In what manner to perform SNT?

[Aleem]

I can't go to class for another 4 weeks due to the fact that I'm in another city altogether, so I'm trying to practice my Siu Nim Tao...

I wanted to ask, what manner should I perform this in? Should I ONLY concentrate on slow movements? Should they be extremely relaxed? Or can I also practice the form with a "snap" to it?

Thanks for any advice,

Aleem

 

[Hung Fa Moose]

I would advise you to practice it they way your were taught. If you were taught to play it gently, do so. if you were taught to play is hard, do so. If with both elements of soft and hard, then that way. Once you have it down the way you were taught to play it, then you can freely play it in different ways.

In general though, I have seen SNT played with the combination of soft, slow movements (Wu Sau for example) and, with some hard, snap in it as well (such as the Vertical punches).

Steve

 

[Danny T]

I can't go to class for another 4 weeks due to the fact that I'm in another city altogether, so I'm trying to practice my Siu Nim Tao...

I wanted to ask, what manner should I perform this in? Should I ONLY concentrate on slow movements? Should they be extremely relaxed? Or can I also practice the form with a "snap" to it?

Thanks for any advice,

Aleem

Aleem, how much of the SNT do you know? Do you know only the movements or have you learned any of what the structures, positions, and movements are for? Take Taun Sao for example; is this a movement, structure, or position? What can it be used for? What are the different ways Taun is presented and why? What creates the Taun sao and why? It is the understanding of such aspects of the SNT which is important. Have you learned to feel what is happening to your body when performing the movements? What happens to your center of gravity when transitioning from one position to another? What happens to your center of gravity when breathing? When look at each position created within the SNT what happens to the body structure? Why palm up or palm down? Much is implied yet not shown within the form, do you know some of what is within the “little idea”.

The more you know of the SNT the more it will teach you. If you know little of what I am speaking of then may I suggest you work the form very very slowly and relaxed. Learn to feel what happens to your center of gravity as you transition from one movement into the next. Knowing the SNT is important however knowing what to feel for and what is implied within the movements and positions is far more important.
Work slowly, softly, and smoothly. Don’t work for speed, or power as yet work to feel and understand your body.

Danny T

 

[ed-swckf]

For the first section concentrate on your elbow position, keep your arms relaxed, later on once you have a grip on elbow position and structure combined with staying relaxed you can add elements of dynamic tension but for now keep it relaxed. You may find your shoulders tense up a little while you do it, consciously relax them and let all the tension go. Sink into your stance and make sure you are in it correctly, it will be a bit painful for longer periods of time but its good as you are building leg strength. Try to preform the first section as slowly as possible when you are on your own.


For the second section the emphasis is on a refined release of energy, in the last few inches. Still remain relaxed and once you have injected the energy briefly ensure you have relaxed again afterwards, do not remain tense and when you are releasing energy try not to stress your elbows. this section is preformed at a more brisk pace.

work on the ideas of the first two sections before moving onto the third as its essentially combining the ideas of elbow position and structure with the releasing of energy at a decent pace, the pace isn't ultimately important but the relaxation is and will feed back into reaction and speed later. The form is just a catolougue of techniques, each movement will have various applications and you can isolate a certain position out and drill it. I'm not going to get into applications here as it could go on forever.

I hope that was of some use aleem.