Cannon Fist Complete

I started learning cannon fist through the detailed cannon fist instructional video about a year ago, and had been working on it on and off. I probably had watched the moves in the first half of the routine multiple times as I had not been constantly practiced what I learned. Every time I tried to pick it up again, I would watch the video from the beginning again. So I never seemed to be able to finish it. Today, I finally finished learning the cannon fist choreography and completed 9 times of the routine.

Notes for Bypass Strong Point Online Video

http://practicalmethod.com/2014/09/bypass-strong-point-online-video-trailer/

I have heard phrases like "go around it", "3-way split", "trust the system" multiple times in Master Chen Zhonghua's workshops and videos before, but I am enlightened by this particular video. It is such a gem. No one should miss this.

Notes:

1. 2:10 - We can understand how a lever works, but to make it work in the body is highly difficult. I have trouble recognizing the lever, needless to say to use it.
2. 2:30 to 3:35 - Find the strongest point, go around it.
3. 5:45 - Master Chen Zhonghua talked about that we had to reverse our thinking. He emphasized this over and over in his teachings. The participant was saying that Master Chen controlled the powering point, in contrary, Master Chen moved everything else but the powering point, and that caused the participant to forget about the powering point. Master Chen used the powering point and did not control it. The result might seem to the participant that it was controlled.
4. 6:55 to 8:00 - We don't look for the point, we triangulate. I look up what triangulation means, it means if we have one side and two angles for both ends of the line, we can locate the third point of a triangle. Master Chen said he didn't need to look for the (third) point, he just needed to perform the demonstrated action, one point went here, the other point went the opposition direction, the third point had to be there. The fact that people looked for the point, it was the reason taiji was lost. The opponent would not be standing still to let us find the point, something must be done by us to cause the point to appear.
   
   With the A-B-C triangle in this diagram, A and C are the two points that are being moved in opposite directions along the A-C line, B is located through triangulation because it is connected to both A and C physically. In Master Chen's demo at 6:55, the participant's right hand was point C while the participant's right foot was point A, and point B (the dot) was created somewhere at the participant's waist, and it would come to the A-C line.
5. 10:15 - We need to trust the system. The form and foundations are the methods. We need to build confidence in the system, such as that we will keep using it and make our actions better and better.
6. 11:24 - Master Chen drew the above diagram in the air explaining 3-way split.
7. 11:49 - Each part can only do its designed job. It cannot go into another place. A, B, and C each has its own job.

Notes for Two Lines and Stretch Online Video

http://practicalmethod.com/2014/08/two-lines-and-stretch-online-video-trailer/

Notes:

1. Develop two different channels/paths for the incoming and outgoing energies. That is separation of yin and yang, which must happen at the same time. It is not yin and yang when you have one path coming in and then one path going out. Two paths must exist at the same time.
2. The two paths are developed by stretching outside of the arm at a time while keep the inside of the arm fixed, and vice versa.
3. For a stretch to happen, there must be a fixed point. We first practice by keeping one point fixed, and another point moving. The non-moving and moving parts are yin and yang. We must eventually be able to stretch with any part of the body at any time. At higher level, two points can go in opposite direction on the same line. When you can stretch while your opponent is moving, it is said that you know how to fight.
4. We don't necessarily need to train every part. Once we truly know how to do it with one part, we will know how to do it for any other part.
5. Grandmaster Chen Fake used to put his hands inside his sleeves and continuously practice the stretch of the fingers from the elbow. Master Chen Zhonghua demonstrated that when he stretched his fingers, his hand would come out of the sleeves by a little bit.