Grand Deep Breathing and Push hands

 

Grand Deep Breathing (Dà Tiāo Xī) and Ward-

off, Roll-back, Pluck, and Push Techniques

Deep breathing (Dà Tiāo Xī) is one of the fundamental practices in Tai Chi and forms the foundation for push-hands (tuī shǒu). By practicing deep breathing, you can regulate your breath, promote smooth flow of qi (vital energy), and provide ample power for push-hands. Here's a step-by-step guide to practicing deep breathing:

Standing Stance:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, two feet parallel to each other, maintaining a relaxed and upright posture.
2. Let your arms hang naturally at your sides, palms facing backward, and gaze focused ahead.
3. Maintain overall relaxation, avoiding stiffness or tension.

Gradual Practice:

    Begin with basic movements and gradually increase the            difficulty as you progress.

Adjusting Breath:

1. Close your eyes and feel your inner breath and its harmonious flow.
2. Slowly open your eyes and inhale gently through your nose, visualizing the breath descending from your dantian (energy center in the lower abdomen) to the soles of your feet, then expanding into your chest cavity.
3. Exhale slowly through your nose, visualizing the breath rising from the soles of your feet, passing through the perineum, reaching the dantian, and ascending to Baihui (crown point on the head).

Intentional Guidance:

1. Coordinate your intention with your breath during each movement.
2. For instance, during inhalation, guide your intention downward as you raise your hands.
3. When rolling to the left, keep your intention on the right side, and vice versa.
4. During plucking, guide your intention upward while you pull your opponent downward, and during pressing, visualize the intention reaching the top of your head.
5. Imagine the expansion and contraction of a balloon, creating a sense of tension and release in all directions.

Waist and Hip Engagement:

1. The spiral in cross-hands (shí zì shǒu) is initiated by the rotation of the waist and hips.
2. During practice, focus on rotating your waist and hips accordingly.
3. For instance, when rotating your waist to the right, put your mind in the left; when rotating to the left, put your mind in the right; during plucking (cǎi) or pressing (àn) down, put your mind to the crown. 
4. Remember, the intent should be in the rotation, not solely in the movement.

Arm Coordination:

1. Coordinate your arms with the rotation of your waist and hips.
2. When warding-off, raise your arms in a spiral motion; when rolling, roll backward in a spiral; during plucking, pluck inward in a spiral; and when pushing, push downward in a spiral.

Practice Duration:

1. Dedicate 10-30 minutes daily to practice, preferably once in the morning and once in the evening.

Ward-off, Roll-back, Pluck, and Push Techniques

Building upon the foundation of deep breathing, you can practice the "peng, lu, cǎi, àn"  techniques in push-hands. These fundamental techniques form the basis of the eight methods of push-hands and are also essential practices in Tai Chi.

Ward-off:

1. While practicing deep breathing, focus your intention on your palms.
2. Bring your palms together at the dantian, then ward-ff upward towards Dànzhong (energy center in the middle of the chest), passing Jiānjǐng (shoulder well), Quchi (elbow crease), and Zhongchōng (middle palm) acupoints.
3. Maintain shoulder separation from your shoulder blade, sinking your shoulders and relaxing your arms.

Roll (Lu):

1. Rub your palms backward, to the sides, downward, or outward.

Pluck (Cǎi):

1. Pluck inward, downward, or inward with your fingers.

Push (Àn):

1. Push your palms forward, downward, upward, or to the sides.

Two-Person Push Hands Practice 

                                      

   

Posture and Stance:    

 Both partners stand facing each other with feet shoulder-width apart, parallel stance, maintaining a relaxed and upright posture.

 Elbows are slightly bent, palms facing each other, with elbows slightly forward.

Connecting Hands:

- Lightly touch your partner's palm with your palm to establish a gentle connection with your partner's lower arms.

- Maintain balance and a sense of sinking, ensuring the body weight is evenly distributed on both feet.

1. **Partner A's Forward Push:** Partner A presses forward towards Partner B's center, while Partner B uses cross hands to adhere their forearms to Partner A's forearm, maintaining the connection. Coordinate movements with your partner to ensure smooth and harmonious actions.

2. **Partner B's Upward Peng:** Continue using cross hands to raise both arms upwards.

3. **Partner B's Sideward Lu:** Maintain the connection with your partner's palms and arms. Initiate the sideways Lu energy, gently guiding your partner's arm to the sides. Pay attention to keeping circular and continuous movements, with relaxed and slightly bent arms following a spiraling motion.

4. **Partner B's Downward Cai:** As your palm adheres to your partner's arm, initiate the downward Cai energy by relaxing the shoulders and sinking the elbows. Through the relaxation of the shoulders and sinking of the elbows, guide the movement with intention, pressing down on your partner's wrist.

5. **Partner B's Forward Push:** Simultaneously, as Partner A sinks, both hands connect and push towards Partner A's center, targeting the shoulders and chest.

6. **Partner A's Upward Peng:** Repeat the cycle continuously.

大調息與掤捋採按 

大調息是太極拳的基本功之一，也是推手的基礎。通過大調息，可以調整呼吸，使氣息通暢，從而為推手提供充足的動力。具體練習方法如下：

1. 站立姿勢：兩腳與肩同寬，平行步自然站立，雙手自然下垂，目平視前方，全身放鬆。
2. 保持放鬆：全身要保持放鬆，不要僵硬。
3. 循序漸進：練習要循序漸進，從基本動作開始，逐步提高難度。
4. 調整呼吸：可先閉上眼睛感受內氣及呼吸的調和，再慢慢張開眼睛，用鼻子緩慢吸氣，感覺氣息從丹田下行，至腳底，再擴至胸腔；再用鼻子緩慢呼氣，感覺氣息從腳底上升經會陰，至丹田，到達百匯。
5. 意念導引：吸氣時，兩手向上向兩側托掤捋，身體隨氣沉丹田鬆沉，呼氣時，意念隨氣息上升，以雙手掌指向後，向下捋、向側捋採。意念要隨著動作而導引，例如掤時，手向上，意念向下；捋在左側意在右邊，捋在右側意在左邊；採時，手往下，按時，手向下按採意都在頂頭懸；如氣球之膨脹上下前後左右對拉。
6. 腰胯帶動：十字手的螺旋是由腰胯帶動的。因此，練習時要注意腰胯的轉動，例如掤時，腰胯向右轉，捋時，腰胯就向左轉；採時，腰胯向左轉；按時，腰胯向右轉。轉在意念，不在動作。通過以上練習，可以逐步掌握十字手在掤捋採按中做到處處有螺旋，從而提高推手的水平。
7. 手臂配合：手臂要隨著腰胯的轉動而配合，例如掤時，手臂向上托螺旋；捋時，手臂向後捋螺旋；採時，手臂向內採螺旋；按時，手臂向下按螺旋。
8. 練習時間：每天練習10-30分鐘，早晚各一次。

在大調息的基礎上，就可以練習推手的掤捋採按了。掤捋採按是推手八法中的基本手法，也是太極拳的基本功法。

• 掤：在練習大調息時，可以將意念集中在手掌上，以雙掌合於丹田，雙掤壇中穴，走肩井穴、曲池、中冲向上托、向前托、向外托、向兩側托等用法。肩背分離，沉肩落甲。
• 捋：以雙掌捋向兩側、向後捋，向下捋、向外捋等用法。
• 採：以手指向內採、向下採、向裡採等用法。
• 按：以手掌向前按、向下按，向上按、向側按等用法。

練習掤捋採按時，要注意以下幾點：

• 
  

• 掤：感覺手掌向上托。也可以將雙手自然下垂，然後緩慢抬起，同時感覺手掌向上托。
• 捋：在練習大調息時，可以將意念集中在手掌上，感覺手掌向後捋。也可以將雙手自然下垂，然後緩慢向後捋，同時感覺手掌向後捋。
• 採：在練習大調息時，可以將意念集中在手指上，感覺手指向內採。也可以將雙手自然下垂，然後用手指向內採，同時感覺手指向內採。
• 按：在練習大調息時，可以將意念集中在手掌上，感覺手掌向下按。也可以將雙手自然下垂，然後用手掌向下按，同時感覺手掌向下按。

通過以上練習，可以逐步掌握推手的掤捋採按，為進一步學習推手打下基礎。

十字手在掤捋採按中做到處處有螺旋，可以使動作更加圓活流暢，勁力更加綿長。

雙人對練 "掤捋採按" 技巧，包括向上、向側和向下的動作，以下詳述操作步驟：

雙人推手練習：

1. 架勢和姿勢：

   • 雙方面對站立，雙腳與肩同寬，平行步，保持放鬆和正直的姿勢。
   • 手肘微曲，掌心相對，手肘略微在前。

2. 搭手：

   • 用你的手掌輕輕觸碰夥伴的掌心，建立輕柔的連接感。
   • 保持平衡和下沉感，確保身體重量均匀分布在雙腳上。

1. 甲方前按：甲方向前向乙方中心按去，乙方藉由十字手以雙  下臂貼住甲方下臂：同時保持連接感。與你的夥伴協調動作，確保流暢和諧。

2. 乙方上掤：繼續以十字手以兩臂向上掤。

3. 乙方向側捋：保持與夥伴手掌手臂的連接感。啟動向側的捋勁，輕柔地引導夥伴的手臂向兩側。注意保持圓周和連續的動作，保持手臂放鬆和微曲與螺旋。

4. 乙方向下採：當你的手掌貼著夥伴的手臂時，啟動鬆肩垂肘向下採的動作。藉由鬆肩垂肘，意念引導著動作，向下採按夥伴的手腕。 

5. 乙方向前按：同時藉由甲方向下沉時雙手套接向甲方中心肩胸雙臂按出。

6. 甲方上掤：如此循環往復。