EightEnergies
From Simreal
The Eight Energies
6 Nov 2005 - added Chuck's notes
Ward-off
- sky, Peng
- 3 yang yao
- A strong springiness. Like sitting on a large ball that bounces you off; if you push it in, it reacts and does not let you force through to its center. You react like a large beach ball and never let the opponent find or reach your center.
Pull-Back
- earth, Lu
- 3 yin yao
- Yielding, softness. It never opposes. It can control a force of 1000 pounds with 4 ounces. It is like a bullfighter who cannot oppose the bullís power directly, but yields and side-steps, though in Lu you maintain contact. Generally before you apply Lu, you apply Peng for an instant, causing the opponent to apply force.
Press
- water, Chi
- a yang yao between two yin yao
- Like peng energy, but concentrated. The hand, arm, shoulder, or back is used to first stick to your opponent, and then press before the opponent has a chance to move. This energy, like water, is deceptive, because it looks soft and yielding, but its inner essence is dangerous (e.g., water eroding rock). The attributes of water characterize Tai-Chi Chuan in general. Chi is the energy that most completely expresses the nature of water. Therefore it is executed like water entering a crack in a rock in its path; it sticks to the rockís outer surface first, then sinks into the rock to destroy it. Press, or Chi, is the main action in fixed-step Push-hands, which has the four postures, ward-off, roll-back, push, and press.
Push
- fire, An
- a yin yao between two yang yao
- Like fire, this energy is very aggressive; the heat extends outward and the flames reach upward; like fire, it searches (for the opponentís center) and moves in aggressively. In the trigram, the two Yang-Yao suggest two forces impacting each other, but the inner Yin-Yao represents yielding. When an opponent has greater force/strength, An is applied, so that if one first applies force (Yang-Yao) and finds that the opponentís force is greater than yours, you must then yield or relax for just a fraction of a second (Yin-Yao); if the opponent is off balance or overextended, he/she will try to regain equilibrium, and you can take advantage of that moment to apply the final force (Yang-Yao). Timing is a key. Arms should not extend beyond oneís knees; awkward, abrupt force should be avoided.
Grabbing (pull-down)
- wind, Tsai
- two yang yao over a yin yao
- "The wind does not blow only in one direction, but changes direction easily. It moves flexible leaves of the tree but goes around the solid tree trunk." The trigram indicates that the foundation is free-floating; "the posture cannot be fixed into a category of Yin or Yang. Therefore, when oneís opponent approaches with force, one responds by pulling down in a Yang fashion. If the opponent only follows oneís movement, however, one yields by guiding the opposing force away from oneís own body, abandoning the use of Tsai and thereby avoiding the possibility of a counterattack." One application is if the opponent tries a groin/crotch punchñgrasp the opponentís wrist and arm and pull his or her body force downwards to your side. "The sudden pull-down movement has the power to shock the opponent, disrupting concentration and balance."
Amy once explained this by saying that you should feel as if all of your energy, Chi, is dropping suddenly in your body, as if you pulled a plug and it all drains downward.
In using a Tsai posture, be balanced, sinking down on the legs, with elbows sinking, waist and shoulders relaxed, to let the Chi travel to the Tan-Tien; do not rely only on the strength in your arms. Tsai is usually followed with a push or press attack.
Breaking (splitting)
- thunder, Lieh ("Leeuh")
- two yin yao over a yang yao
- The thunder sign suggests a "roaring, tumbling and strapping strength. Two Yin-Yao press down on one Yang-Yao. The Yang-Yao becomes angry as a result of this pressure and reacts with a violent determination to break through and shatter the Yin-Yao. The Yin-Yao takes its own initiative and, like thunder, unexpectedly rumbles with rage." (??) Lieh should include use of waist and legs as well as arms.
Sifu said this energy is shown in slant-flying application. Also, I think, in the repulse monkey. Also, Sifu said, in the push-hand twist movement: when standing in a push-hand set-up, with your opponentís arm extended to his/her right, put your left hand in front of your opponentís right wrist, and your right hand behind your opponentís right elbow, then twist to your right to pull the opponent over. The book has a different example: grasp opponentís wrist and twist; then step behind the opponent, so he/she canít retreat; then push the opponentís chest so he/she falls backwards over your leg.
Elbowing
- lake, Zhou ("Joo")
- yin yao over two yang yao
- Using the elbow to "attack or jostle the opponent." The posture should "never be obvious to an observer." "The soft Yin-Yao rests on top and conceals the great force of the two hard Yang-Yao beneath." This posture is used when the opponent is very close, e.g., to the solar plexus ("This attack is considered particularly atrocious because it can kill.") Legs, waist, and awareness must be coordinated with elbow movementñuse the body as a total unit. Elbow should not extend beyond knee.
Shouldering
- mountain, Kao ("cow")
- yang yao over 2 yin yao
- Shoulder strike is used when very close. Step between opponentís legs; side of the pelvis and hip work in unison with shoulder strike. Keep body erect and donít lean the shoulder in.
Visualize a mountain, Sifu says, as you do the move.
