Coordination: the training of the Relaxation

Co-ordination is a process of monitoring and control of movement adapted to the situation. It is very clear to see the union between body and mind. The training of the capacity of co-ordination requires specific training, but it is also easy to see changes in his practice.

The gestures we understand and are in the spectrum of our physical capabilities. Often, we need lots of time to copy or "master" a gesture, yet we understand it intellectually: this is the manifestation of our internal "noise", our physical and mental tension.

Too much analysis, too much attention or just "trying", are safe ways to waste time on learning a movement. The action, linking the perception and ability, should be sufficient.

To gain access to more precise levels of listening to our body and mind, without going into complex practices, we have an arsenal of very subtle exercises for the co-ordination.

Our school uses co-ordination in training and throughout the practice, this capacity will allow a deeper understanding of oneself and his evolution.

The development of co-ordination requires a precise progression in the exercises and functions of the student, nobody will develop the capacity of co-ordination in the same way, but everyone reaches the same result.

To do this, the training must be precise.

Looking at all the characteristics of co-ordination.

Co-ordination is the capacity to control actions in predictable situations (stereotypes) or unpredictable ones (adaptation).

The predictable situations are grouped into actions related to our activities, our actions every day, our daily physical activities. Stereotypes are also our regular activities for which we have developed a certain level, sports, summer activities ...

Unpredictable situations are our ability to adapt to a new situation, sometimes stressful, and our ability to respond in a holistic way (body and mind) depends on co-ordination. This is where we understand better where our level of real relaxation is. The adaptation will be in learning (courses in Qigong, the art of combat) and will evolve measured by the calming of our minds.

In any case, co-ordination permits the performance of our actions with an economy of movement. Which we will carry out, almost unconsciously, how do more with less effort. co-ordination economising of our body and mind in establishing habitual patterns of adaptive reactions in function with the capacity of our body.

With a good development of co-ordination, we learn faster and deeper. We quickly learn new gestures and we will soon intergrate a way of "mastering". It is possible to remember something, but it takes time to find the place without tension, without effort, without "mental comment." A good level of co-ordination allows us to integrate the new movement almost perfectly, still a little work remains to be done over time.

We can therefore speak of two capacities of co-ordination: one specific and one general.

The specific capacity is linked to practice, to the habits of the body. It is a good way to work the basics of neuromuscular connections. But often, the specific capacity will be limited to a specific area that does very little to overflow on the daily life.

The general capacity is useful for all facets of life. It is one that will feed the adaptability of our body / mind to the stress of life. Stress is the mass of effort that must be done, consciously or not, to adapt to the movements of life, pleasant or not.

The specific capacity of co-ordination is faster to acquire. It can affect the general capacity for co-ordination, but this is rarely the case. When it relates to professional activities that are too far from the daily life (screwing bolts, surgery, stamping cards ...), we see almost no overflow on daily life.

This is especially true that if our profession is not really the result of our own choice and we do not like it. In this case, the qualities that will be developed will often be hidden in his life, "outside of his work."

A balanced practice, and one whose goal is a transformation of self, of course, will specialise in co-ordinating specific exercises that will quickly spread, soft and hidden, on the whole of his life.

co-ordination will allow us to acquire five important qualities

1. Above all a capacity to train, a capacity to learn. It is necessary to develop the co-ordination to be able to learn .... hummm, paradox, no?

2. co-ordination enables an economy of movement, which will enable us to achieve the same gesture with less effort and having removed all the parasitic movements. Thus potentialisation of physical capacity's and not by economy and not by development. This means doing more with less ... very Taoist ...

3. Well developed, the capacity of co-ordination is the ability to change his whole life in progression. In eliminating physical and mental stress, we see subtle changes in the world and we adapt globally, without effort (stress).

4. It is also the ability to understand every gesture and movement, a strong approximation of our perceptions and our physical abilities. The stage of "Xinyi", form and intellect, which allows us to combine what we see and what we do.

5. We have also in co-ordination a test on our relentless deep state: the linking of the body and mind will tell us about our internal state of real relaxation. This is the manifestation of the relaxation in work and the rapide evolution: we learn by a capacity of relaxed and attentive stability.

We can identify three aspects of the capacity of co-ordination:

* Listening to the body,

* Adaptability of the body,

* Learning from the body.

The training includes listening and adaptability, it requires a development of two other aspects together to evolve.

Listening to the body requires a certain mental silence and muscle relaxation, which in turn requires an ability of developed co-ordination. It is really difficult to attack and to relax the mind simultaneously. These are qualities that are difficult to access. However, with co-ordination it is easily worked, if we are in an intelligent practice. Listening to the body consists of four capabilities:

1. Listening to the body is above all the ability to unite the body in action. The united body enables this economy of movement, relaxation and this mental silence. The basic exercises that we are working within the school are working hard for this union of the body.

2. The ability of perception is an important quality, it allows one to measure the efforts based on need. It is the right force for the right movement, learning of the economy in terms of energy expenditure.

3. The capacity for mobility, as its name does not suggests encompasses the stability and mobility. It is related to proprioception (location of the self in space by kinesthetic). It is an expression of our quality of static balance whilst moving. This is the root, on the spot and moving. We work this a lot.

4. Proprioception and the vestibular system will allow the development of the capacity of space management. These are qualities that are too often dormant and covered with little consciousness. We will work very often this the work of us in space and the object in space (weapons, other ...). To know where you are in space with awareness is very important in Taoist teaching.

Learning includes four skills two which unite with the listening of the body. Learning gestures requires regular exposure to the exercises which must be repeated "rather than, one time in a hundred minutes, a hundred times that one minute” to apprehend correctly.

1. We find mobility and space management.

2. The ability of "timing" is not easy to grasp. It demands grasping an external rhythm whilst

imposing another which is internal. In the first case, it is a question of rhythm to be perceived in the action, in each case it must be given to objects outside the rhythm that we own. Uniting the two parts of oneself, in the action of perceiving, is in the capacity of timing.

3. We have the capacity of reaction that allows us to initiate a movement on a given signal (internal or external). This helps us to act quickly according to the perceived stimulus. In a acquisition of gesture or development of co-ordination, we need to grasp quickly and act accordingly.

4. The ability to change permits seeing, during the execution of a gesture, to change it according to the changing needs. In the action, on a different understanding of the action, is the possibility to make a change in gesture. Changing the force, an interesting by-product of co-ordination.

The practice of our school emphasises co-ordination. We know that we are trying to work on the health of the body, the circulation of energy and appeasement of the spirit. These three areas of self development are concepts that are difficult to access, but all three require good co-ordination to thrive. The capacity of co-ordination is something easy to work if you have good exercises and a competent professor, so this is our first choice of work.

This work is the way of relaxation.

Relaxation: the Explanation

Relaxation and softness

It is very important not to confuse relaxation and soft. In the internal combat arts, we must acquire a certain force (as it is not sewing or ping pong), but without muscle tension. Practitioners must pass a "real" force stage and manifestations before they can “assimilate” this force and make it soft (as far as striking). The idea of an Internal, penetrating or vibrating strike, is soft for those who give, not for the receiver.

How to define the difference between "relaxed" and "soft"?

Relaxation: Action of relaxing

Muscle relaxation brings five interesting things to all practitioners:

* The availability of muscle for immediate use in a voluntary action (speed)

* A minimum use of opposing muscles that inhibit the action (power)

* An optimal recovery of muscle efforts (recovery)

* An economy of movement that reduces energy consumption (endurance)

* A possibility of “giving the force "(penetration).

The stage of "xin yi", the "thought form", is the ability to do what we want to understand how and what we do. We will create a link between our bodies and our minds, which will provide the opportunity to act without being paralysed by our compulsive thoughts. The reverse, ie to have a calm and available mind, is also necessary ... but this is not the subject of this text.

A contracted muscle should relax before being available for new action. And relaxing the muscle demands a delay in the action which slows it. However, if we reach an optimal relaxation, the muscle is always available for action. This allows us to obtain a greater ability to stretch and contract muscles, tendons and ligaments involved in the movement: thus having more speed.

Despite the muscular relaxation, any movement leads to a protective action by the opposing muscle. These muscles protect joints against sudden movements that might injure them. In an action of punching forward for example, if we look at the arm and forearm, we see that the triceps is slowed by biceps. If the bicep is very tense, very contracted, it inhibits the action of the punch. Being relaxed, speed and power are increased (to do so, tendons must be strengthened).

The regular training can tire muscles. The specific exercises “pull” on the muscle chains. In both cases, if tension exists, it will go to the result sought. The explosion of brief movements, which are desirable in the arts of combat, are repetitions of "anaerobic" effort . This means that the muscle can not take its energy resources by the way of oxidation (oxygen). For all these reasons, the relaxation is important, through muscle relaxation further work in the effort becomes easier, with reduced production of biochemical "waste" (avoiding injuries, muscle tetany and aches).

Opposing muscles are not contracted, the muscles for action are free of tension all the way until use and the recovery cycles of cycles being easier, we consume less energy. The internal energy will therefore be available in an emergency. In addition, any long and "forced" action takes place under better conditions. Our body/machine remains in better shape longer.

The penetrating force, vibrating force, and all "small delicacies" of internal arts require a certain relaxation "course through the body." We will not present this complex subject.

It should also be noted that throughout the world, China's past and physiologists of today agree that a contracted muscle is associated with some psychological tension and vice versa. Muscle relaxation is not just availability of the body, but also a form of psycho regulation.

Softness: "Whom yeilds easily to pressure"

Par excellence, we must not yield to pressure. In a very "new age" of internal martial arts, people tend to turn into soft. They often switch into a sensing of "fantasy" energy. In this amateur illusion, the "new age" practitioner has often forgotten that a strike is a level of reality, he must therefore be forced "real and relaxed" to adapt and avoid a premature departure for the "Other Side". it is not wise to practice whilst being in dangerous illusions.

Working without muscle tension

All strengthening exercises, all techniques must be done without muscle tension. However, there is no question of being soft or gentle. It is still the combat arts and we are seeking to incapacitate potential attackers. In a good and realistic training, practitioners will often go far in exploring the various pain related to internal strikes. It is painful and often bitter, but this must be done in the most relaxing way possible. It is amazing and sometimes unbelievable to see the damage that a strike that is relaxed but not soft can cause.

Repeat work: musculature "holding but not soft"

In a serious daily work of his art, the muscles will develop. This will not be a musculature similar to bodybuilding cultures. The muscles are still relaxed but energetic. The volume will be determined by his body and frequency of practice. In my school, we keep muscle mass up to the age 45 years and let it fall gently until his last years. If we are in a time of intense work of exercises, we will gain long and relaxed muscle mass. The feel of these muscles is very similar to rubber, soft but incompressible. If we train properly every day, it is not possible to be "without muscle" or "weak".

Strengthening exercises: without tension

The exercises are repeated at length without tension, never. The speed of execution increases for some, it is sometimes slow to work. The muscles thicken at first, then stabilise. The muscles are not dry, the body is not that of an athlete. We can describe three main types of exercises:

* The work on speed,

* The work of the technique,

* The work of force.

For speed, it is clear that work on the relaxation of body and mind is a priority. It is habitual to "rush" co-ordination exercises, yet it is one of the secrets of speed. The speed request us to move quickly from one point to another. The release can overcome the clumsiness. We must have an intimate connection between what we want to do and what we do. This link is the internal by-product of a co-ordinated body. These exercises are difficult and painful, they help strengthen the body. We can distinguish different types of speed to work: speed of action, speed, reaction time, speed of decision, speed of timing and speed of perception.

The martial techniques are at the heart of the two person work. Only the practitioner will prepare his body, but during the course, he will train techniques with a partner. In the two person work we trade blows in an acceptance and with limits that depend on the commitment and purpose. Those working with the idea of being in better health can enjoy the arts of combat without going into the depths of this discipline. For those who choose the way of the warrior, in keeping with his body, he must go "test" what we learn. This is probably the most useful training, but also the most difficult. It includes all facets of practice, when we will face fear and verify his "presence". We can distinguish three steps that will build gestures "correct" means a general preparedness to deal with qualities needed to acquire the techniques (motivation, attention, lateralization, learning ability ...), preparation of specific gestures in defined order (parades, moving, distance, impact ...) a versatile development in which priority is given to expanding the capacity of co-ordination. Blockages in learning techniques often come from when the basic co-ordination is too limited.

The power is developed in a priority in styles of combat. Whether to defend or attack, either to wrap or break the opposing force, it takes power. The exercises of power are absolutely necessary for a physical confrontation. All these exercises are in total muscle relaxation, or at least the most relaxed as possible. There is no tension in the exercises of our internal school , awareness without contraction. The types of force that are worked:

* Maximum force (possibility of uniting the entire body for a global force)

* The explosive force (capacity to achieve the greatest increase in force in the shortest time possible)

* The initial force (capacity of explosive force at the beginning of muscle contraction)

* The force of speed (neuro-muscular ability to overcome resistance with the highest speed and possible reaction).

* Co-ordination: Handling the unpredictable

The capacity of co-ordination is a process of knowledge of gesture and of movement that allows for

implement right actions in predictable (stereotypes) or unpredictable (adaptation) situations . The co-ordination is not skill. The skill relates to acts partially automated and not of our own liberty, they are stereotyped gestures. For example, a very good karateka blocks brilliantly powerful attacks from another karateka at a very good level. He knows the precise gestures of his style and knows the parrys (skill). The same good karate practitioner may be in difficulty in front of a good “punch from a thug", thrown randomly and nasty. It is no longer the framework of gestures they know and they must adapt their ability through their co-ordination to match the unknown.

Co-ordinationwhich is nourished and developed has a range of capabilities:

* Separation and union of the body,

* Ability to analyse,

* Balance,

* Sense of Space

* Rhythmicity,

* Reactivity,

* Adaptation.

The dissociation and union body is a necessity to achieve maximum force. For the chi kung, the art of combat and daily life, it is beneficial to work with the body in one effort. This effort, because it is spread over the whole structure will not be "difficult". The energy expenditure is the minimum and relaxation is maximum. Similarly, in an action that requires that part of the structure, there is no need to cause a contraction throughout the body. To do this, listening of the internal system can identify and use without being stressful to the rest of the body / mind. While the body will go to a coherence that simplifies the action. From experience, we see that it is easier in learning to dissociate than to unite rather than vice versa.

The capability of analysis is a harmonisation between the various phases of the movements and the movements of different body parts. This harmonisation is reflected in high precision and high economy of movement. The more relaxed, the more we can listen and hear the body in the context of a gesture fully in line with our intention.

The balance is a complex capacity which includes several types:

* - Static equilibrium (alignment)

* - Dynamic balance in transfer (straight line),

* - Dynamic balance in rotation (circles and curves).

Not only does the balance permit the realisation of the training of the deep relaxation, but it is also the secret of sustainability of the practice. Indeed, the more the balance is more deeply rooted in us and the less we will face a deterioration of our level of technique and gestural. The principle of balance is one of the great principles of our system.

The “sense of space” to determine and change the position and movements in space and time. This is done according to the field of action (dojo, play, ring, metro) and the objects in this field of action (furniture, opponent, witness). The sense of space is linked to the vision, especially peripheral vision, and proprioception (sense of self in space managed by the kinesthetic, touch). It permits the evaluation of the distance and the evolution of gesture in time and space. The sense of time, what we call the "timing" is a determining factor in the success of the action.

What is meant by rhythmicity is the ability to understand a given rhythm from the outside and to reproduce them identically or follow a change internally. Understanding the rhythm of his opponent can disrupt, moreover, creating a rhythm one permits one also to position themselves for a right gesture. Relaxation is necessary for an immediate response within the moment of perception. Tension produces a dead moment which desynchronises the perception and action.

The reaction permits the intervening as quick as possible on a given signal. In making a conscious choice, we must have the shortest time possible between the perception of will and action itself. In the action, we need to unite as many possible qualities: strength, speed ...

It is possible that a practitioner has all the qualities necessary but has not developed the responsiveness: he is unable to act in response to external stimuli. This quality is one of the most important, it is related to working the co-ordination.

The adaptation is to turn the engine running to adapt to a new situation or continue in a different form. This "change" in the action should be relaxed but held to keep the qualities of strength and speed of the original gesture. The adaptation is closely linked to the capacity of reaction and anticipation that a decisive influence.

The work of the development of the co-ordination is done with three major components that influence and determine the capabilities we have just discussed. We will therefore:

* - Motor control (to distinguish his left, the right ,the up and down)

* - The ability of learning (to the right to the left, following an example),

* - Adaptation engine (reverse, modify or unite with an action known).

The illusion of relaxation

This illusion is seen in the non co-ordination and mental stiffness. The inability to adapt his gesture, move while accomplishing an action, are signs of tension. A health body over the long term depends on this relaxation. Joints, the health of muscles and spine will grow old in good conditions if we are relaxed. All the abuses, excesses, we will pay for, for many years. Nothing is free: if you do not need to defend your life every day, there is no need to destroy your body with a tough training for a confrontation that will perhaps never take place. The conditioning of repetition is sufficient, a hard and specialist conditioning is often dangerous. It is more useful to live long and healthy rather than malign for a few years and, then limping for the rest of his life or not to be able to use his hands.

It is impossible to physically remain weak if we follow a daily training without muscle tension. This training can be done over a long period in which the years do not have a regressive technique. It is a practice of living for the duration of it. Relaxation is the key to this sustainability.

Waiting

Anyone who starts to practice awaits something. This is because in their daily lives, in listening to her body and his emotions, something is wrong. It is difficult to determine what "something", it is not defined, it is not clear but it is still there.

We can believe that everything is going well and that we are moving towards a practice to "refine" the perfection of our perfect ... but actually not, if all went well, if we were in tune with life, the phenomena and changes, we should not be looking for a practice.

We try to forget and cover this "empty" feeling by a feverish activity, many with sex, shopping, drink and food, but there is only pathological love relationships and dependency or television. This external "filling" cannot overcome our internal emptiness.

The discovery of an opportunity of another choice, to meet with a teaching that should "help", has created a new disease: waiting.

Now that we have found the solution in a spiritual practice or energetic (it's the same thing!), We want results! Like in the market, we invest 10 euros in carrots and we want a lot of vegetables ... unfortunately it is a little different with regard to the practice.

The latter must pass through three distinct stages that we tend to mix and and which lead to a real confusion (we should not be confused!).

These three stages are:

* training;

* Intentional practice or studious,

* The natural practice.

In the training phase we will work the exercises and practices which are not the Essence itself. For example, in the years of meditation exercises we learn to feel the "meditative state", but there are no exercises which are meditation (see "we should not be confused"). We must understand that in the training phase, we do not practice, we learn to practice. We seek to integrate intellectual exercises so that they become "habits" and are used with the minimum of intent and imagination. Take the subway, when you go for the first time in your life to a destination which will become a daily trip, like a new job or a new apartment, you are very careful on the trip. At each station you watch where you are relative to the destination, the route that you have and every step is a discovery. You stay on an alert and mentally: "I'm in the right place?" "will it be long?" ...

After two trips, two hundred or two million, you're sitting, relaxed, knowing every part of the progression of the train, and you can even have an activity, such as reading or work, without missing your stop. This is comparable to the end of the learning phase, which is more or less long according to the people.

We leave the training phase when we can do this exercise without thinking, without going to memory (or very little) and an soft and almost silent intention. "But I am never out of the learning phase!" I hear you say ... well yes! Hence the immobility of the practice that you undertake!

Thereby hampering the transition of training of the practice of awareness of these two stages. When we learn, we do not really, so do not wait. In the absence of waiting, you'll slip into the practice. Voilà!

When you start to practice, after a more or less laborious learning phase, phenomena may occur. These perceived changes are another possible blockage to the accomplishment of your training. In the phenomena, which do not matter, we have the unfortunate habit of attaching to a host of unnecessary thoughts. This attachments to the moments of perception of our practice reminds us that we "expect" something, the results ... "I am currently feeling this or that?", "Am I on track?", "Is this a sign of accomplishment? "... so many questions about phenomena that do not matter who we bring to this expectation, this need to know that it will get better, that we are good students.

In practice, and incorporated into daily life, we must seek our own. It is actually quite simple in theory, practice for anything than practice for any purpose, but the reverse is in fact the reality.

Our practices take us back to a loss of our mental structures, our structure separated from the world, our ego. This loss of structure is fatal to our mind, she blends into the rest of the universe and makes us lose our individuality. In our daily practices, our ego will survive on the basis of new limits in our teaching: hence comes our commitment to our certainties about our practice and our teacher, waiting to feel better and become better and all these recent defences of survival of our discriminative mental activity.

We can practice by strengthening our minds and our imagination, going to the opposite of what we release and amplifying the sensation of unease linked to our "me determined and unique", which will multiply our expectations because it is worse and worse, under the guise of mystical-spiritual-energetical confusing and destructive. As an example we can cite the bogus "non-violent" in some ways that are ready to kill "meat eaters", or beat up those who insulted their guru ...

To go in the direction of a peaceful practice, practice is the goal of practice. It is good to pass!

When practice begins, nothing changes. We're not going to transform into anything. It is unnecessary to grow our hair and to eat incense, we will stay as we are. All the changes that we are trying is a way to hide this expectation that we lack: the bright colours of our garments will alleviate the stiffness of the body and the sadness of our thoughts, forced sessions of "silent" meditation (in appearance) will parody an internal silence which we lack, the soft-spoken voice and the non-violence will conceal as much of our fear as of others and the world.

All attempts to visibly change to others is a way to demonstrate our performance, our mind tries to show that we are right, that we are better than others, different ... still waiting to be better!

But the practice does not change, the performance does nothing, we will remain what we were before our birth and which will continue after our death. In everyday life, we "work" just relax in silence and make us what we are, without the acquired blockages and without mundane conditioning.

There is nothing to seek, nothing to add. We will gently practice without expectation, to what we are. We will not add anything or learn, we will seek to return to a spontaneous phase with the changes of life. Without a morbid, compulsive use, for which the mind is used in everyday life. Without getting lost in the maze of our imagination, which is based on the past and projecting hopes in the future, we live free in the present. Leaving the time frame, we will enter the world of perceptions without the filter of the world of thoughts. Without this bad link to the time of past and future, we leave waiting: we abandon the fantasy of the imagination that comes from the past and we don't plan hope in the future, there is no more waiting, we practice, we live.

While the secret of the practice, is the practice. This simple practice that demands only that we follow what we are advised by our teacher, our feelings. By implementing these simple and practical teachings, we are moving towards a life with this clear sensation and devoid of compulsive thoughts. The relaxation allows us to live in peace and silence, without attachment to the images of an imposed separation from the world.

Oh, by the way, she lost the feeling of unhappiness ...

There.

Forms of Training

In all traditional martial arts there is the idea of pre-choreographed movements that often symbolise a struggle in emptiness or boxing with his shadow. Apart from the style of sword and a few more rare styles, forms are a solo practice which aim to refine his technique and to better understand the movements that characterise his art.

The forms are done with bare hands or with a weapon and are supposed to help master his technique, his movement, breathing and changing his way of moving. The concept is very interesting; to practice exactly the movement that we will use in life can be very useful to enhance the neuromuscular patterns. But in fact the forms are of little value. They are important for competition and for demonstrations, not for combat or for energy work.

I will not dwell on the details of the competition or demonstrations because this is not what interests us here. Also as the work requires a high concentration of energy, it is recommended to use simpler movements than those that can be found in the forms. From the standpoint of the struggle, the idea of working combinations of strikes is interesting to loosen joints and muscles to work. However, it is a harmful practice where we seek to apply the same combinations in real fighting.

The idea of combat is close to the idea of chaos, nothing is planned and nothing is determined.

If one undertakes predefined movements quickly versus his instincts, the value remains certain in combat. There are several obvious ways to practice daily. First, it is important to relax using complex forms that will also coordinate the work of the body.

Repeating a form regularly helps to better position your body in space. Then, if the forms are long and dynamic it enables practitioners to develop a better physical condition. But we find the interests that I just listed in gymnastics. If this gives us the same opportunities that the arts of fighting, why we bother to practice the arts of combat?

You should know that 95% of forms that we know of date back 200 years or so, which corresponds to a time when martial arts are coming out of being secret to becoming a business. There are ways that show the essence of an art form, but adapted for demonstration. Moreover they represent a way to fight and combat concepts that are hopelessly out of date.

To mention just three: some jump kicks that were used against cavalry with complex movements to strip the neck of an opponent wearing armour or techniques of disarmament against a warrior equipped with a lance.

The forms that have a profound interest are forms with very simple movements and that are repetitive. Why not do a form not directly repeating these movements you say? Looking at the progress made by the athletes (to take this example) leading the 100 m race, the top Olympic athlete of the century and an athlete from last year did not have at all the same performance. The reason is that we have a much better understanding of physical training and methods than before. The best way to train the body to be in any order is to train the way we start with the body, we try to coordinate breathing with movement, it is only then that we will use meditative techniques that are intended to calm the emotions and multiply the intention. Therein lies the beginning of energy work.

See already how to train the body.

The latter consists of several segments and the logic dictates that you train each segment separately from the others and then unifies the entire body in each movement. To follow the logic of the Taoist arts but also to avoid turning her gymnastic into a practice of memory, the physical movements used in both meditation, chi kung, and the arts of combat.

To begin we take the muscles attached to the more static and more tense joints in the body (those seem to be the shoulders and hips). We will review each and every muscle group to achieve articulation on finer parts such as fingers or toes. Each series of exercises will be repeated each day over a period of two to three months (but could extend this period in case of underperformance).

These will be followed by other exercises tailored to the most important segments remaining in a specified time. The practice will be enriched by performing various exercises aided by objects, rubber bands or weights. Emphasis is on quality of training rather than quantity. For this, the exercises should be performed slowly to be felt fully and analyzed.

Limbs must seek to be in torsion / rotation to achieve the "sponge". They must be checked at every moment that the neuromuscular patterns are precisely in the sensory memory of the body and of course, to acquire, the exercises should be repeated every day for a given period. The slow exercises that are found in all Chinese internal arts and some yoga are a utility to bring the practitioner to a total control of the movement. Perform the exercises too quickly and we can not reveal the imperfections that we would if we do the gesture slowly.

We just look for movements that are perfectly aligned with the joints and respect the lines of force of the body. It is only when this movement will be fully integrated into the slow then with speed, then we can have gesture which is more aware than a conscious concentration. At this stage we can consider moving on to more important things like moving the energy, regulate breathing, or work on the emotions. Moreover, in the difficult conditions of a physical confrontation (I speak here of the arts of combat) or a period of serious illness (which joins the chi kung), the mind is disturbed.

When the mind can not focus perfectly, without interference, it must be able to rely on the body that can not be disturbed. This is the principle of habit: it takes months to successfully make a trip or something without thinking. However, it is very difficult to vary this movement or change its trajectory once the habit is ingrained in the body. It is the difference between an intellectual or mental repetition and habit infused into the cells of the body.

Torsion / rotation of muscle is found in all yoga exercises and stretching: the idea is to drain blood from an area by precise muscular movements "wringing" and torsion (the principle of a sponge that is emptied of its water), then let the blood fill the muscle again when you release the pressure. The repetition of these movements will increase the vascularisation of the target area. In traditional Chinese texts say that where there is blood there is energy and where there is energy there is the blood. Thus increasing blood flow means increased circulation of energy.

In contrast to the forms we have spoken above, we can already see that this is not gymnastics, but it is good chi Kung. The combination of all these sensations, these breaths, the movement of energy and the regulation of emotions can have a style of chi kung in all respects similar (externally) to the movement of the arts of combat. These are simple and precise movements that seek little memory as each movement of the body and all gestures of training are fluid and logical. It is clear that the movement for fighting will be anchored in the body as will the movements of chi kung.

Thus a movement of very advanced chi kung may resemble a simple external one, and a small martial movement will develop a high power at impact. The more we advance in the Taoist arts and more we realize that all external movements take the same directions in three dimensions.

Each gesture is moving in space in one of six directions.

Whether "separate the tail of the bird" or "white crane spreads its wings" in tai chi, "the shape of the horse" in hsing yi, "the sixth change of palm" pa kua, this remains in any case an uppercut at 45 degrees and nothing more. If instead of wasting his time to carrying out all these forms without really knowing why, we worked directly with the direction that we want (diagonal up) we would move more easily to the point. If we developed training methods for this movement in these dimensions is more precise and involves the whole body, we gain time.

This time saved could then be used for things more important than the physical movements. It could be used for working mental, and emotional energy. This would reduce the number of movements performed by increasing the quality and understanding of them. With the habit of working on the concepts, the three dimensions and six directions, there will be no limit to the number of techniques that can explain or use without losing time to practice forms without interest that are not applied in the arts of combat or in the arts of health.

This training can work the whole body and each part of the progress is using the same gestures with inner work. Each body part will be stronger and all of it will be in better health. Each motion will be an effective technique for the arts of combat and arts for health. Never will we ask: "If I made the white crane that eats the leaves, then I do the driving tamarind or should I opt for the deadly turnstile ".

Muscle "Contractibility"

Muscle, like our mind cannot do two things at once. Either it is at relaxation, ready for use, or it is in function and therefore unusable. It is sometimes possible to find a median, which is pathological or transitional (aches or injuries). For a rapid response, without interference facing a stimulus ,it should be that our muscle are always in a state of alertness but relaxed ... hmmm, the paradoxes begin.

In such a situation, we are often mired in unimportant verbal jousts and we reach more to find words. Afterwards, we did not want to say this or that. During the altercation, our mind was tense due to a projection into the future or the memories of the past, too occupied to access the present, we were totally paralysed.

That is what state our body is in much too often!

What we are looking for through the practice, a body that consumes as little energy as possible, not stupidly using it but one which responds instantly when it is appropriate. We are helped in life by natural 'drugs' manufactured by the body, they allow us to overcome. But our mind is so tormented by our compulsive thoughts and we are so ignorant of the mechanisms of defence that it cripples rather than helps us. Discharge of adrenaline that goes through our body in an emergency will often be interpreted as a feeling of weakness. In reality it is a feeling of lightness that is there to be followed by action, "contractibility" perfect our muscles to be ready for anything.

Our body should be relaxed to respond appropriately to these signals, otherwise it requires terrible effort to struggle between a desire to remain paralysed, and this "involuntary" (the principle of life of each cell) natural call to be ready to act. For this relaxation, it is necessary to have a daily practice that will keep our structure in its natural state of relaxation. The "relaxation" has nothing to do with softness advocated by the hysterical followers of the illusion of non-violence. It is a transient state between two actions of life, the simple or complex. The body is toned but not hard, the mind relaxed but not asleep.

Our mind is an essential factor for the relaxation of the body. In a spontaneous action, there is no unnecessary energy expenditure. In an action gavée thoughts contradictory and confused, the body is tense and frustrated in a packaging of "wrong doing". The work of the relaxation of the body through relaxation of our "box thinking". For an exercise to be useful, it must not be intellectualized early in the learning phase: This is it useful to just follow the advice of his teacher without asking too many questions. When the whole body / mind is relaxed in the realization of the gesture, suitable or not, then it is time to discuss. Too often young practitioners seeking to discuss the form and what they will do before they have outlined the slightest gesture. The professor who returned with them in a debate of ideas is a bad teacher: It flatters his ego in an argument through which he will spread his knowledge and spoil any chance of discovery of "young beetles. The professor who wishes to profoundly change his pupil not said anything except "to the job and shut up!".

The intention is to initiate actions, but it will quickly become a problem. With the intent, we all wait and hope in a gesture that would remain in the field of pure action. On a strike, the desire for power fantasies and the outcome will affect the success of it. The intention is a starter, as with a car of 80 years, but rolling out the choke with insurance is a very sad result.

The intent is useful in the learning phase, but still a handicap in the practice phase, while the use in the arts of combat, it is a disaster!

The achievement is a reflection of training and preparation is in the "Yi" (intent) will be useful. In practice it is a weight that clutters.

The exercises that have followed the stages of learning and practice will be ready for use. It will be unnecessary to add an intention, expectation or a prayer, it will be too late!

In Chinese medicine the liver is responsible for the smooth flow of all manifestations of energy in the body (blood, nourishing and defensive energy, body fluids). Tension of the mind or body hurts and then it is reluctant to do its job properly. Even from a cellular stress is tight and the cells that are less efficient for a given action. Too intentions reported number of practicing martial arts angry and sick, sad and a little crazy ... too much tension!

For their natural spontaneous gestures of a human being relaxed and healthy, we need to relax. The exercises without apparent purpose, the daily work on intimacy with our body and the work of recognition of our mind is what to do!