steel arm

windwalker099

Master Black Belt

Steel Arm Leaning Method 5th Quanzhou Chen Zhonghua Taiji Lecture

Chen Zhonghua’s Steel Arm Leaning Method reminds me of Aikido’s unbendable arm demo.
Are they expressing the same internal principle, or just similar in appearance?
 
I'll show this sometimes to demonstrate a point about body mechanics. But after impressing the student with the initial demonstration, I immediately teach them the trick of how it's done. It generally doesn't take them longer than 30 seconds to learn.
 
I'll show this sometimes to demonstrate a point about body mechanics. But after impressing the student with the initial demonstration, I immediately teach them the trick of how it's done. It generally doesn't take them longer than 30 seconds to learn.



If one views it as a trick, it will remain just that, only a superficial gesture.

What takes 30 seconds to learn may take a lifetime to truly understand and apply. If someone sees it as a 'trick,' much like the finger pointing to the moon, they may miss the larger concept central to how the methods function as part of the whole.

The demonstrations, a small aspect of a much larger concept, one deeply rooted in the core principles of the style.
 
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If one views it as a trick, it will remain just that, only a superficial gesture.

What takes 30 seconds to learn may take a lifetime to truly understand and apply. If someone sees it as a 'trick,' much like the finger pointing to the moon, they may miss the larger concept central to how the methods function as part of the whole.

The demonstrations, a small aspect of a much larger concept, one deeply rooted in the core principles of the style.
The demonstration is a trick and an easy one to learn. But it’s worthwhile as an illustration of a concept that is applicable in many, more realistic, contexts.

Being able to actually apply the concept in a realistic combative context is much more difficult. Just like everything is in a realistic combative context.

I show my students how to do it themselves so they don’t get the idea that I’m some sort of magical chi master for being able to do something that seems impressive on first glance when you don’t know how it’s done. Then I explain what’s actually going on anatomically so they understand the underlying principle that they will want to apply in their ongoing practice.
 
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