.
The left hand moves from the rear to the front of the left shoulder and faces forward.
Focus on getting the weight well into the right Kua.
Starting the jump.
After having shifted the weight onto the left foot, raise up the right leg. This is actually just part of the jump, but can be done in two parts.
First shift to the left foot, raise up the right leg, spring upward, and come down on the right foot. Practice jumping up and changing landing foot until it comes naturally and easily.
The arms remain basically the same.
Focus on sinking into the left Kua for a good spring.
Landing on the right leg after jumping.
Spring upward off the left leg and land on the right leg. Keep the left knee up upon landing. Keep some flex in the right leg when you land. The right foot lands with the toe facing halfway between south and east. The torso faces east.
The hands don’t change.
Focus on a good solid jump and a soft landing on the right foot.
Cutting the forearm.
Touch down the left toe into empty stance. The left toe faces east and the right toe faces halfway between south and east. The torso faces east.
As you touch down the left toe, the saber cuts down. The right hand ends by the right waist. The left palm pressed out, as in Repulse Monkey. All these actions happen at the same time.
Focus on the saber cutting edge.