Yilu Observations

One of the things I focus on recently is whether I am backloading on my rear foot in stances such as single whip (left side forward) and six sealings four closings (right side forward). I noticed this morning that my right side forward stance was done better. The rear kua should be lower than the front kua. As I tried to adjust my left side forward stance, I found a way that I could fix my problem. When I stretched the part behind the knee along the back of the rear leg, it helped put my rear kua at the correct position. I remembered that Master Chen mentioned something liked that in how we should push the middle joint in a bi-folding door. By doing so, I also felt a stronger connection between the front hand and the rear foot. I realized when I kept reproducing that stretch feeling, my rear kua would be in the correct position. I also realized that this feeling was mine and only mine, it helped me to reproduce what I wanted according to the rules and restrictions. Others, however, should not be looking for it, and feeling is an abstract thing and difficult to describe, and can easily mislead people. Everyone should practice according to the rules and restrictions. As I do my 5 yilu per day routine, I can see how it will improve my yilu over time.

Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method - Toronto Beginner Class

http://practicalmethod.com/lang/en/2011/09/chen-style-taijiquan-practical-method-toronto-beginner-class/

Master Chen's Challenge - 25 Yilus per day

In the last Toronto workshop (Sep 22-25, 2011), he told us to do 25 yilus per day. Since the Nov 12, 2011 competition is coming up, Allan, Nick and I agree to push ourselves to do yilus every day. We each set our own goals (# of yilus per day), we will see who completes the said goal by Nov 11, 2011.

25 yilus per day is quite far fetched for me at this point as it takes me about an hour to do 5 yilus. I can't find 5 hours to practice each day, and I am not physically fit enough to do that many at the moment, but I'll get there some day.

So far, since Sep 28, 2011, I have been doing 5 yilus per day. I hope that the daily routine adjustment can stay, and I can keep doing this as I know for certain that this will help me improve.

Taiji TV Series

電視:東南西北太極人 (Mandarin only)

http://v.taiji.net.cn/special_info.php?id=89

Different Taiji Styles (CCTV series)

http://www.youtube.com/user/leejack666#g/c/547B3B2B77482C9C

Pushing hand with someone who just passed by

Today, I practiced at Bayview Hill Community Centre. Someone who passed by where I practiced asked if we could push hands. He said he hadn't done it for a year of so. We started with one-hand push hand, I noticed he was expecting us to go back and forth. I normally don't practice that way, I actually wasn't sure what I was supposed to do, and I just put my hand up, and didn't move much while he was trying to push it somehow. I did notice that my upper arm and shoulder muscles got tired and sore. I asked if we could just do the free-style moving step push hands, and then we started doing that. No one fell down or anything like that. I tried to move in, but I wasn't able to as his hands were just moving all the time. I was distracted by them. He pushed me a few times quite hard in a straight forward fashion, and I was pushed backward a bit. I felt that I was able to brush him off sideways once, and that was it. I tried to get under him, but wasn't successful. I was happy that he was more out of breath than I was at the end.

Kelvin's Yilu on May 4, 2011