Gilman Studio On-Line Lessons
Yang Style
Tai Chi Dao/Saber/Broadsword
This Lesson Contains:
Movement # 13 – Press Forward Diagonally
A rather straightforward, simple movement. The opponent pokes towards my center. I neutralize it down and to my left, and move in with a pressing energy to her upper body.
The opponent pokes from the front.
1) I neutralize this poke down and to the left.
2) I step in and press the saber into her upper body.
Neutralize the poke down and to the left.
Shift the weight straight back onto the right foot and pull the left foot into empty stance.
The saber is brought down and at the same time, turns about parallel to the ground. The left hand joins with the saber blade about three quarters of the way down towards the end to give stability and strength. As the body retreats the saber is pulled towards the body and slightly to the left. If you have a training partner, have him or her poke towards your center and see if you can gently join and lead this incoming energy slightly to your left so the tip moves past you. Don’t knock this poke away. Join and lead.
Focus on joining and leading.
Pressing forward.
Step forward with the left foot and shift the weight onto the foot. Move forward till the knee just covers the toe. The body and toe face halfway between north and east.
The saber presses outward to end diagonally across the upper body. Don’t lock the elbows, but the arms are quite straight.
Focus on the saber edge pressing forward.
Note: Depending upon the distance, you might jump forward into this press to get closer to the target. When doing demonstrations, I often jump quite a ways forward for the fun of it. The jump also helps to get inside the opponent’s defenses once the saber tip passes your body.