Traditional Standing / Stepping Stakes

[grappling_mandala]

For those who know what they are I finished my set this week. I worked with Sifu Vendrell on how the geometry of three levels would integrate into an 8 directional grid. Also for the ba gua guys I think circle walking with ascending and descending steps is very interesting, although I do not know the palm changes of ba gua.

On the construction: there is just as much piling in the ground as what you see above. No wobble yet. Precise footwork is a must. On the transitions from lower to higher I notice the same feeling as a kick, which goes to show that a good step is a kick and a good kick is a step.

Push hands practice just got a LOT more interesting.

http://notes.technical-journal.com/gallery/album32

Thanks for looking, let me know what you think.

Dave Copeland

 

[East Winds]

Dave,

Most impressive!!!!! Are you willing to tell what the spacing is between the post centres?

Very best wishes

AListair Sutherland

 

[grappling_mandala]

The spacing is based on my personal "Wu Ji" distance from center to center of each foot. The interesting thing is geometrically, when I switch my stance from two posts side by side, to the diagonally related post, the stance changes from wu ji to more of a universal stance, with the feet a full foots width outside the shoulders, opening the gaite. Although it's a sublte change, when your doing Standing Stake this makes a big difference, and the geometric relationship of the posts seems to have done the work for me after I made the initial judgements for the wu ji distance. Like Wise the distance from one side to the other is my maximum stepping distance. I think there is soemthing to be said about "proportional harmonics" here.

Anyways, the base distance came out to about 21".

The more involved part was deciding the height differences. I decided on 10" increments which are just 1" more then the standard for stairs which I believe is 9". I worked this measurement by feel, 9" increments felt a little to low and I could cheat on my balance. With 10" I have to have all my weight on the stepping leg fully before I can lift my rear leg. This was important to me because I want to make sure that this tool is preventing me from being double weighted allowing full access to all 8 directions.

These are traditionally called Plum Blossom Poles or Moi Fah Jong.

Dave

 

[East Winds]

Dave,

Many thanks for your comprehensive reply. I assume when you talk about a Wuji step you are implying the length of the step you are able to take with an unweighted foot? When you step from post to post, do you step unweighted heel first and then transfer weight or do you step toe first and pull the weight forward. In other words do you push from the back foot (as in taijiquan) or pull from the front foot as in Bagua. What is the difference in body mechanics between stepping up and stepping down on the posts? Do you push hands with a partner whilst on the posts and how doesthis affect your posture when pushing from below or above?

Thanks for your input. I can clearly see how this would assist in any IMA training prgramme.

Very best wishes

Alistair Sutherland

 

[grappling_mandala]

"I assume when you talk about a Wuji
[*] step you are implying the length of the step you are able to take with an unweighted foot? "

*Wu Ji position or 'Sung' position or universal post or zham jong (pile standing) etc. Hips sunk + all other tai chi "rules" incl: Feet parallel; shoulder distance apart. Weight 50/50. To find it stand universal post till the burning stops. That is the distance of two parallel posts.

When four post of this distance are place in a square, a diagonal distance forms that is slightly longer than parallel distance. Strangely enough (actually geometry is quite precise) this distance is identical to the distance of the feet being placed outside the shoulders circle.

The parallel and the diagonal are like drawing a cross or drawing an X. When enlarged to all 9 posts, we see all 8 directions interacting. They ultimately both co-exist on the same plane, as all geometric isolations do; this one is all 90's and the other is all 45's which cut all the 90's in half.

Again when this X pattern roadmap is applied to the larger playing field (all 9 posts) specific pathways and circuits seem to form. (think footwork mobius strips) I have been a jiu jitsu player for 10 years and this criss cross pattern has formed and reformed in my practice, we are calling them X-Patterns while grappling, there is even an "X-Guard" now that makes use of two tension lines which related to each other by 90 and 45 degrees and require the use of all four hand / arm tools. ref: http://www.grapplearts.com/X-Guard.htm ) (Ignore what he is doing with his left hand, which is nothing) Some people call it the "velvet guard" because when you get swept by the x-pattern it feels so smooth.

I say that simply to cross apply for my own reference a truth that translates through "style".

"When you step from post to post, do you step unweighted heel first and then transfer weight or do you step toe first and pull the weight forward. "

Both. But let me say one thing here, no matter where I put my foot, I do not start to transfer weight until my foot is in a place I want to go to. It's placement, it's direction, etc. If I can only reach to the place I want to go with my toe, that is going to change the transition process of legs & hips, because naturally the toe is the antenna for the hip which leads to the arms. The circuit seems to works both ways from finger to toe as well.

Now what decides if I step with my heel or my toe? There are so many variables. When I'm turning a corner inside I step with my toe, when I'm turning a corner outside I step with my heel. When I am pulling into a position I step with my toe, when I am pushing into a position it seems to be heel.

What seems more important right now in solo practice is where my foot ends up to act as an antenna for my hips which is the center of gravity I am transitioning.

The smoother and more "seamless" I can make the foot placement and weight transition process the more fluid and dynamic my core is on the plum blossom posts. I have experienced direct performative results in bjj sparring with combining these 8 directions into alternating pendulum like circuits of hip movement.

So back to pushing or pulling into a step, I think heel and toe are a good way to look at this, but also stepping both up and down seems to shed light on the pushing or pulling of step mechanics; seeming to naturally amplify the horizontal step, with this ascending and descending step. It really reminds me of the saying that a step is a kick and a kick is a step, apples or oranges or translated truth?

If the heel is placed first the natural connection of foot to hip to arm changes so the weight transition is different than if it was toe first. I don't think either step is better, they are unified in the human organism.

On the posts when you reach around with one leg, depending on your hips angles (open/closed etc) some posts are within heel range, some posts are within toe range.

Open or Close the hips again and the ranges change to compliment a differnt set of steps.

And when stepping; some posts are withing heel range if you step into an archer stance, but within heel range if you side thrust kick and turn as you step into a horse stance. Some posts are at angles only reachable thru velocity because they are just a little to far to reach comfortably in stillness, but you can 'float' to comfortably when a nice cruising speed is reached with the hips.


"What is the difference in body mechanics between stepping up and stepping down on the posts?"

You can explore this yourself with some stairs. I placed the distance of the posts 9" apart in height. This may or may not be any type of "wu ji" distance or natural body harmonic for ascending or descending steps. Hold your leg up mid shin for a while, that's the step up; squat down on one leg for a while, knee to mid shin, that is the step down. On stairs place your foot without transitioning weight. On stairs you can pretty much do the same thing as this set of posts. It's just a little more dangerous. I been doing the first section of the tai chi form on stairs to learn more about how the 8 directions of movement apply to tai chi footwork.

Ramble mode off.

Dave Copeland

 

[7starmantis]

What are the heights of the "poles" out of the ground?

 

[grappling_mandala]

7*: Pilings are as follows: Low set 9" - Middle set 18" - Top set 27"

I based the heigth graduations on a normal stair. This may not be entirely right and I may be adjusting these numbers. But 9" comes up to mid calf, which is halfway between the floor and me knee... I'm going to be playing with how the heigth effects allignment of the legs this week and keep you posted. I have 4 left over pilings that I'm going to experiment with before I make any final changed in the whole arrangement.

Dave Copeland

PS_i'm not going to cut any off the posts, I'll be pulling them out and digging the wholes they sit in slightly deeper with the hole digger.

 

[East Winds]

Dave,

Many thanks for your very comprehensive reply. I now understand your term Wuji from my own Zhan Zhuang training. However in Traditional Yang Family Taijiquan, Wuji only occurs at the very beginning and very end of the form. We are never otherwise double weighted. Before the big bang in the universe, there was Wuji. It is really interesting to read about other "non traditional" training methods in Taijiquan. I think your training methods are both innovative and very worth while. My interest in your stepping method is generated from my own Taijiquan training where we "empty step" with heel, then place the toe and only then start to transfer the weight by bending the knee, pushing the waist and then upper body, arms wrists and then fingers. I can readily see how your posts would help develop this method of stepping. And yes I use stairs to help my stepping both ascending and descending.

Very best wishes with your training and I would certainly be interested in hearing how your method progresses and develops over time.

Kind regards

Alistair Sutherland

 

[grappling_mandala]

Alistair,

Yes that is how Sifu Vendrell has taught me how to make my steps in the Tai Chi form I am learning as well. Heel first. The most prominant thing i notice about this method is that it keeps the hips on an even plane and the legs "connected" to one another thru the whole transition. (when stepping on a flat horizontal plane).

If your doing Pile Standing (Zhan Zhuang) then we're probably on the same page about Wu Ji. Sifu Mike always starts every movement from "Wu Ji". Now when I spar, even in jiu jitsu, I start from wu ji. It makes the opening and closing movements of the tai chi form so much more prominant and magical! Everything originates from stillness.

My other comments about personal preferences and experiments regarding toe first or heel first are just that, my own insights, as I have been taught the "tai chi" form, it is heel first. I am still very much a student of tai chi, but after am realizing quickly I have much to learn from this form about basic body mechanics, many things are making sense after spending many thousands of hours on the mat practicing jiu jitsu, the principles of learning correct body mechanics thru stillness

Highest Regards,

David Copeland