Section 5

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Linda Heenan
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Section 5

Post by Linda Heenan » Sun Jan 29, 2006 2:03 am

After a wonderful Sword Camp over here in Australia, I have been working on parts of Sections 1-4 Michuan Sword Form that needed adjusting. This brings me back to Section 5. At camp I realised that the low stances which had always been difficult before were quite achievable if my feet were at the right angle. I did them many times at camp without hurting my knees or anything else.



Now I'd like some help with the low stances in Section 5. I realise this is difficult from a distance, but if anyone is good at explaining it simply. you might save me wrecking my knees. The first one, on pages 141-142, is not unlike the one in Section one on page 87. I can do that one easily because in Section one, you step into it. It seems to take a lot more strength to just sink into it in Section 5. Can anyone help with this.



The other one I need to work on is pictured on page 144. This is another one that gets sunk into rather than stepped into, and it is on the other leg. I'm having trouble with that .... suggestions please? Also, from that position, if I can get down there in the first place, the forward toe changes direction and the weight is transferred, so that you come up facing the opposite way. I can see what is supposed to happen but am not understanding the mechanics of how to execute this movement safely. Could someone please explain?

iglazer
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Rule of thumb

Post by iglazer » Sun Jan 29, 2006 4:53 pm

As you begin, a good rule of thumb for any low posture is that your knee has to move in a straight line directly over the foot. Look at the Michuan basic exercises from the empty hand form... it is a perfect time to make sure that your knee is traveling along a straight line. As you sink, any movement of the knee that is not aligned with the heel - big toe line will hurt.



I am a big fan of left and right decend as a basic exercise to get used to dropping low on one leg. A good way to ease your journey to a lower stance is get help... sink on one leg as if doing left and right decend, while you do this hold on to something strong, like a table leg or bannister. Use this as a brace to help you get more comfortable getting lower.

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Linda Heenan
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Post by Linda Heenan » Mon Jan 30, 2006 1:45 am

Oh ... I've got them. I've got them both all of a sudden. Thanks, Ian for your good advice. Your support idea is helpful. I was trying that in a different way a few weeks ago at Manly Beach. I discovered nothing is a problem at all if you do it in the water, so I was trying to get the mechanics right for low stances with the support of the water.



This afternoon, I went out to work on Section 5 and try some of the things Ian had written. It just came right. I was being careful to keep everything lined up as he said. I was also comparing the Section 1 low stance with the Section 5 ones to see what was different. That's when I remembered what Laoshi had pointed out to me (about 20 times). There has to be get away room. This changes the position of the feet. Mine were too close - too much of a straight line. When I adjusted that while stepping into the preceding position, it was a simple matter of combining it with what Ian said so that I can now do that low stance. The sink on the right leg is working too .... yay!

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