warming up

[Melanie]

Paul

I have been inspired by your warmup exercises. However, sometimes i have the feeling that more especially tailored stretching and warmups are needed for "dragon on the ground", "heel kicks" and "squatting in 42 forms". The squatting positions are difficult, i have to do it outside the form with empty hands first, then with a stick and finally with the sword.

While squatting low, sometimes i forget to open up my kua although i never forget to do GM Chen's kua exercises along with other silk reelings incl. zhan zhuang mind cleansing. Wujizhuang is more appropriate for arthritis and other conditions however

[stanton]

Melanie,

The normal runners' stretching exercise I have incorporated into my routines because such exercises are non-existant. Hamstring, quadricep strengthening, etc is a good regimen.

Though I do Chen less now than in my lower digit age bracket, a body can only go so low so don't try to overdo and endup hurting yourself. Normal squatting is easy for me but 'dragon ong ground', and snake creeps down, for me are not health so I do not force it.

As they say, "how low can you go? Take it easy.

[Melanie]

Tx Stanton 4 ur advice but i already incorporated a lot of stretching and strengthening with similar postures to the original e.g. cross squatting, dragon, lotus kick etc. FYI: I am a former competitive gymnast and plan to make attempts to compete. If you have decided to do this you must accept their conditions of gowing low etc.

Even if you can go low, it is important to open the kua apart from stretching/strengthening beforehad. Then you will go down without pain and your knee automatically does not pass the toe

[Melanie]

Stanton

If you think you can't go low you can still do dragon and snake. You don't have to go to the ground because the main purpose is to find your center of gravity, balance and yin and yang. Also opening the kua is important regardless of how high or low you go. If you open the kua you feel the strength of your quads, if you close it you feel the abdominals and bifidis(deep muscles holding the spine) WAtch Pauls' TC backpain.


Paul i notice you mention opening the kua very seldom on videos and articles. HOwever, i see that you do open your kua accordingly so does Kam.

[Dr. Paul Lam]

yes, warm up and stretch will need to have modificatin and added one for advanced forms. essentially one needs to follow the physiological principles for each sports, too big a topic for discussion here.

I use different language re opening the Kua, trying not to use too many chinese words in my teaching, unless people wish to learn chinese first before learning tai chi.