The Five Step Path
Every Martial Art must have fundamental strategies and that define the art and differentiate it from others. That is not to say that the other arts do not contain these same strategies and methods but that they implement them differently with different emphasis and focus.
In Taijiquan we have the Five Step Path :
Mian – Softness
Nian – Sticking
Lian – Continuity
Sui – following, yielding
Bu dui Bu ding – don’t break, don’t force
These are the fundamental close quarter fighting strategies of Taijiquan. These strategies should be incorporated in all the training exercises and applications practice that we do. Pushing Hands (Tui Shou) gives us the training vehicle to practice these strategies. However it is insufficient just to practise Tui Shou as we must make the transition from distance to close combat, from the known to the unknown.
Softness is the child of relaxation, which means that we do nor tense the muscles or stiffen up. Stiffness and tenseness slows us down, relaxations enables us to react faster and move quicker.
Sticking means attaching to the attack thus preventing your opponent form making further attacks once you have nullified the original. A parallel can be seen in boxing where when the boxes are stuck together they can no longer hit each other.
Continuity is the flowing of one move into the next, smooth transitions from defence to attack and vice versa. It is the continuous changing attacks that you make once an advantage or opening has been made which will not stop until the fight is over.
Following and yielding require softness. When a a force is applied it is necessary to move with it. You avoid it when it is applied, you follow it when it withdraws. Yielding allows you to redirect force and so be able to stick to it.
We do not feet force directly with force. We apply the minimum force tangentially to be able to divert the attack. It is not possible to use no force, what we must do is use force intelligently.
Continity Training | |
Combining defence with counter punches and finishing techniques in a smooth continuous manner is the ultimate goal of the taijiquan fighter. The ability to do this will keep the opponent off-balance and unable to anticipate what the taiji exponent will do next. |
February 6, 2010 at 5:54 pm | Training | No comment
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