Standing Fully on a Single Leg

"The Taichi Classics say that the proper root is in the foot.  A beginner can develop root by simply spending three to five minutes, morning and night, standing fully on a single leg.  Alternate legs and gradually increase the time as you sink lower.  This 'bitter work' not only develops a root, it stimulates the cardiovascular system, with benefits the brain.  It is essential that your ch'i sinks to the tan-t'ien, both feet adhere to the floor, and you exert absolutely no force.  When practicing this Standing Posture, you may assist your balance by lightly touching a chair or table with the middle and index fingers.  After a while us only the middle finger.  When you can stand unassisted, you my choose either the Lift Hands Posture or Playing the Guitar Posture to continue your practice.  Do not fear bitter work.  If you do you will never progress."

-  Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing, New Method of Taichi Ch'uan Self-Cultivation, 1965, 1999, p. 11  

Practitioners might also do the Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg Posture or the White Stork Spreads Its Wings Posture.

Standing on one leg, holding static poses, is also a common practice in Hatha Yoga, e.g., Tree Pose, Vriksasana. 

Standing Meditation

You stand on one leg.  You can hold the arms in a variety of positions.  I suppose you could even hold weights in the hands.  You can hold the lifted leg in a variety of positions.  There are many possibilities for different static postures. You could use a cane or staff to help with balance.  You "can develop root by simply spending three to five minutes, morning and night, standing fully on a single leg."  


Effectively Using Rooting, Sinking, Centered, and Vertical Forces in Taijiquan


Effectively Using Rotating, Spiraling, Spinning, and Circular Forces in Taijiquan

Falling Down, Then Sitting

I was cheerfully and energetically walking with my dog, Bruno, on Sunday morning (9/10).  The weather was cool and overcast, almost foggy. We both had spirit and liveliness in our quick walking pace. The evergreen pines were impressive borders to our morning jaunt, and many deciduous shrubs and trees added a few autumn colors to delight our views.  

Suddenly, a large black cat jumped out from some shrubs and scrambled directly in front of our path.  Bruno, predictably, lunged in pursuit of his longstanding DNA enemy. I gathered my strength and balance and controlled his aggressiveness via the leash. We walked another ten feet.  Then Bruno suddenly turned in front of me and ran into my legs. I quickly lost my balance and fell forward on to the asphalt street.

I injured my left knee, right hand, right shoulder, and overall sense of well-being.  Blood dripped from my hand and bruised knee. I slowly assessed the damage, and gradually returned to standing, supported by my cane.  We slowly and carefully walked back home.

Karen helped me bandage and treat my wounds.  I applied ice to my bruised knee. I rested and hoped for the best.

I had a scheduled a yurt camping trip to Pacific Beach State Park on the Southwestern Washington Pacific coast, from 9/11-9/14. I was quite disappointed that I could not go camping because of my leg injuries from the Sunday fall.  I lost the $150.00 I had spent on the Yurt reservations.

Now, for three days, I have been sitting, resting, doing some gentle massage and rehab movements for my bruised knee, icing, and reading.

Multiple injuries to my right hand, and arthritis, have resulted in permanent impairment, pain, and weakness in my dominant right hand. 

Injuries to my legs have resulted in fewer problems and more rapid recovery.  

I've been reading many books on 20th Century history.  I particularly enjoyed "The Existentialist Café: Freedom, Being, and Apricot Cocktails" by Sarah Bakewell. The extreme challenges and choices of Europeans living from 1910-1960 are very disturbing to read about. Bakewell tells the story via the lives of many French and German intellectuals of that era. Eric Hobsbawn's "The Age of Extremes: A History of the World, 1914-1991" chronicles the influences of socialism, fascism, communism, capitalism, and the devastating Wars, and the Cold War, during that time period. 

I had anticipated adding reports, photographs, and poems about my yurt camping trip to Pacific Beach after I returned on Thursday (9/14). 

In the remaining three months ahead in 2023, I have scheduled Yurt camping beach trips to Nehalem Bay, Grayland, and Cape Lookout. Each month, I yurt camp four days and three nights at a State Park along the ocean shores. Hopefully, I will be physically able to enjoy these local adventures and retreats to the Pacific Coast in 2023 and 2024.

Lake Quinault

Ocean Shores State Park

Memories of Pacific Coast Places: Highway 101 and 1

Reports from Yurt Camping Retreats at the Ocean from 2021

Yurt Camping

Limping Towards Recovery

I was making steady progress on recovery from my cryo-balloon heart ablation on 2/2/2023.  I was walking for over 6,000 Steps per day, practicing my Taijiquan, and doing some light stretching.  

Last Sunday, while getting up carelessly and quickly from a 14 inch high low bench, I twisted my right leg.  Immediate Pain!  My right knee buckled and hurt, my hamstring hurt, my quadriceps hurt.  I could not walk without serious pain.  I was slowly limping around the house.  I began treatment: rest, ice, compression, gentle massage, elevation of my right leg.  Then, I sprained my right foot on Tuesday.  More pain, more limping, more discouragement.  

This is a rare series of leg injuries for me.  Very discouraging and disappointing setback to my normal exercise routines, and my heart recovery.  I've not injured my hamstrings or quadriceps since my baseball playing days when I was 40.  

I am now studying and implementing the recommendations for slow recovery found in the excellent book:

Built from Broken. A Science-Based Guide to Healing Painful Joints, Preventing Injuries, and Rebuilding Your Body. By Scott Hogan. Salt Wrap, 2021, index, reference, appendices, 341 pages. VSCL. 

Strength Training for Seniors

For Spiritual Encouragement, I am rereading and studying the valuable book:

Light on Life: The Yoga Journey to Wholeness, Inner Peace, and Ultimate FreedomBy B.K.S. Iyengar.  With John J. Evans and Douglas Abrams.  Rodale Books, 2005.  Index, 282 pages.  ISBN: 1594862486.  VSCL.  Contrary to some critics of popularized "gym" yoga, blaming Iyengar; his books reveal his spirituality through the practice of yoga postures, breath work, self-discipline, positive psychology, and meditation.  In short, Raja Yoga and Hatha Yoga combined.  

Spiritual Practices for Self-Transformation

How to Live a Good Life: Advice from Wise and Respected Persons

I checked out three books from the Fort Vancouver Regional Library System:  

Tibetan Yoga: Magic Movements of Body, Breath and Mind.  By Alejandro Chaoul.  This yoga practice requires instruction from a qualified teacher.  The book provides theory, ancient texts, and very brief descriptions of the movements.  There are no pictures or illustrations of the specific movements.  The use of shaking the body between movements, asanas, and postures are similar to Qigong systems.  For experienced Yogis.

Accessible Yoga: Poses and Practices for Every Body.  By Jivana Heyman.  Beginner's Yoga and for people with health problems.  Good photos to illustrated modified poses.  

Both books tended to stress the incompleteness and inadequacy of popular Western hatha yoga practice in gyms and yoga studios.  They take issue with the goals of flexibility and athleticism in common yoga; and, its not making yoga accessible to different body types or sub-cultures, or for those people seeking spiritual development via Yoga practices.  

In my view, different strokes for different folks.  I'm OK with slim, young, beautiful, athletic, Christian females doing rigorous 'gym' yoga; or, male lamas doing Tibetan yoga on three month retreats; or, old Bigger men, like me, seeking a modicum of fitness without injury via yoga and strength training.  Some folks are into the 'spiritual' dimensions of Raja Yoga, others not so much so.  Everyone benefits from these Yoga practices if they Practice Daily.  

I've been doing some light stretching using a chair or table for support.  

Chair Yoga: Sit, Stretch, and Strengthen Your Way toa Happier, Healthier You.  By Kristin McGee.  William Morrow, 2017. Index, 271 pages. Basic instruction in many exercises you can do while supporting yourself with a chair.  There are numerous books on the market for Chair Yoga.  For beginners and seniors needing alternatives.  VSCL. 

Yesterday, I felt comfortable and safe enough to resume walking, Taijiquan, and gentle stretching, and even some strength training.  I walked 3,400 Steps.  My goal is to walk over 3.500 to 5,000 Steps per day for the next five days.  

Lunge Exercise

The common exercise called the "lunge" is used in many fitness programs.  Basically, one leg is positioned forward with the knee bent and the front foot flat on the floor.  The forward knee joint should be positioned directly over the center of the foot.  The forward kneecap should not go past the toes or behind the heel.  

The back leg is extended and positioned behind the body.  The back foot may face forward, or to the side at up to a 45 degree angle.  The back knee may be slightly bent, or bent quite a bit and lowered down nearly to the floor, depending upon the strength and knee flexibility of the exerciser.   

The upper torso is kept erect and centered over the hips.  Look straight forward and keep the head lifted.  The arms and hands may take a variety of positions.  

The lunge exercise works the muscles of the thighs, buttocks. hip flexors and extensors, calves, lower back, and the hamstrings.  All lunges primarily strengthen the muscles of the front of the thigh (quadriceps).   

The lunge exercise is often performed using one's bodyweight alone; however, many athletes hold dumbells, kettlebells, or barbells in their hands as they step forward into the lunge position and then back to a standing position.  

Yoga uses many lunge postures:  Warrior poses (Virabhadrasana), Cresent Moon (Anjaneyasana), Equestrain (Ashwa Sanchalanasana), etc.  The Equestrian pose also stretches the illio psoas muscle in the back leg side.  

Tai Chi Chuan uses many forward lunge postures:  Parting the Wild Horses Mane, Brush Knee, Single Whip, Ward Off, Fair Lady Works the Shuttles, etc.; and side lunge postures: Lazily Tying the Coat, etc.

Taijiquan and yoga lunge poses often do not drop the back knee so low the ground, tend to keep the back leg straighter with the knee slightly bend, and the back foot at an angle.  This position is much safer for older persons.  Bodybuilders, weightlifters and younger active athletes tend to keep both feet facing forward, dip the back knee closer to the floor, and hold dumbbells in their hands. 

Lunge Exercises: Videos, How To, Safety Tips and More.  By Mike Behnken.