Establish and Maintain Ground Force Path: A Beginner's Notes

 

"Rule One:  Stand Up! Warm up. Then do your Taijiquan."
- Mike Garofalo, 2000

Establish and Maintain Ground Force Path: 
A Beginner's Notes 

By Michael P. Garofalo

Ongoing From: September 9, 2022 - 

Interpretation and Skill #1. Sink, Root, Settle, Transfer, Dissolve

You use and apply a technique: gradually loosening some muscles, sinking the entire body, going lower and lower relative to incoming outsides forces, e.g., somebody in front of you slipping and falling into you.  Maintain your balance.  Don't stumble.  Absorbing and deflecting incoming forces down, down, down ... into the LEGS (glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, ankles, feet, shoes, into the Earth or hard floor below your shoes/feet).  Allow the incoming force to flow down and through your body into the Earth.  Imagine some aspect of your body's somatic or perceptual or your mind's flights of fancy being released downward into the Earth.  Root your feet into the Earth!  Brace yourself.  Stand loose, sink, allow and draw into the ground, being as uncannily strong and tough as needed.  

Exercise 1.  Isometric Posture Work: Single Whip

Hold a posture for 1 minute, without strain.  For example, assume the Chen Taijiquan Single Whip posture.  Then, hold still, and do this Single Whip isometric exercise for 1 minute.  As the weeks and months of daily practice of Single Whip change your body, you can add multiple 1-2 minute intervals in this isometric pose each day.  Make increases slowly!  
Interpretation and Skill #1. Sink, Root, Settle, Transfer, Dissolve

Here is Master Chen Xiaowang's Chen Taijiquan Single Whip:  

This Single Whip landing point posture, which you hold still for 1 minute minimum, looks nearly the same as Hatha Yoga's Warrior II (Virabhadrasana - the Distinguished  Hero). The movement sequence for this Chen Taijiquan Single Whip looks like:

In position 5e of Single Whip, the weight is 65L bent/35R straight.  Enjoy being settled, erect confident, loose, ready, strong, aware, seemingly unmovable, balanced, a bit stubborn, rooted into the Earth, a somatic potential of coiled energy ready to uncoil as Peng Jin!  

Or, HOLD STILL in the posture of Fair Lady Works Her Shuttles, or Standing Post, or San Ti Shi, or Brush Knee, or Tadasana ...

for 1 minute or longer each day.  Increase dosage slowly over time.  Sink your body-weight downward into the Earth.  Your feet are strong, sturdy, flexible absorbers. Try to use less effort.  Get loose and settle in 'balanced bliss' until you start to stress and strain and sweat from this effective traditional isometric exercise.  

Rest in peace: the Blond Bomber, Dave Draper; the Italian Chiropractor Strongman, Franco Columbo.
These guys could let heavy squat loads sink into the Earth.  Absorbing these intense downward forces, reeving up their engines, coiling up, then exploding fa jin, lifting till they Stood up Again.

Kung Fu theorists and practitioners emphasize staying balanced, centered, in control appropriate to circumstances, calm, focused.  We allow our life's events to flow more peacefully, smoothly, and happily.  We utilize practical coping, useful support, and toughening tactics.

I once read The Warriors of Stillness by Jan Dierperspot circa 1980, 240 pages.  These Qigong (Daoyin) practitioners would gather together in Walnut Creek, CA, in the SanFran/Oakland region, and hold static postures for long periods of time in silence.  This was rigorous isometric exercising.  Connecting with the Earth, grounding and centering, imagining being as tough and still as a Post in the Ground.  

I sat on the ground, in Half-Lotus, circa 1986, empty-minded (Zaowang), moving little, staying awake, and listening.  After an hour, the Chan Buddhist Retreat bell sounded.  We then all stood up and walked slowly in a circle - Kinshin.  Not, however, circle walking like in bagua-zhang internal martial arts.

We earthly beings are under the constant press and pull of Gravity.  We swim in an invisible sea of Gravity.  Walk up and down steps and you can feel Gravity.  Just standing or walking in some way defies Gravity.  You have better pay close attention to Gravity - or Else!  Gravity can smash you on the Ground!!!  

Read the book The Longevity Plan by John D. Day, M.D.  Find new ways to Get Grounded, Get Down to Earth, Embracing Mother Earth.  Set down some positive community roots down where you live.  Use positive images and thoughts to enhance your balanced, centered, resilient, strong, healthy lifestyle.  Share with others.  

Two Person Playing Options 
Interpretation and Skill #1. Sink, Root, Settle, Transfer, Dissolve

Person 1  Hold a posture, e.g., Single Whip or Brush Knee.  Ground Yourself.  Establish and Maintain the Ground Force Path. Settle into the Earth.  Transfer and dissolve incoming energies downward into the Foundation of the Earth in our everyday ocean of Gravity.  Observe. Sense.  

Person 2  Gently pushes you to try to force you off-balance. Safely use more pushing force to move Person 1 off their center, to uproot them.  Observe.  Sense.  

Push Hands Two Person Exercises, both Standing and Moving
Trying to uproot each other, deflect incoming energies.  

Interpretation and Skill #2.