Gilman Studio On-Line Lessons
Yang Style Saber Application Form
Tai Chi Chuan
This Lesson Contains:
Salute The Partner
This is a preparatory movement. It resembles retreat To Ride The Tiger in the solo form. This, like all movements done solo, is done slowly and steadily.
Stand with your heels together, toes out at a 45-degree angle. Hold the saber in the left hand as described in the Saber Class – another of the on-line classes. Let the saber hang down by the side naturally. Concentrate on breathing into your Dantien. We will call this starting position direction north, so we can have a reference point as we do our movements.
The left hand rises straight up (it is actually going to be making a large clockwise circle in front of the body and will end up back where it started). As the hand starts to rise, the right foot rolls up on the toe in preparation for stepping back. The right hand remains relaxed.
Step back with the right toe, sinking the weight into the left Kua (hip area). Don’t just fall back onto the right foot. Always be sure to establish a root with the stepping foot before putting weight onto it. Be careful not to narrow the stance. The back foot should be at a 45-degree angle to the forward direction.
The left saber hand continues its circle and is now crossing the front of the upper chest. The right hand is starting to get energized in preparation for its coming up to the right side.
The torso is turning slightly to the right.
Shift the weight onto the right foot, turning the torso a bit more to the right and gather the energy into the right Kua.
The left saber hand continues its circle and is now starting to cross the lower body.
The right hand is starting up and around to the right front in a large counterclockwise circle, or arc.
You are now fully in Ding Bow Stance on Toe (Empty step. Refer to my Long Form Lesson on Stances if you are not sure about this stance). You have pulled in the left foot to just touch the toe, which faces north. The torso has turned back to the left and ends up facing north.
The left saber hand completes its circle and is now on the left side of the hip, slightly in front of the body, with some Peng Jing in it.
The right hand ends in the right front side of the body at face level. The palm faces forward and a bit to the right.
Gaze forward and relax. The body now has more chi than when the movement was started. We have blown up the inside, increased our concentration, gathered chi into the right Kua, and when working with a partner, offered him a salute.