Walking On Thin Ice – Provided by Ken Hoffman
From Ben Lo, Senior Student of Cheng Man-Cheng in the Yang Style CMC Taijiquan Lineage
Conveyed to me by Jim Bayer, Milwaukee, WI
I have found this exercise in many tai chi books described simply as tai chi walking or walking
like a cat. (FYI, great to watch how cats move and walk to emulate what they do.) However, I
have never seen it anywhere with this level of detail and depth. It was taught to me orally, so
I'm trying to document it here.
This exercise is to strengthen the legs, improve balance, and experience the separation of
Yin/Yang in the body. Think empty/full in the legs.
We tend to create excess tension in the body by engaging unnecessary muscles when doing any
given activity.
The key is to practice consciously, methodically, and consistently RELEASING all muscular
tension in the body, while you are practicing and throughout your day, whatever you are doing.
I love what my teacher said every time we practiced relaxing the body. "You will one day
release your body, so why not start practicing now?"
NOTE: This will be almost impossible to do when you are first learning a new form because most
of your attention is focused on learning the movements.
But ideally, the principles and process are helpful with nearly any qigong form.
There is a direct correlation between structure and relaxation. Structure is how your bones
stack up. Relaxation has to do with your soft connective tissue.
The more you can relax, the better your structure.
The better your structure, the more you can relax
Keep in mind your structure is a result of your entire lifetime, so it can take time to bring it back
into balance. Also, this is designed to be practiced daily for a few minutes, gradually increasing
the time as your strength increases.
***Standing Practice*** (To practice just before the Walking on Thin Ice
exercise)
It is good to practice the basic structure independently of the exercise. Horse Stance is a good
way to practice that. Stand feet shoulder-width width. Make sure the weight is even on both
foot bottoms. Make sure you aren't leaning forward or backward. As you do the exercise,
continue to check this foundational structural component. Bend both knees as if you were
going to sit on a stool. Drop your pelvis and flatten your lower back. Notice the crease in your
Kwa/hip joint in front. Notice how your weight is going primarily into your thigh muscles on
your legs. If it's not, then what needs to be corrected structurally so that it does? Or perhaps
there is tension somewhere preventing the force from going there.
Principles:
#1. Weight is always even on your foot bottoms.
Your feet are your foundation. Your weight must always be equally distributed over your foot
bottom. Focused on the K1 point, spreading outwards. NOT on the balls or the heel, and NOT
turning inwards or outwards. Your knees provide immediate feedback. If your weight is NOT
evenly distributed on the foot bottom, your knee will NOT be in structural alignment. That is
one reason why weight, even on the foot bottom, is stressed so heavily: to prevent knee injury.
#2. The force of gravity flows from your head top through your entire body, easily
unimpeded. If you notice holding anywhere, then use your mind to release it. It is important to
think of your body as a skeleton only, and picture stacking up the bones. So, shoulders directly
above the hip bones, hips directly above the knees, and knees directly above the ankles.
#3. The down creates the up. The best way to pick up the empty foot is by sinking more on the
weighted foot. This sinking more on the weighted leg causes an equal and opposite up force on
the empty leg, which makes it much easier to pick it up.
#4. Your legs will work MUCH harder the better your structure and the more relaxed your
body is. This is a good thing. Human tendency is to unconsciously find ways to make it less
work. So, there is a strong tendency to alter your structure wrongly to make it easier as you
continue the exercise. Don't do this! The better your structure is and the more relaxed your
body is, the more workload will be on your upper thighs. But those are big muscles designed to
do the work. Don't be too kind to your legs now, or they won't be kind to you later. Strong legs
are very important as we age.
#5 Align/stack up your bones/skeleton so that your shoulder is directly above your hip, your
hip is directly above your knee, and your knee is directly above your ankle.
Start in preparation posture
1. Weight is even on both feet equally. Heels touching. Toes pointed out forming a 33-degree
angle.
Before starting, take a little time to make sure you are centered, check your structure, and be
as relaxed as possible.
2. Start by slightly bending both knees. This will be quite strenuous on the legs, so best to start
with just a little bend. As you get stronger, you should bend down lower. Think of your legs as
two open pipes with a slight bend where the knees are.
3. Sit as if you were sitting on a stool. A crease in your Kwa/ front hip joint happens naturally if
you picture this metaphor.
4. Drop your tailbone and allow your lower back to completely flatten. Tuck your chin in so that
the back of your neck touches your shirt collar
This helps to lengthen your entire spine so that your head top suspends. (Think of a puppet on
a string)
5. As you are bending your knees, slowly start to shift your weight to the right leg. When your
weight is 100% in the right leg take a small diagonal step with your left leg. Put the foot down
with no weight. Pick it up 1" to test. Place it back down, still totally empty.
6. Send your mind down through your leg to make sure the leg is truly open and relaxed.
7. Very slowly shift into the left leg. When your weight is 100% in the right leg take a small
diagonal step with your left leg. Put the foot down with no weight. Pick it up 1" to test. Place it
back down, still totally empty.
*When shifting your weight, your pelvis must shift so that it is centered over the leg you are
shifting your weight to.
*As you are slowly taking steps, make sure that your toes are pointed in the same direction as
your knee
* Make sure that you continue deep dantian breathing. There is a tendency when doing this
exercise to either hold your breath or breathe shallowly.
Important: Don’t lift your hip when you lift your leg.
Allow the weight to go through your knees, NOT held at the knees.
Later. Release and relax ankles and allow weight to go through
Walking On Thin Ice Summary
Bend both knees and sink your weight 100% into the right leg.. Pick up your left foot and take a
small step with your left foot. Put it down on the ground FLAT without any weight. Float your
foot 1" off the ground. Put it back down on the ground, keeping it empty (no weight). Put your
mind into your leg from top down to the foot bottom making sure it is completely open and
weightless. Then slowly (one pound at a time) shift your weight into the other foot, doing the
same process. You shift back and forth as you take small steps forward.
Do this exercise a few minutes every day, and your legs will get stronger so that you
can easily stand on one leg eventually.
Forwarded by Master Stan Pannone | Healing with Qi | [Link]
