Training Tip #2

The Basic Components of "Standing Posture" Practice

by Mike Sigman

Standing Posture practice uses peng (see last issue) and connection and the mind-intent to strengthen the body around the parameters which comprise the unique system of the physical side of "internal strength." Absolute relaxation is used while peng and whole-body connection are maintained. To the outside observer it may look like the practitioner is doing nothing more than maintaining a posture, but more is involved. Look at the examples.

1. In the first example, the relaxed body structure is propagating the ground's strength (peng) through the body to the arms, as if a force were impinging on the forearms. Such a force would be conveyed through the relaxedly compressed body structure to the ground.
2. In the second example, "connection" is being trained in a posture which somewhat resembles the first example. In this case, peng is being maintained, but "connection" is conveying the body's weight to the hands, through the relaxed "tying" process (see How To in this issue).
3. In the third example, peng is again being propagated, but because of the lowness of the arms, it is mechanically more efficient to project the peng vector from the ground, through the hips, and directly (and artificially) into the arms from the hips. Because this projection of peng depends upon the strengths of the back and shoulder structures, it can easily lead a beginner into the use of shoulder muscles instead of peng. This is commonly seen. More time should have been spent in postures of the first type.

"Contradictory Strength"

As a supplement to the structural and connective skills, there are also body relationships which use antagonistic muscular and muscular-skeletal relationships. We will be taking a brief look at these in the next issue.

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