In Tai Chi Chuan, relaxation (Song) is the most important and fundamental principle. It is the goal that every Tai Chi practitioner continually strives to achieve. This is because only through relaxation can one sink; through sinking, one can become soft; through softness, one can become light and agile; and through lightness and agility, one can achieve a state of emptiness and seamless flow, reaching the higher levels of Tai Chi Chuan. In the dynamic practice of Tai Chi forms, one must be completely relaxed and soft, with no tension in any part of the body. This is very difficult to achieve, even with a master’s guidance, and can only be gradually attained through long-term practice and refinement. Many principles are involved, and almost all Tai Chi principles are directly or indirectly related to relaxation. Any deviation from these principles affects the relaxation and softness of the form to varying degrees. However, this does not mean that relaxation has no inherent rules. This article discusses two methods to achieve self-balance in Yang-style Tai Chi Chuan, which is one aspect of finding relaxation during form practice.
The primary goal in form practice is to achieve self-balance. If one’s posture is unstable during practice, muscle and joint contraction is required to restore balance, generating tension. Thus, mastering the methods to achieve self-balance during form practice is crucial for achieving relaxation. From a modern scientific perspective, the issue of self-balance in Tai Chi forms is essentially about effectively controlling the body’s center of gravity. During practice, the center of gravity continually shifts between the feet and should always be controlled directly above the line connecting the feet (or directly above one foot for extreme cases), without deviation. If the center of gravity moves away from this line, it leads to instability and a tendency to topple. In the process of opening and closing movements, controlling the center of gravity is relatively easy, and instability is rare. However, during transitions, such as stepping in and out, it becomes more challenging. Using the two methods discussed in this article, one can effectively control the center of gravity, ensuring smooth transitions and achieving lightness and stability in practice.
Method One:
If you want to retract one foot, first rotate the waist and hip corresponding to the other foot outward, lifting the heel of the foot to be retracted so that it becomes almost entirely weightless (toes remain on the ground). Then rotate the waist and hip inward, transferring the waist force to the hip, then to the leg, lifting and retracting the foot gently. Note: The force must be continuous, as stated in the boxing theory: “From the foot to the leg to the waist, it must be one complete flow.”
To clarify this method, let’s analyze it further. Assume you want to retract the left foot. First, rotate (turn right) the right waist and hip, making the left foot nearly weightless. This shifts the center of gravity to the right foot. Although the posture is no longer perfectly upright, and even if the left foot is weightless, the center of gravity is not directly above the right foot. Then, rotate (turn left) the right waist and hip, adjusting the posture to uprightness, with the center of gravity directly above the right foot as you lift and retract the left foot. This way, the right supporting foot only bears the vertical weight, with the foot fully grounded and all other muscles and joints completely relaxed. The left hip, knee, and ankle joints are fully relaxed, ready for the next move.
For example, in the transition from left brush knee and twist step to right brush knee and twist step, rotate the left hip and foot outward by about forty-five degrees, rotating the left waist and hip, lifting the right heel until the right foot is nearly weightless (toes remain on the ground). Then rotate (turn right) the left waist and hip, using waist and hip force to lift the right foot gently to the right side of the left foot. Without stopping, step the right foot forward.
Method Two:
Gently focus on relaxing the shoulder corresponding to the weightless foot or the shoulder corresponding to the foot transitioning from weight-bearing to weightless. Relaxing the shoulders is a key principle in Tai Chi Chuan. Generally, during form practice, the relaxation of the shoulders is not entirely balanced. It is often advisable to slightly focus on relaxing the shoulder corresponding to the weightless foot or the shoulder corresponding to the foot transitioning from weight-bearing to weightless. This helps to adjust the center of gravity and achieve stable transitions, thereby maintaining self-balance during form practice.
In the previous example of transitioning from left brush knee and twist step to right brush knee and twist step, relying solely on the rotation of the left waist and hip may not be sufficient for a smooth transition. If you also slightly focus on relaxing (sinking) the right shoulder during the rotation, the lifting and retracting of the right foot becomes lighter and more agile. As Yang Chengfu mentioned in “Talks on Tai Chi Chuan Practice”: “During the transitions of opening and closing, there is the activity of containing the chest, pulling the back, sinking the shoulders, and rotating the waist.” When the right foot steps forward, continue to slightly focus on relaxing (sinking) the right shoulder, helping to stabilize the center of gravity over the left foot until the right foot touches the ground. This makes the step as light and agile as a cat’s.
Tai Chi Chuan prioritizes distinguishing between substantial (weight-bearing) and insubstantial (non-weight-bearing). The substantial and insubstantial nature of the feet is essentially a matter of the body’s center of gravity. The changes in the feet’s substantial and insubstantial nature involve the shifting of the center of gravity between the feet. When the center of gravity leans toward one foot, that foot becomes substantial, and the other foot becomes insubstantial. When the center of gravity is directly above one foot, that foot is fully substantial, and the other foot is fully insubstantial. In Tai Chi form practice, the transition between the feet’s substantial and insubstantial nature should be gradual, not abrupt, meaning the transfer of the center of gravity should be connected and smooth. This ensures that the practice is continuous and fluid, without interruptions or unevenness. If, during the transition of the feet’s substantial and insubstantial nature, you slightly focus on relaxing the shoulder corresponding to the weightless foot or the shoulder corresponding to the foot transitioning from weight-bearing to weightless, you can achieve a smooth transfer of the center of gravity, meeting the requirements for the feet’s substantial and insubstantial changes.
In conclusion, let’s use Cloud Hands as an example to explain how to apply these two methods. During the left Cloud Hand, as the right foot transitions from substantial to insubstantial, slightly focus on relaxing the right shoulder to help transfer the center of gravity to the left foot. When the left waist and hip rotate outward, lifting the right heel, the right foot becomes nearly weightless (toes remain on the ground). Rotate the left waist and hip inward, using waist and hip force to lift the right foot gently to the left side of the left foot. Continue to slightly focus on relaxing the right shoulder during the outward and inward rotation of the left waist and hip, helping to transfer the center of gravity directly above the left foot. During the right Cloud Hand, as the left foot transitions from substantial to insubstantial, slightly focus on relaxing the left shoulder to help transfer the center of gravity to the right foot. When the right waist and hip rotate outward, lifting the left heel, the left foot becomes fully insubstantial. Rotate the right waist and hip inward, fully transferring the center of gravity directly above the right foot before gently stepping the left foot to the left. Continue to slightly focus on relaxing the left shoulder during the outward and inward rotation of the right waist and hip, maintaining the center of gravity above the right supporting foot until the left toes touch the ground.