Hsing-I San Ti

Spent the last few days training Hsing-I with the gang down at Menlo College. Had to miss the last day due to family obligations.

The main focus was the standing alignments and connections in the San Ti posture of Hsing-I.

He spoke often of how this stance is a powerful way to train your mind as well as your body. There was much taught in this regard, but I can't really capture it in writing that well at the moment.

In terms of the physical training, we went through many, many different alignments in order to train the various liftings, droppings, roundings, wrappings etc that go into Hsing-I.

We spent some time with Jin Yunting's book "Xing Yi Boxing Manual" and working with the Seven Words of Hsing-I.

Last night we did "Yuan" which means rounding. One can do this anywhere on the body, but the classic states to round the chest, the Tiger's Mouth and the spine.

We did all three and each one helps to strengthen and connect one's posture better. Rounding the chest is a way of relaxing the shoulder's nest so that the arms are looser and more extended, similar to the Energy Gates training of standing.

Rounding the Tiger's Mouth is a way to create additional structure in one's hand which seems handy for additional striking power.

Rounding the spine a method of filling the lower back and allowing the head and tailbone to lengthen so that the spine is stretched like a bow. Quite useful in generating power for both defense and offense.

Isaac reported that today's training included some Tzuan Chuan and Beng Chuan, which is good to hear.

Hopefully we'll be having Kumar out again for more Ba Gua and Hsing-I next summer. Pretty fun stuff.

"Rounding the Tiger's Mouth is a way to create additional structure in

one's hand which seems handy for additional striking power."