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Quick Links to Postures 1-17 | 1 Lifting Arms | 2 Opening the Chest | 3 Painting the Rainbow | 4 Separating Clouds | 5 Rolling Arms | 6 Cloud Hands | 7 Raise the Ball | 8 Carry the Moon | 9 Pushing Waves | 10 Loosening the Trunk | 11 Touch the Sea, Look at the Sky | 12 Rotate the Wheel and Point at the Moon | 13 Parting Wild Horses Mane | 14 Brush Knee and Push | 15 Grasp Sparrows Tail | 16 Fair Lady Weaves Shuttles | 17 Punching
Consult the "seated stage" notes in posture 1 regarding sitting / chairs.
This is an exercise that is best if you use a stool.
Begin with hands lightly resting on the thighs, palms down.
Turn the upper body to the right, moving the arms, which move naturally with the body to the right.
The right arm moves around the right side of the body and straightens.
The left arm lifts so that it is across the chest horizontally, the left hand near or past the upper right arm.
Turn the upper body to the left, moving the arms, which move naturally with the body to the left.
The right arm lifts so that it is across the chest horizontally, the right hand near or past the upper left arm.
The left arm goes back to the left side of the body and straightens.
Repeat several times.
Consult the "important points" in exercise one regarding "moving in water".
Stand with feet at shoulder width and parallel, toes facing directly forward. Legs should be straight with knees slightly bent.
Turn the upper body to the right, moving the arms, which move naturally with the body to the right.
The right arm moves around the right side of the body and bends at the elbow so that the back of the palm ideally touches the lower left of the back near the area of the kidneys.
The left arm also moves around the right side of the body to touch the right shoulder.
Turn the upper body to the left, moving the arms, which move naturally with the body to the left.
This time the right arm moves to the left side of the body to touch the left shoulder.
It is the left arm's turn to move around the left side of the body, bending at the elbow so that the back of the palm ideally touches the lower right of the back near the area of the kidneys.
Keep the lower half of the body - including the hips - still. Only move the arms and torso.
In this posture when standing you have a much freer movement so you can really let the arms swing. It is important that the lower half of the body and hips remain static. As for all the standing static posture stages, feet should remain at shoulder width, feet parallel, toes facing directly forward.
The upper body only turns gently to the left and right, arms following naturally - but the hips must not move. With both feet firmly planted on the ground if you were to move your hips your knees would be forced to twist in the direction of the turn - which is not desirable (the knees are hinge joints!). Furthermore, the "torque" or rotational force would be focussed on your ankles. It is therefore essential that the movement in the standing static stage only come from the torso - NOT the hips.
This posture uses the "Swivel Step".
Applying the footwork to the posture:-
Stand with feet at shoulder width and parallel, toes facing directly forward. Legs should be straight with knees slightly bent.
Perform the torso movements as in the seated stage with these additional steps:-
As the torso and arms turn to the right, left the left heel and turn the left foot/leg a few inches to the right. Then when the torso and arms turn to the left you lift the right heel and turn the right foot/leg to the left.
Loosening the trunk is a traditional Chinese exercise.
This video shows the standing footwork stage of this posture.
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