Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Notes for Clevenger Private Lesson Online Video

http://practicalmethod.com/2013/11/clevenger-private-lesson-online-video/

Notes:

  1. 4:42 - For the jump after Flash the Back, use the right leg to push your body like throwing a rock.
  2. 10:24 - High pad on horse: Get to the other side, and then push down.
  3. 11:05 - White Ape Presents Fruit: Master Chen explained the real intention of this move.
  4. 16:38 - Sweep with the heel, not the toe.

Friday, November 15, 2013

Light Sparring

Today, I went for the first time to a sparring event called Toronto Throwdown. The reason I wanted to go was to experience someone punching and kicking at me, and see how I would handle the situation. People there were nice, and respectful. The fighters could agree to a specific way to spar, and this format allowed the training to be progressive. This experience was very positive.  I could really see the potential of Practical Method.

Friday, November 8, 2013

Discovery during yilu practice

In the last few days, I am starting to feel a more solid fixed point at the kua. It seems to be important to keep that point fixed when moving other parts of the body, e.g. for touch blocking coat, while the right elbow-in of the positive circle, the left elbow-in of the negative circle, and the shovel-out of the right heel with a striaght knee all happen at the same time, the left kua needs to be fixed, and that seems to be made possible by creating a stick between the left kua and the left heel.  This discovery seems to be related the lower stance, which allows the frame of the body to be more rigid. Since the frame is more fixed, I can try to move the "inside" more. The lower stance at first seems to cause more muscle tension, as my body tries to keep it together by tightening the muscles. That has made yilu practice much more tiring. The same thing still happens with the first few yilus each day. However, after those several yilus, I am starting to experience that I can let the structure (bones) to take the load (weight of the body), and the fixed point at the kua becomes more apparent.