Liao

[Flyin' Brian]

When doing liao, I always seem get "caught up" when my sword reaches just about shoulder level - my upper arm and shoulder tend to lock up. This happens especially when I liao on my easy side. Any suggestions?

[Linda Heenan]

Do you step forward with the opposite side leg to your sword arm? I've always found it more natural to take a full step into liao because it turns the body so that there is freedom to move into another cut without tightness.

[Roland Tepp]

When doing liao, I always seem get "caught up" when my sword reaches just about shoulder level - my upper arm and shoulder tend to lock up. This happens especially when I liao on my easy side. Any suggestions?

To answer properly, I'd have to see what you are doing, but my guess is that you are overextending your sword arm and/or trying to force your liao to pass too close to your body.

I don't know if what I am doing is right or wrong, but for me, the liao always forms a sort of triangular or wedge shape angle in a moderate distance from my body.

to me, it is harder to do liao to the tight side (the side of the sword arm), as the elbow and shoulder is in quite an awkward position there for a moment... but it never get "caught up" (whatever you mean by that).

just another thought entered my mind - it might be that you are dividing your liao to two or more discreet steps.
I've seen that a lot. there is the "deflection" part of the liao and then there is the "offensive" part of the liao - beginners and some more advanced students sometimes stop between those division point. That may cause the sword arm to get "caught up", specially when you are extending your sword arm for upward cut.

Instead, the liao is one single movement, containing both - the defensive an offensive in one single movement - when defending you are already targeting the offensive cut, and when cutting, you should flow effortlessly into the defensive position... or change into another move..