EXERCISES FOR ALL SEASONS

Shoulder-width 70/30 forward stance, left foot forward, front & side views - 04/15/08 (Spring)

Throughout Prof. Cheng's 37 Posture Tai Chi form, I use the same shoulder-width 70/30 forward stance (sometimes left foot forward, sometimes right foot forward) in all these postures:

- Grasp Sparrow's Tail, Ward Off Left
- Grasp Sparrow's Tail, Ward Off Right
- Roll-back
- Press
- Push
- Single Whip
- Brush Knee
- Parry & Punch (Forward Punch)
- Withdraw & Push
- Embrace Tiger Return To Mountain
- Diagonal Flying
- Step Forward & Strike With Fist (Low Punch)
- Fair Lady Works At Shuttles (4 Corners)
- Bend Bow & Shoot Tiger

While holding a 70/30 forward stance, 70 percent of my body weight falls through the forward foot, and 30 percent of my body weight falls through the back foot.

"Shoulder-width" means the distance between the interior of my shoulder joints (the ball sockets where the arms connect to the shoulders); similar to the distance between my hip joints.

I visualize a set of parallel tracks running straight ahead of me, shoulder-width apart. My back foot toes out approximately 30 to 45 degrees on one track. My front foot steps forward along the other track, toes facing forward. The knee of my front leg aligns directly over my forward foot. The weight passing through my forward leg drops through the center of my forward foot. My forward foot relaxes and spreads out "like a wet mop on the floor" (T.T. Liang's wonderful image).

If I can easily lift the heel of my forward foot while in a 70/30 forward stance, my forward knee is too far forward over the front foot. If I can easily lift the toes and "ball" of my forward foot while in a 70/30 forward stance, my forward knee is too far back over my front foot. If I feel the heel and toes of my forward foot can NOT be easily peeled off the ground while in a 70/30 forward stance, then weight is falling directly through the center of my forward foot, and the knee of my forward leg is in the correct position. The knee of my forward leg should not be strained in this position.

Although the positions of the arms are different in the postures listed above, the foundation of the legs (the 70/30 shoulder-width forward stance) remains the same in each of these postures.

When advancing my forward leg into a 70/30 forward stance, the step taken should not be so great that my advancing leg can't be easily retracted at a moment's notice.

If I take too large a step forward, then I won't be able to "sit" back on my rear leg, and retract my advancing leg without a lot of wild body gyrations and readjustments of balance. I will have committed the fault of "double-weighting."

Also, my forward leg could be swept by an opponent if it is not easily retractable when I try to shift my body weight back onto my other leg.

See my "Check Empty Leg" videos of the 37 Posture Tai Chi Chuan form
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsEHJ8wY3bs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toHyddarDs8
where I test the empty leg of every posture to make sure it is easily retractable before committing any body weight onto that leg.

ChiGuy396

ChiGuy396@yahoo.com

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