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Thanks very much for your insights. This answers a question I have had about whether equilibrium is possible or to what extent. Your videos really contribute alot to myself and the community!

Robert, I think people overthink this whole "contractual strength" vs. "expansive strength" debate in Tai Chi. Honestly, it’s neither. Tai Chi is simply about creating shapes that avoid sharp angles and kinks in the body. The goal is to keep the body aligned so the force flows through efficiently, without getting stuck, wasted, or left behind But. obsessing over whether to contract or stretch kind of misses the mark and feels like when people argue about whether to breathe in or out in Tai Chi-when in reality, it’s not about conscious breathing. P.S. I enjoyed listening to what you said today. I don’t often enjoy much of what Tai Chi folks have to say about Tai Chi...lol

try doing Tai chi in a pool with the water up to your neck, where if you move to fast your feet will move off the bottom of the pool.

In a practical sense, Since in taiji we train for elasticity and connection of the internal body, could we say that “moving towards central equilibrium “ is our internal body (start) then external body “ reorganizing “ itself as a result of any type of pressure. That could be either self applied (ie: the form) pressure from another (ie: push hands) Your thoughts

Very helpful video, my nagging knee pain went away after applying the techniques in this video. I'm learning how to keep my knee on the center line. Thank you so much, I was very worried I was going to have to stop doing chi kung!

Hey Robert, I'm a young man in my early 20's. Whenever I stand in wuji or try to do Zhan Zhuang, my knee begins to feel tightness and mild pain, which is translating to when I walk. I feel a stiffness, what should I do?

HAPPY NEW YEAR ROBERT.

Since watching your videos on dong and dang my taiji has transformed. I've had animpinged nerve in my shoulder for going on two years now, and a few months ago my dong/dang was spot on, and I felt my shoulder pop, it felt as natural as when my knees pop when I kneel, without being forced. It didn't fix the shoulder completely but I think it helped. Such a simlp e concept has made a huge difference. I'm pretty good now at feeling this stretching between movements, now to work on feeling that inner wash :)

Thank you so much for sharing!

I enjoy these Chinese herbal medicine videos. I'm waiting for one that might apply to a specific but common issue. As my great grandfather used to say something to "put lead in the pencil."

Useful to know, thanks. Watching from London.

you are really great Robert - thank you for your insights

The analogy I picked up was the idea of the slinky that goes down the stairs. One side opens up more than the other, you cannot compress it. The idea applies to movements of the torso as well.

makes sense

Great analogy! I remember when you corrected me because I was bending the elbow to make the move. Using the shoulder definitely maintains a fullness. … ed

Thanks again, Robert!

Ok, this one I get 😀 you have a more solid structure which will certainly help. To much bend and you have a weak point and a worse transmission of power. Cheers

Thank you for the answer. You said that your leg muscles were so hard that people believed that they were bones. When were they so hard? And when were they relaxed? You put tension in them not by contracting but by extending them in a relax manner. Now using a position less extreme than in your youth. By the way, do you realize that you are now older than either Yang Cheng Fu or his disciple Cheng Man Ching, your master? Cheers

Thank you for the video. Could you give some tips about shifting weight. When i sink into my startfrom leg i sink to my heel. When i sink to the center of the foot i sence more strain in the knee.

Interesting, albeit is Greek to me. You say that you used to get an isometric contraction when the leg was fully extended (or down) and now you get the same with a partial extension? In any case a Merry Christmas to you 🎅 ⛄ 🎄 ❄. Cheers

Neuroelectricity ❤❤❤ Beautiful video:)

Thank you. I remember we had many medicine classes with Sifu Tchoung Ta Tchen in Vancouver,Canada and I also remember our medicine class making some very incredible herbal potion that contain multiple ingredients including ginger, the whites of green onions, whisky and various Chinese herbs, all of which was rubbed on the chest and back to cure winter lung diseases. Very strong stuff. Did you learn that one or others?

Thanks for the video, Robert. Great memories. I first came across Dit Da Jow (I assume that's the Cantonese pronunciation) when I was learning Five Ancestors Kung Fu about 51 years ago, one of the Sifu's in the club would treat injuries with it. Good stuff. There are (as I am sure you know, different types of Jow for different purposes - injury types). In later years I did find that some of the commercially available ones were too strong and I'd get little blood blisters (not sure if that's the correct term) after using it. Also many years ago, I got some brought over from Malaysia, my parents-in-law had a neighbour who was a Chinese doctor and bone setter, and he made it, it was great and I used that for many years.

Reverse abdominal breathing draws in more chi energy

I agree more with joetheplumber. We inhale just before expanding energy like kicking a ball or throwing a frisbee. Reverse breathing is the above plus expansion of the Dantian on the exhale coordinated with all attacking movement of the form. With such practice, over time, you’ll find that completing each move and hence the entire form will require a shorter time. This is due to proper physiology and efficacy, and not beating round the bush. Good luck!

I didn't catch the process of reverse breathing. Does it start with an expansion of the abdomen, which pulls the diaphragm down? What is the exhalation process of reverse breathing and how is it yin?

Robert, you're overcomplicating this. Reverse breathing is just the body at work-lifting, pushing, carrying, and so on. All you need to do is pay attention to how the body naturally handles those actions, copy it, and practice. That’s it.

So, inhale and expand the abdomen, then exhale while further expanding the belly?

Thank you for sharing this information with us Robert, wishing you Health and Happiness ❤

Once again, your diplomacy and tactful line in describing differences in learning tai chi is to be applauded, particularly in a social media stream where it is too often advantageous for reasons of algorithms, to be divisive and dismissive of those adopting different approaches. Thank you Robert. My one comment would be to have used a less extreme analogy than a car-jack , as killing yourself underneath a vehicle that has not been supported correctly, is not analogous to, let’s say, running through 8 brocade in the wrong order. Or inadvertently Repulsing one too many monkeys. Neither of which, to my knowledge, will result in a fatality. But I get your point. Thanks again for weaving the diverse strands of tai chi together in these short videos in your inimitable style. 🙏

Good food for thought!

pseudo-science....there's no such thing as chi...it's NEVER been demonstrated with actual evidence...therefore it's an UNFALSIVIABLE CLAIM...or as i like to say...just mental masturbation.

I am 59 and I am so glad I figured that out a couple of years ago.

One or two points, one of the principal reasons that a ball is used is to ‘ harmonise the external with the internal ‘ There is a Tai ji saying ‘ that the first door ( to the art ) opens when everything starts in the Tantien. Tantien is not just a point inside below the navel but acts like a leather ball the size of a dinner plate half full of a heavy liquid like soya milk. The ball held between the hands rotation must harmonise with the rotation of the Tantien ball with the tail bone moving first to direct the direction in which the two balls move. If the backs of the hands are imagined to be inside the ball of the Tantien pressing on the inside walls of the ball, then when the tantien starts to roll, the ball between the two hands will roll together with it and the body will be starting to move as one unit. This information is from George Xu and Liu ji shun, 5th generation direct lineage from Wu l Shiang , writer of many of the classics.

The continuous unbroken movement like you are showing that is made by most of Cheng’s Western pupils misses out The An pressing / packing down jing that should be present in every single. Each movement expresses Peng, upwards, Lu, backwards, Jhi, forwards and An downwards. Cheng for some reason kept the downward An after dang hidden. It is so hidden in cloud hands for example that people miss it out completely. This begs the question why did Cheng hide An everywhere? One might come to the conclusion that he did not want western people to know it. For instance in brush knee after the front palm strikes, there is dang, to swing forwards, also termed to smooth off before storing power again to pack the opponent downwards into the ground with An that can send someone onto the floor, or bonce them like like a ball, but can also it can cause internal damage. Maybe this is why Cheng hides it. In the 1970’s a very well known disciple of Cheng, Dr Chi taught in Wimpole street in London. He did show the An force, stating every posture has two fundamental forces, vegetable chopping force, followed by bouncing ball or An force. So Cheng’s Chinese students were taught without things hidden. I am not the only person to point this out. You make many good points BUT where is the An?

Love this! Thank you for your detailed videos.

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As many commentators have stated already holding the ball is an idea to transmit the roundness of the arms etc but is transitional and the wrist position changes with experienced practitioners as the applied techniques can applied for blocking and striking or shifting the opponents weight etc. Attention should be given to the height and angles so as to effectively intercept blows and kicks, you still need a practical defensive application to your theories.

Thank you. Doing seems to be the point when you integrate many aspects of practice and find yourself on an altered state. I suppose that state could then become a new phase of practice. Thanks again

In practicing you’ll discover new insights in the form you study. It is like pealing an onion, layer by layer. Your body will also change in time which will influence your practice and form. Teaching the form has also helped me in gaining deeper knowledge of the form or studying with other teachers.

Good observation, good to think about. I agree with @rg8276 about the word "play". I think of myself as a taiji "player" as my original principle teacher called it. I would use "develop" in place of "practice" as I tend to think of "practice" as the superordinate category to both "playing" and working "developmentally" but this is merely a choice of words. Your meaning is spot on, and I think there were periods in my past when development was at a standstill. I was just playing, and like playing the same piece of music over and over, it can become stale. I looked for refreshment in different but related practices, which turned out to be somewhat helpful because being new, they demanded development. Thanks for this clarification.

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I think of expressing T'ai Chi. That is, the form takes over me and it happens as I react to it.

I like to think that when you start the form it's like going for a walk then you come to the end at the finish

Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I like the Chinese perspective of, “playing Tai Chi”. Not “doing”, nor, “practicing.” This speaks to me ,more of “playing”, in the sense of “Lila” in the Hindu tradition. The Universe “playing” itself and expressing itself as our Tai Chi movements.

I asked when do we stop practicing tai chi and just do it I don't see tai chi a accumulation of knowledge but by practicing you reach a point where it becomes part of you in everyday experience. You may not be a master but it starts to work for you and you feel a gentle internal smile.

Nicely said - thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving Robert!

Great detailed explanation, Robert!

Wow, i like this approach a lot. Thanks for sharing!