Tips for Relaxing During Training

[gardawamtu1]

My wife and I just got back into MA after about a year's hiatus. Both of us have trained before, but one of the things we both need to do more of is relax during the training so we do not tighten up and make our movements static.

We both know that breathing is a key in this, and that we need to keep it loose, but reminders to simply "relax" tend to make especially my wife just more tense.

Any novel ideas out there to help us relax more effectively?

(We are starting out with Jun Fan Gung Fu and Kali/Escrima)

 

[JadecloudAlchemist]

Hi Gardawamtu1

There are many ways to relax the mind,body,breath all are interconnected.

A massage before class can allow the muscles to relax.
stretching and mediation before class can help relax.

Another method that can help is learning to sink.

People are top heavy which is why we have sayings lik carrying the weight on our shoulders. One method is sinking all that weight down which will help root you like a tree. Trees are heavier on the bottom roots and trunk and lighter on the top with branches and leaves and a bird or two.

With a person standing feet apart knees bent. Have a partner gently place the hands on the shoulders. The person should exhale paying attention to the hands on the shoulder and feel the shoulders sink down. The hands should then go on the chest again placing attention to the chest the person exhales and feels the chest sinking down.Then the hands are placed on Solar plexus and you start making your way down. You will notice the body is lowering naturally. This is a basic exercise for relaxing the body and learning how to sink it is part of the exercise Zhan Zhuang.

This video shows it but not the hands on partner practice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnck...C823CD89D&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=3

Anyway there is are alot of methods but one common theme remains:
Do not keep stiring the water in the glass or the dirt will never settle.
Means if you keep thinking relax you will be more tense you have to let things go.