Drill for A and B to Practice Receiving Each Other's Jing

 

 松柔手貼胸感應 

(Song Rou Shou Tie Xiong Gan Ying)

Drill for A and B to Practice Receiving Each Other's Jing (勁) with 松柔手貼胸感應 (Song Rou Shou Tie Xiong Gan Ying)

Concept: This drill focuses on developing sensitivity (感應 - Gan Ying) to your partner's jing (勁) through relaxed postures (鬆柔 - Song Rou) and maintaining contact with the chest (手貼胸 - Shou Tie Xiong).

Preparation:

1. Stand facing each other with arm's length distance.
2. Assume a relaxed posture with knees slightly bent and feet shoulder-width apart.
3. A places both palms gently on B's chest, maintaining a light touch (Song Rou).

Execution:

1. Initiation (A): A maintains a relaxed posture but initiates a slight forward press from the kua, using the legs and core, while keeping the arms extended and palms light on B's chest. This is a very subtle movement, focusing on generating power from the dantian (core) rather than the arms. Arms angles never change.

2. Receiving (B): As A initiates the press, B should feel a faint pressure through the chest. Instead of resisting, B should immediately respond by:

   • Root Down: Sink (not squat) slightly lower through the hips, maintaining a stable and connected feeling to the ground. It's energy that sinks, not squat
   • Yielding: Instead of pushing back directly, B should soften the body slightly, allowing the incoming pressure to flow through the torso while maintaining a connected feeling with A through the point of contact (chest).
   • Neutralizing: B can subtly shift weight back slightly to neutralize some of the forward pressure.

3. Returning (A): Upon feeling B's yielding response, A should immediately:

   • Withdraw: A should soften the arms and withdraw the pressing force, returning to the neutral posture.

4. Repeat: A and B can continue to initiate and respond in a continuous, flowing manner, focusing on maintaining Song Rou (relaxed softness) and feeling the subtle changes in pressure through the point of contact.

Progression:

• Once comfortable with the basic movement, A can vary the speed and intensity of the press to challenge B's receiving sensitivity.
• B can experiment with different yielding techniques, such as shifting weight slightly to the sides or stepping back a small pace while maintaining connection.
• After establishing proficiency, explore incorporating simple Tai Chi footwork patterns while maintaining the chest connection.

Key Points:

• Maintain a relaxed posture (Song Rou) throughout the exercise.
• Focus on feeling the pressure through the palms and chest, not using muscular tension.
• Respond to the incoming force with yielding and neutralization, not resistance.
• Maintain a smooth, flowing connection throughout the exercise.

Benefits:

• Develops sensitivity (Gan Ying) to your partner's jing (勁).
• Improves rooting and postural stability.
• Enhances yielding and neutralization techniques.
• Promotes coordination and connection between partners.

Note: This is a basic drill to introduce the concept. With practice and exploration, you can add variations and complexity to further develop your Tai Chi skills.