Bone Energy
Internal energy is known as bone energy as opposed to muscle energy. If you want to use internal energy, line up your bones. Keep in mind that between each bone and its neighbor is a joint. For maximum use of body dynamics and internal power, limit bending at the joints.
The elbow is the connecting joint for the upper arm and lower arm. The more you bend this joint, the more responsibility is placed on connecting tissues. The same is true of the wrist. Make sure to line up the lower part of the palm (actually the bottom of the forearm) with the object to be pushed. If you try to push with the fingers and upper part of the palm, the connective tissues of the hand will have to deal with the stress. It is very easy to pull the fingers backward and hold them back. There are so many effective martial moves that use the techniques of grabbing and twisting the fingers. Very painful.
A little study of how the body is constructed and connected goes a long way.
Go with the Flow
Saturday was World Tai Chi Day. An event was planned to take place on the Old City Dock in Port Townsend. Mother nature had other thoughts. It rained all the night before and continued, heavy, up to and through the time for the event. The other instructors connected to the Studio and I decided to go with the flow and stay indoors. The weather, this time of year, in Port Townsend is always iffy. Better luck next year.
Tai Chi Dao (Saber) Class
We will be starting our exploration of the saber. The plan is to take the First Saturday Workshop and use this time for basic learning. The first meeting will be May 5, from 1 to 4 PM at the Studio. Cost is $30. Should take about three workshops to complete. All students, no matter what their level or chosen form, can participate. We will also use the Friday 9 – 10 class time to review and refine, but that time is not necessary if you can’t make it.