Wujifa Basic Zhan Zhuang Practice and Models

The other day we recorded a little bit of audio as a senior school brother shares with another on the basic methods and practices or models for correct Zhan Zhuang practice in the Wujifa system. If you have been following this blog for a while then most likely you'll follow right along with what is being shared here. If your new here you might like to follow a couple suggested links starting with a this one Is your stance practice like a dead post?

Wujifa: Basic Models and Concepts is really a podcast with pictures. Hopefully the art work aids in the audio being shared. The information covers good grounded points and suggestion and by that I mean functional means for practice of Zhan Zhuang with in the Wujifa system.


For those of you on Iphones or enjoy YouTube formats: click here

Here is a little somthing from last year June 21, 2009 BasicTips for Zhan Zhuang and the pelvis
"When one simply relaxes more deeply or as one learns to relax the muscles of the lower back and supporting muscles and relax the glutes while practicing stance training then the back can lengthen and the femoral heads of the right and left legs can be allowed to widen. This gives more room for the pelvis to adjust on the hip joints and with the opening/lengthening of the spine “allows” the tailbone or sacrum to shift and drop downward in these practices. This is VERY different than tucking."

Hopefully you have found some of these bits, tips, and talks helpful to your Wujifa and/or Zhan Zuang practices. As always if you have a question feel free to ask. If people like these Podcast Video formats let us know and I will see what I can dig up. Thanks again in advance.

Zhan Zhuang Alignment

When practicing Standing, or Zhan Zhuang, getting good alignment is one of the common difficulties for beginners. The method for Zhan Zhuang alignment in Wujifa is called “One Two Three Four, One Two Three Four”. The two sets of One Two Three Four are different and complementary sets of alignment points.

The first set of alignment points are: (these links open new windows)

1. The feet are parallel.

2. The knees are over the feet.

3. The hip/inguinal crease/kua are lined up over the feet and knees.
4. The shoulders are lined up over the kua, or inguinal crease.

Looking at the foot first, draw a line from the center of the heel to the second or third toe. If we do this on each foot, these would be two parallel lines. This is what we mean by the feet are parallel. In this model, we extend these lines using visualization which will let us calibrate the accuracy of how parallel these lines truly are. Using these longer lines, small mis-calibrations will be easier to notice. It’s important to mention that the feet are only about a foot to a foot and a half apart. Many people stand with their feet much wider when standing. We will not address that method in this post.

Next, apply the same process to the knees. From the center of the knee cap to the center of the area on the back of the knee, we create two lines again and extend these visualized lines as we did with the feet. If the knees are turned out, the backs of the lines will intersect behind your body. If the knees are turned in, the fronts of the lines will intersect in front of your body. The aim is for the two lines to be parallel and over the two parallel lines of the feet.

The same method is applied to the hips from the center of the inguinal crease and center of each glute. If we tuck and tighten the glutes to pop the inguinal crease out in the front, the lines will intersect behind your body. If we tuck and crunch in the front with relaxed glutes, the lines will intersect in front of your body. (These are just two of many common misalignments.) Rolling the femurs out, relaxing the glutes, and relaxing the belly and lower back simultaneously corrects many common mistakes and will allow these visualized lines of the hips to be parallel, which will allow the parallel lines to stack up, over the knees and over the feet. If the lower back is arched, the lines in front of your body will be tilted down. If the lower back is tucked, then the visualized lines in front of your body will tilt up. What we seek is to have the visualized lines parallel and level with the ground and with each other.

For the shoulders, somewhere between the acupuncture points L1 and L2 and the outside of the shoulder is the point on the front (depending on the person) and the back point is relatively on the same area in the back. If people hunch forward, which is a common mistake, the extended visualized lines will intersect in the front. If the chest is puffed up with the shoulders pulled back using tension in the rhomboid and other upper back muscles, the lines will intersect behind you. Keeping the spine straight and allowing the rib heads to turn or relax naturally will allow the chest to relax and keep the shoulder lines parallel and over the hip, knee, and feet. This is the first set of alignment vectors.

The second One Two Three Four of basic standing Zhan Zhuang alignment consists of the following four points:

1. Inguinal crease "in"

2. Tailbone and lower back relaxed and sinking "downward"

3. With the spine straight and the rib heads relaxed, the sternum drops "downward" without hunching the back or shoulders.

4. The head relaxes "back and upward", maintaining a natural relaxed curve through the cervical vertebrae.

In the Wujifa system, we address the second model of One Two Three Four as puzzles. These puzzles are figured out over time through training.

The first puzzle that we normally address is the inguinal crease "in" and lower back/tailbone "down". This is different than tucking. As we’ve mentioned in other posts like "Basic Tips for Zhan Zhuang and the pelvis", and in the first model explained in this post, the femur heads roll out, creating a feeling of widening in the lower back, the glutes relax, and the lower back relaxes. This allows the inguinal creases to go in, the lower back to lengthen, and the tailbone to sink.

The next puzzle is the combination of points two and three. When the lower back sinks correctly, many people tend to hunch forward or lean backward. Keeping the spine straight and vertical and then allowing the rib heads to rotate is the key to understanding the relationship between points two and three, and is the aim of “Three” in this set and model.

In point number four (the head back and up), in connection with number three, many people pull the head forward, or back in a military “Attention” posture both which make the neck rigid. We correct this common problem by guiding them to straighten and elongate their spine by relaxing. Next we have them look up to the ceiling, and then bring their chin down by allowing the head to pivot on the top of the axis bone at the pinnacle of the spine. This results in the ears lining up over the shoulders in a natural way. Using this method allows a person to understand what is meant by the head back and up in a relaxed natural way.

An important point to remember is not to force this alignment. Some people have hunched for many years or stood with their feet turned out for many years, or have carried a lot of back tension for a long time, thereby shortening muscles in those respective areas. The mistake is to force this alignment instead of relaxing into it. So we bring the alignment as close as we can, challenging ourselves slightly so the muscles can relax and open in the problem areas. As we practice over time, we continue to adjust the parallel lines to where they will stack naturally and create better connections throughout the fascial systems of the body.

As one understands this more, one also understands how the method is not the truth, and how the connection of the fascial system of the body is what is being sought. Ultimately, these methods of alignment can be bent or broken slightly to the level of fascial connection manifested through this kinesthetic process.

Also check out: More on Zhan Zhuang and Movement
Also check out: Keys for Developing the Inguinal Crease, aka Kua, with Wujifa Side to Side Practice
Also check out: The Concept of "Sit Down" in Wujifa Standing...
Also check out: Wujifa Two Feet And What Does This Mean

Gao Style Bagua

Gao Style Bagua and Bagua in general is something I believe can have a lot to explore and offer. Here are two wonderful exercises from the Gao Bagua system from Taipei, Taiwan. The following two videos were filmed back in February of 2000. Like foundation skill sets from the Wujifa system the following two videos I believe are very good fundational skill sets for development of full body movement.

Over the past few months I've hesitated to put other exercises on this blog and have been encouraged to do so. I also believe in these skill sets and practice them as well with my Wujifa and so I feel pretty good about sharing them here with all of you.

The first Video is called "Ban" which is one the the skill sets from the "10 Heavenly Stems" or "Tain Gan." Like silkreeling this exercise aims to engage full body movement and development.

From the Gao Bagua system:
Ban



YouTube link to this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnrSIcg8BQk for those who have iPhones or enjoy YouTube formats.

From the Gao Bagua System:
Golden Chicken


YouTube link to this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wZSLyVWNyI for those who have iPhones or enjoy YouTube formats.

I hope you enjoy these two Videos from Taipei,Tawain and the Gao Bagua system... Yes they are a bit rough and grainy, yet they are pretty darn functional to play with...

So, I'll end with simply saying... I hope you enjoy doing them as much as I have over the years. As you get a better feel for the Kua or inguinal creases these are two excellent methods to take things up another level or notch in your practice!

Keys for Developing the Inguinal Crease, aka Kua, with Wujifa Side to Side Practice

Wujifa "Side to Side" practices are a basic element to understanding the Kua (inguinal creases), and in that regard, many say elegant in their simplicity. There have been many good questions, some asking for help, and others for more information about these recent Youtube videos that we've posted.

Those videos show people at different levels of proficiency, from newer people, to those who have practiced Wujifa for a while now. On that note, we post the following, about this simple yet enlightening skill set and the Wujifa practice called "Side to Side."

"Keys for Developing the Inguinal Crease, aka Kua, with Wujifa Side to Side Practice"

The first question you may find yourself asking is what would be the advantage of doing a side to side practice, like in the recent Wujifa “Side to Side” short video? Because it will help you develop the crucial region of the body known as the Inguinal Crease, or kua, which is key. This area needs to move correctly during grounded full body movement. If not you could find yourself spending years trying to understand this with more complicated practices or discover that you’re not making as much progress as you’d like with so many things to focus on.

What if you never heard of… practical or useful practices, for example, like that of the Wujifa system of side to side? Could you imagine practicing for years and years or spending hours upon hours with those possibilities trying to discover more useful keys toward full body movement?

Over time, people have come up with so many different methods to working with the hips or kua, such as Yoga, massage, physical manipulation, and a multitude of qigongs and internal martial arts. It’s funny how, over the years, so many people are not developing the internal or full body movements that they were so actively working toward discovering. It’s unfortunate that some people, even after years of practicing these other methods, still seem confused about these things and the type of movement they are looking for.




YouTube link to this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg0rr9Q5Juo for those who have iPhones or enjoy YouTube formats.

The process of side to side allows a very specific focus to guide people in making progress towards understanding the inguinal creases which is so very helpful in deeper discoveries of full-body movement and practice.

First, it is necessary to keep the principles learned in Zhan Zhuang (Standing Practice). Keep the back aligned and maintain body structure while sliding weight from one leg to the other. When done properly, it will feel heavy just like in stance. If things seem too heavy, feel free to move to a higher position to be more comfortable. At first when one begins this kind of practice, you start simply by noticing that one inguinal crease is closing as the other opens. Then, as your skill becomes more refined, shifting to one side, you might notice the kua is closing on a 45 degree angle, yet opening or stretching vertically. At the same time, as the opposite kua is opening it is also actually closing and stretching horizontally, when looked at from a slightly deeper level. As is often the case In Wujifa, doing the exercise is necessary to understanding.

At a deeper level of complexity, there are multiple openings and closings happening at the same time, on different vectors throughout the length of each kua. In fact, through the entire length of the inguinal crease, there are any number of vectors we could notice both in opening or closing in the exact same physical crease on different planes at any point in time. One simple example was the vertical or horizontal axis. As one learns more they discover intention plays a big role throughout this simple extension of our Zhan Zhuang (or as we call it Wujifa Standing practice) and side to side.

As one first starts they may notice that one Kua or inguinal crease simply opens and closes. As another level of understanding develops, depending on which vector you look at, the Kua or inguinal crease is both open or closed as I touched on earlier.

Growth has a process and there are many levels. What was once understood as one way develops and changes. Then as you continue training or practicing this gongfu you understand more deeply how alive the movement is and that vectors in a open or closed Kua are more like a "twining" which is felt in more than just the hip area (you can see the parts of the video where the one of the practitioners is twisting his hands together during movement to illustrate this feeling).

Stand up right now. Find your grounding in Zhan Zhuang (Read: The Concept of "Sit Down" in Wujifa Standing , or check back as we will be posting many more helpful articles on these topics), and try sliding gently from side to side if you can. Just relax and notice these basic openings and closings happening in your kua (don’t push it). Over the next weeks and months of practice you can start to notice and develop more key insights to these deeper levels of understanding of development through doing this practice. Along with this understanding, the fascia of your inguinal crease will also develop as your awareness grows in making these new connections.





What if you were to make this part of your daily practice? Can you picture how you would benefit with this seemingly simple yet deep practice as you develop your kua, and move towards a more grounded full body movement? If you do the exercise, you will be able to enjoy the progress you will make in the coming weeks and months. As you continue practicing and learning, check back here. Our goal is to share hopefully useful Wujifa practices that make what might seem more complicated easier to understand. The key is in the doing. Remember to check back often and we will post more keys to internal movement and more videos. Also, ask questions and comment. Feel free to contact us!

As with any exercise, make sure you are in good enough physical health before attempting this. Ask a doctor if in doubt.

Also check out: More on Zhan Zhang and Movement
Also check out: Basic Tips for Zhan Zhang and the pelvis
Also check out: The Kua More Methods For Developing The Inguinal Crease