tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6201222618566180765.post1416847338324978463..comments2024-03-08T02:28:22.720-08:00Comments on Dojo Rat: Shall We Dance?Dojo Rathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12057645566330892415noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6201222618566180765.post-69436797392719842922007-09-15T08:36:00.000-07:002007-09-15T08:36:00.000-07:00Thanks Jose, very detailed.D.R.Thanks Jose, very detailed.<BR/>D.R.Dojo Rathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12057645566330892415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6201222618566180765.post-24236127837260513442007-09-15T07:44:00.000-07:002007-09-15T07:44:00.000-07:00Patrick, here is a video of the Five Elements of X...Patrick, here is a video of the Five Elements of Xingyi done really well. This kind of stepping pattern is found throughout Bagua also, but it's complemented by the bheel toe stepping patterns.<BR/><BR/>http://youtube.com/watch?v=iQZ3xn-UmjIJoseFreitashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13799512235188753569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6201222618566180765.post-80545089069653110932007-09-15T07:11:00.000-07:002007-09-15T07:11:00.000-07:00Jose, thanks for that perspective! That's somethi...Jose, thanks for that perspective! That's something about CMA that I'd wondered about for years then finally asked DR because I figured he might have access to someone with an answer. I'll have to think about those things for a while and play with them. thanksPatrick Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04471858995477729220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6201222618566180765.post-11888201004554857762007-09-15T06:42:00.000-07:002007-09-15T06:42:00.000-07:00Hi everyoneWell, I'll take exception and be the De...Hi everyone<BR/><BR/>Well, I'll take exception and be the Devil's advocate here. No, I do not think that the Chinese arts use only, or even primarily heel-toe stepping. Yes, Taiji does primarily, and yes Bagua uses it also, but this is by no means a rule. Just look at Xingyi or Six Harmonies Praying Mantis, where you’d be hard pressed to find even one example of heel toe stepping (well, there are, but less than 10% probably). I will differ to higher authorities if needed, I’m only an enthusiastic dilettante, but I also think there are pretty good reasons to practice heel toe stepping. More on that below.<BR/><BR/>Also, Bagua does not use only heel toe stepping or mud wading stepping. On could even make a point, given the insistence on the toes gripping the ground, that mud wading stepping could be used with a toes first stepping pattern (not really, but you get the point). But these are only training methods. In the linear drills, it’s hard to find heel toe stepping. Of the four different teachers who taught me Bagua, only one did not teach linear jump stepping patterns – and this admittedly because he doesn’t teach a complete Bagua curriculum, only a couple of things as a supplement to Xingyi. Most teachers show many different patterns, using toes first jump stepping. Even some famous forms use this. The Original Form of Jiang Rong Qiao uses Mud Wading steps when doing the circle but once you initiate a palm change, jump stepping and toes firt makes up a good 50% or even more. Look at the 36 Songs and 48 Sayings, they strongly make the case that toes first jumping steps are the key to mobility and speed. Liu Dekuan’s 64 Straight Line Palms is 80% toes first stepping. And so on, I could go on for hours.<BR/><BR/>Having said this, and admitting that Taiji does in fact use 90% heel toe stepping, there are strong reasons to do so. Here are a few, in my opinion:<BR/><BR/>It’s very hard to train jump stepping in slow motion. This seems like a stupid and simplistic reason, but think about it. I had a ton of problems initially with Xingyi because it’s impossible to slow down the performance of forms and still keep the origin of the power. Taiji uses slowness and total awareness of weight transfer to teach generation of internal power. Xingyi clearly separates things and sends part of this training to immobile stance work. In Taiji you issue most of your power when your base is immobile, in Xingyi power generally comes from the sudden explosive transfer of weight forward (or backward). These are generalizations, and things always exist on a continuum, but that’s how I see things.<BR/><BR/>The other aspect of heel toe stepping, which is very apparent in Bagua, is this: heel toe stepping is the key to leg and foot trapping and stomping or locking. I am not sure you guys have ever been to an Uncle Bill seminar, or had a good Bagua teacher demo apps on you. No application is ever made without using the feet on the opponent. To train this you do heel toe stepping, with the famous toe in and toe out stepping, which are also hidden kicking techniques. Heel toe stepping is also good for ankle flexibility and strength, which is important in foot locking apps.<BR/><BR/>Allt his does not exist in Aikido or ither Japanese sword fighting derived arts, so no need to train this is felt.<BR/><BR/>My 2 cents euro, which is fast becoming 3 cents USD.<BR/><BR/>See you!JoseFreitashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13799512235188753569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6201222618566180765.post-329203031471570662007-09-14T22:02:00.000-07:002007-09-14T22:02:00.000-07:00Ah, yes Tristan's Bucket. I love it! Keep it going...Ah, yes Tristan's Bucket. I love it!<BR/> Keep it going man, you are fortunate to have such an exceptional life experiance with the Dojo. <BR/>John @ Dojo RatDojo Rathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12057645566330892415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6201222618566180765.post-57209956404495969932007-09-14T12:24:00.000-07:002007-09-14T12:24:00.000-07:00I took your advice.I took your advice.uchi deshihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10748618995081328351noreply@blogger.com