Kudos tou you my friend. This is an awesome exercise which takes a long time to achieve. It is known as "The Phoenix searching for the ashes" during the early stage. Once you actually achive chin-to-toe, it is known as "The Phoenix eating it's ashes" and it is supposed to put you at a higher level of awareness. My sifu can do it with his leg up against a wall. I believe it is unique to the Guang Ping Yang Pai style.
I seen a magazine article many many years ago with YC Chiang doing this very stretch and he is a formidable master of Guang Ping Yang Pai style of Tai Chi. I thought it was awesome and still do.
Was Gm Kuo Lien Ying a disciple or a student of Yang Shao Hou. As far as I know, in history, the top known students of Yang SH were Gm Wu Kung Yi and his brother Gm Wu Kung Cho, Wu Tu Nan and maybe one other. The rest of his students left early due to the tough training which i dont believe required the extended Stretch. Although personally i think the stretch is awesome.
Kuo had learnt his Taijiquan from Wang Chiao Yu in Beijing from a young age. Wang himself was a student under Yang Pan Hou.
Huo Chi Kwang and Lu Hung Ping were two other students of Yang Shao Hou who were with him for a long period of time, my teacher learned from both of them.
I've heard that Kuo Lin Yin, and his wife Simone Kuo require it as a prerequisite to teaching, but from what I've heard, in the old days, the Yang Family required it of students before they began learning. They would give the new student 100 days to attain it, if they could not, they were not taken on as students. Either way, its an invaluable exercise in one's development.
Alas, these traditions are passing away because people do not possess the patience and fortitude to attain to these kind of levels any more. I'm just glad that there are a few real masters left to teach the Old Tradition. I'm not disrespecting what you know or your lineage, but you simply don't get it. TCC was a secret within the family for a long time, and as it got more popular, it became more watered down with each generation.
All I can say is that my Sifu, Wu Kwong Yu, is the 5th generation direct descendant of Wu Chuan Yau (the founder of Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan), who was an "inside door" disciple of Yang Lu Chan (the founder of Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan). The Wu family has kept Yang Lu Chan's traditional Tai Chi Chuan knowledge intact to the current generation.
Universal Post posture is another good example. We hold it for one hour, that's basic, but most people either don't do it at all, or hold only a few minutes, then talk about relaxation. I'm not trying to convince you of anything, I know from my own practice that these things are of great value.
Read Simone Kuo's book. She is the wife of TCC Master Kuo Lin Yin, who popularized the Kwangping style, which is identicle to the Lao Chen style Nganga teaches. I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it, you have to remember that there is a divide in TCC, between what is commonly taught, and what the masters reserved for the family and "inner door" disciples. Most people who practice TCC have little or no idea what real TCC is, they just quote the classics and think they have attained it.
The stretch is not only for the physical benefit. There is an energetic change that occurs in the meridians when one completes this stretch. Don't take my word for it, just do it for yourself and see the results. My experience with this stretch tells me that to neglect it hinders your progress greatly. With the added flexibility comes a much greater ability to relax the legs while practicing.
This will cause tearing, weakening, and lengthening of the posterior longitudinal ligament that stabilizes the spinal vertebrae and spinal disk. As this ligament weakens over a period of years, the instability can lead to hypermobility of the spine and secondary damage, such as herniated disk.
As intelligent as all that sounds, I have to believe that the Masters who devised Tai Chi Chuan knew what they were doing in requiring this stretch as a prerequisite to learning. By the time you are able to get your forehead to your toe, and get the last few inches needed to get chin to toe, your spine is almost completely straight.
If the person continues to bend forward, they do so by rounding the lower back as they reach for the ground. This transfers loading force into the posterior longitudinal ligament of the lumbar spine.
All standing hamstring stretches are bad. The hamstrings cannot be stretched in any standing position, because they are contracted and expending energy to stabilize the pelvis against the pull of gravity. - Dr. Steven D. Stark. The Stark Reality of Stretching.
ouch!!
pinkdiva181 2 years ago
Crazy! Awesome.
ctjuggles 3 years ago
Kudos tou you my friend. This is an awesome exercise which takes a long time to achieve. It is known as "The Phoenix searching for the ashes" during the early stage. Once you actually achive chin-to-toe, it is known as "The Phoenix eating it's ashes" and it is supposed to put you at a higher level of awareness. My sifu can do it with his leg up against a wall. I believe it is unique to the Guang Ping Yang Pai style.
darthmal 4 years ago
I seen a magazine article many many years ago with YC Chiang doing this very stretch and he is a formidable master of Guang Ping Yang Pai style of Tai Chi. I thought it was awesome and still do.
stretch4859 2 years ago
Was Gm Kuo Lien Ying a disciple or a student of Yang Shao Hou. As far as I know, in history, the top known students of Yang SH were Gm Wu Kung Yi and his brother Gm Wu Kung Cho, Wu Tu Nan and maybe one other. The rest of his students left early due to the tough training which i dont believe required the extended Stretch. Although personally i think the stretch is awesome.
JianChuanTaiChi 4 years ago
Kuo had learnt his Taijiquan from Wang Chiao Yu in Beijing from a young age. Wang himself was a student under Yang Pan Hou.
Huo Chi Kwang and Lu Hung Ping were two other students of Yang Shao Hou who were with him for a long period of time, my teacher learned from both of them.
fundiweeks 4 years ago
it is a prerequisite to teaching.
wtrtgr 4 years ago
I've heard that Kuo Lin Yin, and his wife Simone Kuo require it as a prerequisite to teaching, but from what I've heard, in the old days, the Yang Family required it of students before they began learning. They would give the new student 100 days to attain it, if they could not, they were not taken on as students. Either way, its an invaluable exercise in one's development.
fundiweeks 4 years ago
Well done Sir! I have heard of this stretch before. I need to work on it. Thank you.
taichifist 4 years ago
Alas, these traditions are passing away because people do not possess the patience and fortitude to attain to these kind of levels any more. I'm just glad that there are a few real masters left to teach the Old Tradition. I'm not disrespecting what you know or your lineage, but you simply don't get it. TCC was a secret within the family for a long time, and as it got more popular, it became more watered down with each generation.
fundiweeks 4 years ago
All I can say is that my Sifu, Wu Kwong Yu, is the 5th generation direct descendant of Wu Chuan Yau (the founder of Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan), who was an "inside door" disciple of Yang Lu Chan (the founder of Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan). The Wu family has kept Yang Lu Chan's traditional Tai Chi Chuan knowledge intact to the current generation.
dhjmckenzie 4 years ago
Universal Post posture is another good example. We hold it for one hour, that's basic, but most people either don't do it at all, or hold only a few minutes, then talk about relaxation. I'm not trying to convince you of anything, I know from my own practice that these things are of great value.
fundiweeks 4 years ago
No offense, fundiweeks, but I have never ever heard that this stretch was a prerequisite to learning traditional TCC.
dhjmckenzie 4 years ago
Read Simone Kuo's book. She is the wife of TCC Master Kuo Lin Yin, who popularized the Kwangping style, which is identicle to the Lao Chen style Nganga teaches. I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it, you have to remember that there is a divide in TCC, between what is commonly taught, and what the masters reserved for the family and "inner door" disciples. Most people who practice TCC have little or no idea what real TCC is, they just quote the classics and think they have attained it.
fundiweeks 4 years ago
The stretch is not only for the physical benefit. There is an energetic change that occurs in the meridians when one completes this stretch. Don't take my word for it, just do it for yourself and see the results. My experience with this stretch tells me that to neglect it hinders your progress greatly. With the added flexibility comes a much greater ability to relax the legs while practicing.
fundiweeks 4 years ago
This will cause tearing, weakening, and lengthening of the posterior longitudinal ligament that stabilizes the spinal vertebrae and spinal disk. As this ligament weakens over a period of years, the instability can lead to hypermobility of the spine and secondary damage, such as herniated disk.
dhjmckenzie 4 years ago
As intelligent as all that sounds, I have to believe that the Masters who devised Tai Chi Chuan knew what they were doing in requiring this stretch as a prerequisite to learning. By the time you are able to get your forehead to your toe, and get the last few inches needed to get chin to toe, your spine is almost completely straight.
fundiweeks 4 years ago
If the person continues to bend forward, they do so by rounding the lower back as they reach for the ground. This transfers loading force into the posterior longitudinal ligament of the lumbar spine.
dhjmckenzie 4 years ago
When the hamstrings have contracted to their longest eccentric length, the pelvis stops rotating forward.
dhjmckenzie 4 years ago
All standing hamstring stretches are bad. The hamstrings cannot be stretched in any standing position, because they are contracted and expending energy to stabilize the pelvis against the pull of gravity. - Dr. Steven D. Stark. The Stark Reality of Stretching.
dhjmckenzie 4 years ago
DHJMCKENZIE does not know what he is talking about.
SSLLOOWW 4 years ago
Just be a bit careful though in that stretch and don't "pull" with your arms. You also have to be careful with your lower back in that stretch.
dhjmckenzie 4 years ago
very cool!
th3oracl3 4 years ago
Cool.
dhjmckenzie 4 years ago