Turn the Waist More Than the Hips in Tai Chi, Xingyi and Bagua Movement
In the first internal martial arts school I enrolled in, the Dantien was talked about a lot. It was often referred to as the "One-Point." In our movements, if we were throwing a punch or kick, the teacher would sometimes shout, "Snap your One-Point!!"
What he meant was, snap the hips; turn the hips sharply and fast so your Dantien snaps with it.
It was later, when I trained with members of the Chen family and their students, that I learned why it is wrong to turn the hips so much.
For one thing, it kinks up your structure and moves you out of a centered stance.
If you look at a new student, it doesn't matter what martial art they have studied -- karate, TKD, wrestling, tai chi -- if I ask them to turn their waist, they always turn the hips. They will do it every time.The waist is NOT the hips.
Here is a little test you can do with nobody watching.
Keep your hips in place -- facing forward -- and without moving the hips, turn to reach...
Author - Instructor
Ken Gullette
I have practiced martial arts since 1973 and began studying the internal arts in 1987. My goal is to cut years off your development time by coaching you in the real skills for high-quality Tai Chi, Xingyi, Bagua. To see more about my bio, click the "About Ken" link on the menu at the top of this page.
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