Zhan Zhuang

I have been focusing on zhan zhuang practice for a few weeks now. Last Wednesday night, I asked Sensei Marallo for some help with my alignment. I was experiencing tension in my shoulders which I wasn't able to dissolve. For the next 1 hour and 45 minutes, Sensei had us (Bobby and I first and then the rest of the class as they trickled in) either hold zhan zhuang, hold static taiji postures and returning to zhan zhuang or do kata while adhering to taiji principles and returning to zhan zhuang.

That workout was pretty intense and awfully uncomfortable.  I thought I was going to crack when we held zhan zhuang in a deep horse stance.  Sensei called me the next day to see if I was still talking to him.  He said he couldn't look at Bobby or I towards the end because he thought he would burst out laughing.

The tension I was experiencing was the result of leaning too far forward and having my arms pushed a little too far forward. Even when I thought I was perfectly straight, Sensei still made an adjustment. I told him I was then experiencing discomfort in my quads and he told me I had to deal with it and dissolve it.

Lessons learned:
1.  Most peoples postures tend to lean forward or bend forward.  Most occupations require us to stay in this less than vertical position over an extended period of time.  Over time, our mind believes that this is a good vertical posture.  Looking in the mirror from the side is a good way of checking whether your posture is vertical and the spine is truly stacking.
2.  While trying to adhere to taiji principles, we tend to overdo the principles.  For me, rounding the back and sinking the chest was causing me to push my arms too far out.

The remainder of the class we focused on elements of geksai dai ni.

1. Head punch with inside kagai uke (hook block) and tora guchi strike to the solar plexus.

2. Head punch with outside kagai. Trap and wrap the tori's arm; either breaking, pressure pointing or both.

3. Head punch with outside kagai. Tora guchi with one hand striking the far cheek and the other striking the  near kidney resulting in a take down.

Much emphasis was placed on the circularity of kagi uke and the pull back on the wrists.  Also, the pull back on the wrist on the tora guchi strike was emphasized.