@@InternalTaiChi I think I’ve been on the cusp of a breakthrough in my training for the last few years, I’ve built a pretty solid, rooted foundation but I’ve been struggling with learning this application and I think you may have helped. I’ve just moved from the UK to Monroe, LA too and there’s nobody to train with down here. So thank you so much for posting this
@@truthhurts1884 Well that is a big move! Finding a good practice partner, no matter where you are, is truly the hardest part of the journey. Hopefully someone will show up for you.
I live in Lake Charles Louisiana and have the same situation. No one to train with. I would be open to heading to Monroe occasionally to train with you. My name is Don Snow.. I was a disciple of Herman Kauz until his death in 2020. I began my training at the Taoist Sanctuary in San Diego. I’ve trained Chen Man Cheng, Chen Tai ji with Chen Xiao Wang, and I am now a student of Adam Mizner for the last 5 or six years.
Thank you. Your comment made my day! It is my goal to make Tai Chi learnable, accessible and beyond superficial teachings. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Perfect video, why: it gives a mosaic stone between beginner and master level, where such stones are rare. the video really demonstrates well, how to do it. it states that this touches / connects to the fascia. there is no blab bla ör obscure talk. - I got to know this kind of movement under the “aspects” “touch to connect” and “4 ounces move a 1000 pounds”. When I 1st encountered this movement, I thought this is the perfect touch to dance with a woman, neither to make her feel you are not there nor to grap her painfully.
What a well crafted and insightful response. Thank you! As an occupational therapist, I have used fascia control on patients for years, especially neurological patients to facilitate return of movement. We call the technique PNF and NDT. At the time I didn't realize the crossover into Tai Chi. So your dancing partner idea is spot on! 👏 Thanks for watching and supporting my efforts.
I am happy that I switched from Silat and Escrima to Tai Chi in 2008! I started Silat and Escrima in 1993, when I was 16 YO. I made a 41 second Tai Chi video short you might enjoy. It's far out for me that in 4 years, I will be a 20 year Tai Chi Practitioner! I used to be aggressive and once yelled at my Father for asking me a question about Martial Arts.
I still practice Tai Chi with the hard force. Everyone I've seen with an External background does it. Some people call it Peng. Whatever you call it, It's just how I do it. I like Yang, Sun and Wu/Hao styles. I want to learn Wu style. I don't like the explosiveness found in Chen style. Sometimes I practice a Free Form Dance such as from Silat and I touch on all the Yang Style postures!
@mikeneidlinger8857 it sounds like you have a rich and varied background. I think the more we explore it deepens our practice. So it's great that you have been open to, and pursued different and varied practices.
First connect to the joints closest to you or your point of contact. Then imagine connecting up toward the spine and then down to the feet. So if you are touching the wrist of someone, you would connect to their elbow, then shoulder, spine, down to feet. Does this help?
Thank you. I'm glad it was helpful. Do you mean connect to the fascia or connect with me? If you want to contact me, you can go to my website taichisusan.com. 🙂
I appreciate your videos on fascia and push hand partner connection. I learn a lot and can feel what you do in this video. My question is how to do it with a partner in a cooperative push hands partnering. I guess it's about practice at this level and gradually increase fascial tone. My teacher demonstrates and receives this quality patiently. I am still learning. Thanks for your videos.
Thank you for your comment and positive feedback. When applying this technique in push hands I suggest you do it very sloooooowly at first. When you do, you will discover moments where you can connect to the partner's fascia. Once there, see if you can hold them in that place without moving them. This is the first step. Then release and move again. Keep practicing finding those "windows" where you feel like you are connected to their fascia..hold..and then move on. Later you will, during the hold, see if you can connect to their joints down to the feet. Then move again. Finally you will develop the level where you can feel it within the movement and will not have to stop and hold to feel, connect joints and deliver. The first step is as described. Let me know if this helps!
@@lehnb58 That is fantastic! That is the most challenging part sometimes, finding a willing and cooperative partner. Have fun and let me know how it goes!
Inflating like a balloon is a sensory, imagery, and physical act. The best way to feel it is to get into a slight stretch where you know you have what you probably perceive as muscle/tendon tightness, but is more likely fascia tightness. For instance, you could bend to touch your toes, while keeping your knees slightly bent. You will likely feel tightness in your hamstrings (muscles in back of leg). Once you feel it, rather than pushing through and doing a traditional stretch, breath into that tightness instead. Take a deep breath and direct your awareness to that area and pretend you are inflating it like a balloon. Then release your breath and you will immediately get more range of motion. That inflating feeling is what you will eventually feel throughout your body when "inflating like a balloon" but in more subtle ways. As with an actual balloon, the more relaxed your muscles are, the more room you have to inflate like a balloon! Imagine squeezing a balloon (a long balloon) in the middle while trying to inflate. That is what most of us are doing when we have tension in our body. So the key is first to relax the muscles, letting them hang on the bones, then inflate with your mind, not always in correspondence with the breath. My students, when the touch me and I inflate, can actually feel my body expanding outward and my joints separating. It is sort of mind blowing because I am an Occupational Therapist and from my western training, never thought such things were possible! Thank you for asking such great questions. You give me superb ideas for my next videos!
@@InternalTaiChi It would be nice to come to a seminar with, yet I believe it is impossible as I don't intend to travel outside of Europe, Italy for the next few years. Though your deep insight and thoughts made me think of a meditation that I found in Tai Chi book by Cinese Grandmaster who explains that one should squeeze the breathing into the bones until a huge forse is obtained? Thank you again!
@@simeonsimeonov5205 Thank you. Maybe one day I will do a workshop in Italy. I typically do not advise focusing the breath or the Qi to a specific body part or response. I believe Qi is wise and when we focus on directing it, we are basing that on our own thought processes rather than a balanced natural flow. When doing standing meditation or Tai Chi, if the postural principles are in place and you are in the state of "song" then the Qi will naturally flow into the "bone marrow" and circulate outward. If we force it, we are over doing it and potentially disrupting a natural balance. I hope this makes sense!
Sei molto benvenuto. Ora che hai sentito la fascia su te stesso e ti sei mosso, sarà molto più facile farlo su una persona. Se non hai successo all'inizio, probabilmente è perché non hai collegato mentalmente il tuo tocco alla fascia delle loro articolazioni. Devi connetterti alle loro articolazioni, almeno gomito e spalla, e si spera alla colonna vertebrale e ai piedi. Sii paziente con te stesso e col tempo, comincerà a succedere! Buona fortuna!
I actually take that as a compliment. I am fully aware of the complexities of the fascia. I am an occupational therapist. However, it is my goal to teach well. To do so I must simplify at times to create building blocks of success. I could not possibly put all that I know in a four minute video. That would benefit no one. Thanks for watching and commenting.
really excellent demonstration. Want to know that if i can touch the fascia , i should feel a friction. And also when you say that then you can connect it to the elbow , to the shoulder or even to the back.. Does it mean i also need to connect it with my yi... Thanks very much!!
Thank you. Yes, you can and should feel a bit of friction. Once you develop more sensitivity you will need the friction feedback less and less. I actually feel the connection to the elbow and less so as I move upstream. The more upstream I go, the more I use intention (yi). In other words, I can feel the connection to the elbow in a real way. Then the shoulder is less evident but I can still feel it, with the spine and down to the feet it becomes my Yi. I hope this makes sense!
Thank you for this. I see now the delivery system for the Jin is the fascia. We were taught to use softness not force but had no knowledge of this. Instead of using the fingers to move energy along the fascia as you demonstrate can we use the feel of the ground against our foot? Isn't that why the classics say "the energy is rooted in the feet, burst out in the legs, is directed by the waist and functions in the fingers."?
This is an excellent question. Generally we feel the other person's fascia through our hands and make our initial contact there. However, to initiate the movement through them....we certainly can do that with our feet, even the fascia of our feet. I'll have to play with this and see the difference. It makes total sense. All Tai Chi movements initiate in the feet!
My students and I were delightfully playing with your technique of having the fascia move the body. I have a small class in Virginia and would not mention my website without your permission. My name is Victor. I was a 4-year personal student of Master Jou, Tsung Hwa in the early 80's and have been teaching for 40 years. He would always say "don't move by yourself." With knowledge of the fascia now I know what he meant. I have been taking a fresh look at the classics of Tai Chi and the words intrinsic energy, tenacious energy and elastic energy all make more sense now. I have even caused my body to move with your technique by pushing the fascia up and down on my face! Thank you for spreading this knowledge. My students and I have fresh enthusiasm for the art. We can even cause our bodies to move by feeling the air pushing and pulling the fascia under our skin. As it heals and rejuvenates us it is truly a wonderful time to be learning Tai Chi with this knowledge.
@@JMonk26 Thank you, Victor, for your wonderful comment and for sharing your experience with me. I am so delighted that you are able to bring this to your students, bringing new enthusiasm and meaning to their practice. This is one of my main goals; to elevate the practice and understanding of Tai Chi so that the art will continue to grow and develop rather than be watered down or grow extinct. Knowing that you are able to hear new meaning in the words of the tai chi classics and that you are bringing newfound understanding to your students, is inspiring. Thanks so much and keep up the good work!
Hello there and thank you for a wonderfull video! If I may ask one question it would be the following : When you say you connect to the knuckle (video min. 2:10) which for me translates to the fascia is pulling on the knuckle (maybe I’m wrong) and afterwards you say you connect to the wrist elbow spine etc but the fascia isn’t tens/strech upwards the arm and you then mention (“into my mind”). So is the connection to the wrist/elbow/spine (as mentioned in the video) an Yi “function” or is really feeling that part of the body? Also I hear some practitioners talk about connecting to their center. Is that a way of saying to feel their DanTien or a metaphor? Thank you!
Great question. So I sense and feel one direction or the other. In other words, if I am touching the forearm, I can work downstream to the wrist and then fingers, or I can go upstream to the elbow, shoulder, spine and down to the feet. I don't try to go both directions for the reasons you cited about the slight friction stretch toward the joint(s) your effecting. Or you can stretch away from the joint too. Now is it a "Yi" function..yes and no. To start it really is just a mechanical connection. I use the example of touching a table. When you reach out and touch a table, are you touching it? Well, yes. Are you also in a way touching the leg of the table....well, yes because you are touching the top of the table and the leg of the table is connected to the top of the table. There really is no magic or Yi in that. So to start, just touch the arm of someone and then the slight stretch of the fascia and know you are touching the elbow through their fascia. As you connect upstream (in this case, to shoulder, spine, to feet) it becomes more Yi and less sensation and yet it is still a mechanical connection. I liken it to a fishing line. At first you only feel the really big fish hit your line, but as you become more tuned in to your fishing line, you can feel the smallest minnow tickling that line. In summary, to start it is sensation and mechanical. The more refined you get, it moves into Yi. A simple touch now, and I have someone's whole body. Does this help clear things up?
Hi susan, i have a question for you? When you connect the fascia , you said we can go upstream to wrist, elbow and shoulder . Does it mean we use our mind too. Thank you.
We use our mind too. It is a combination of feeling, connecting, sensing the person's joints and then traveling with your mind upstream and then down to the feet. I am going to make a video soon on this topic. This week. Keep an eye out for it!
Is it the fascia your really catching or just catching the skin? I get it that ,if your touch is too light you slide on the skin, if you put a bit more pressure you catch the skin better (you call it fascia). Fascia or skin, still not convince but very interesting demonstration.
Thank you for the good question. I assure you it is different than the skin. I guess you could say I am catching the skin AND the fascia underneath. One pulling on the other. I know it is hard to imagine, but once you feel it and have success with it, it is very easy to do and understand. Thanks for watching and for your respectful inquiry.
When you say connect it to the elbow, the shoulder "etc... How do you connect it when you're touching your hand? Do you merely just intend it and it works? Thank u!
@@AK_UK_ You have asked some really great questions. I have made a good video to help answer those very questions. I am traveling right now so will post that video on Monday. Keep an eye out for it. Thanks for remaining engaged and for the good questions!
I am assuming you are asking the viewers if they are having success. This is a great question! I am available for troubleshooting, and would enjoy hearing successes or problems. This helps to guide me toward making my next videos to assist in building toward success.
Thank you for commenting. I have a few videos where I am moving someone by tapping their fascia. I am actually still a little slow, but getting much faster and at ease with it with each passing day. Have you seen my other videos on the topic? I have a playlist called The Fascia Secret. Check it out!
nice to give credits to Shifu Lin of Phoenix Mountain Tai Chi. This shows your honesty and values! There are so many teachers “stealing” from others and present it as their own and they feel like super heroes…
Thank you for recognizing this. I have had several so called "experts" steal from me and credit it as theirs. That is not the spirit of Tai Chi we want to promote and grow. I think the more we set the example the more we can eclipse those of lesser integrity. Then Tai Chi and those who are earnest in their pursuits become more elevated as well. I join Shifu Lin in the goal to bring Tai Chi to ever higher levels for all to enjoy.
@@back-seat-driver1355 I also wanted to mention, that I asked Chester prior to posting, if he was okay with my moving forward in teaching these concepts. He was very positive about it. I spent a weekend training with him a few months ago. Just thought it was worth mentioning. 🙂
Eventually as your skill develops you can use it against punches or kicks. The trick is to not meet the punch with force of any kind. Rather, you guide the punch away and as you do you connect to the fascia and to their joints. Practice slowly at first then gradually speed up the process.
This is what I think they were talking about when they said 4 ounces moves a thousand pounds…. Another reason I like to call taijiquan, Friction Boxing
@@InternalTaiChi also the 4 ounces is asking their subconscious for resistance, which you use against them. This is what I think gives you the skill of stickiness. As it flies under their radar, they push against your “asking” (4 ounces) and in effect stick to you, then manipulate within the friction you create. Yeah Friction Boxing…. When you get the touch right, there’s friction between you and the opponent, you and the floor and you work within that state.
@@littlecannon I really enjoy reading your descriptions. You have a talent for putting it into words and describing the mechanism well. I like the idea of working with the "friction" between you and the floor! The opponent is obvious...the floor not so much. Thank you for sharing your insight and experience!
??? Fascia is not the qi. The Chinese separate qi from fascia/membrane and tendon. When you touch someone who is, for instance, "rooted" or using jin, you don't "feel the fascia", you feel their subtle connection to the ground through your touch and the interpretation from your subconscious.
You are correct in some of what you say. The fascia is one highway through which Qi flows. However for teaching purposes, it is beneficial to learn how to connect to the fascia first and can be effective without using actual Qi. Once an individual can connect to another's fascia and move them in a mechanical sense through the fascia, they can then add Qi and have a greater effect with less effort and less mechanical force. Then adding the subtle subconscious as you stated ( intention or yi) adds even more effectiveness. My current videos are just a starting place. It is not possible nor is it prudent for me to teach all at once what I know. My goal is to make internal aspects of Tai Chi accessible to all and that does require some step-by-step teaching and learning.
@@InternalTaiChi I see. How does one "connect to the fascia", BTW. Do you mean 'touch and feel something to do with the fascia'? I've seen a number of people, over the many years, try to use "fascia" as a buzzword, but it doesn't seem to work. Most people get a little bit of rudimentary muscle-jin ability and think they have arrived. There's much more to it than that. Good luck.
@@InternalTaiChiRight! Fascia, a “stepping stone” toward achieving what may appear as impossible: moving, manipulating or throwing pure Qi energy into objects or persons.
The fascia is an actual anatomical organ in our body. I made this video to illustrate clearly how to connect or touch the fascia. Yes you are correct, I do mean one actually touches and connects with the fascia of the other person. Since I'm a therapist, I guess it is almost second nature to me. I had no idea the concert was as challenging as it seems to others (not necessarily saying it is for you). It is quite simple and easy to do. Just perhaps hard to learn via video. Tai Chi is a marvelous journey that grows ever deeper. I will never feel I have arrived because that would take the fun away! I believe most Tai Chi practitioners seek a continued journey as well. That is the allure and the benefit. The more you give it, the more it gives. Wishing you all the best in your Tai Chi journey too!
The recommendation to try moving your own self was gold! Thank you
As a 15 yr practitioner of Wing Chun this short video on Tai Chi may be the most important piece of information I’ve ever received. Thank you
Wow! Thank you so much.
@@InternalTaiChi I think I’ve been on the cusp of a breakthrough in my training for the last few years, I’ve built a pretty solid, rooted foundation but I’ve been struggling with learning this application and I think you may have helped. I’ve just moved from the UK to Monroe, LA too and there’s nobody to train with down here. So thank you so much for posting this
@@truthhurts1884 Well that is a big move! Finding a good practice partner, no matter where you are, is truly the hardest part of the journey. Hopefully someone will show up for you.
I live in Lake Charles Louisiana and have the same situation. No one to train with. I would be open to heading to Monroe occasionally to train with you. My name is Don Snow.. I was a disciple of Herman Kauz until his death in 2020. I began my training at the Taoist Sanctuary in San Diego. I’ve trained Chen Man Cheng, Chen Tai ji with Chen Xiao Wang, and I am now a student of Adam Mizner for the last 5 or six years.
Learn tai chi then !
Never thought someone would truly share such precious tai chi info. Thank you
Thank you. Your comment made my day! It is my goal to make Tai Chi learnable, accessible and beyond superficial teachings. Thanks for watching and commenting.
This is the first time I found an explanation for what it means: Touch the fascia. Your explanation is excellent. Thank you very much.
Thank you for your positive feedback and taking the time to comment. Comments like yours help to keep me inspired to keep making videos.
excellent and simple explanation of how connect with fascia. It's rarely explained and not in that way so thank you for this quick video 🙂
Thank you! It's my goal to make the deeper aspects of Tai Chi accessible. 👍
Fantastic video. You explained something that people talk about but cannot describe accurately. Wow!
Thank you. What a great compliment. :-)
Thank you so much for this explanation! I love your approach of taiji.
Thank you! I'm glad you find my approach helpful. 😊
Thank you so much for such a clear, useful explanation.
@@dsfgnk4 You are very welcome. Thank you for watching and commenting.
That was great. Very easy-to-understand explanation. I'm new to Taijiquan and it is a game-changer to me. Thanks!
Thank you for letting me know my video and instruction helped you. Welcome to the wonderful journey of Taiji Chuan!
Perfect video, why:
it gives a mosaic stone between beginner and master level, where such stones are rare.
the video really demonstrates well, how to do it.
it states that this touches / connects to the fascia.
there is no blab bla ör obscure talk.
-
I got to know this kind of movement under the “aspects” “touch to connect” and “4 ounces move a 1000 pounds”.
When I 1st encountered this movement, I thought this is the perfect touch to dance with a woman, neither to make her feel you are not there nor to grap her painfully.
What a well crafted and insightful response. Thank you!
As an occupational therapist, I have used fascia control on patients for years, especially neurological patients to facilitate return of movement. We call the technique PNF and NDT. At the time I didn't realize the crossover into Tai Chi. So your dancing partner idea is spot on! 👏
Thanks for watching and supporting my efforts.
I am happy that I switched from Silat and Escrima to Tai Chi in 2008! I started Silat and Escrima in 1993, when I was 16 YO.
I made a 41 second Tai Chi video short you might enjoy. It's far out for me that in 4 years, I will be a 20 year Tai Chi Practitioner! I used to be aggressive and once yelled at my Father for asking me a question about Martial Arts.
lol....keep up the journey!
I still practice Tai Chi with the hard force. Everyone I've seen with an External background does it. Some people call it Peng. Whatever you call it, It's just how I do it.
I like Yang, Sun and Wu/Hao styles. I want to learn Wu style. I don't like the explosiveness found in Chen style.
Sometimes I practice a Free Form Dance such as from Silat and I touch on all the Yang Style postures!
@mikeneidlinger8857 it sounds like you have a rich and varied background. I think the more we explore it deepens our practice. So it's great that you have been open to, and pursued different and varied practices.
I had never heard of this with the Fascia so I subscribed to your channel! I watched you move the big strong man!
@@mikeneidlinger8857 thank you! 😊
Excellent explanation Thank you
You are welcome. Thanks for your comment!
Thank you for this demonstration, so connect first to the joints in the local area before distal joints
First connect to the joints closest to you or your point of contact. Then imagine connecting up toward the spine and then down to the feet. So if you are touching the wrist of someone, you would connect to their elbow, then shoulder, spine, down to feet. Does this help?
Question
As you move up or down the arm!?
If i want to ease the pain under my arm to down my feel sown my spine
Many thanks for sharing, it gives me very important information
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks so much for sharing.
You are very welcome. Thank you for watching and commenting.
Solid, informative video that should provoke considerable thought in those who pursue TCC. Liked and Subscribed.
Very nice comment. Thank you!
Great Explanation! I've been curious as I recently found your videos and didn't quite understand how to connect.
Thank you. I'm glad it was helpful. Do you mean connect to the fascia or connect with me? If you want to contact me, you can go to my website taichisusan.com. 🙂
I appreciate your videos on fascia and push hand partner connection. I learn a lot and can feel what you do in this video. My question is how to do it with a partner in a cooperative push hands partnering. I guess it's about practice at this level and gradually increase fascial tone. My teacher demonstrates and receives this quality patiently. I am still learning. Thanks for your videos.
Thank you for your comment and positive feedback. When applying this technique in push hands I suggest you do it very sloooooowly at first. When you do, you will discover moments where you can connect to the partner's fascia. Once there, see if you can hold them in that place without moving them. This is the first step. Then release and move again. Keep practicing finding those "windows" where you feel like you are connected to their fascia..hold..and then move on. Later you will, during the hold, see if you can connect to their joints down to the feet. Then move again. Finally you will develop the level where you can feel it within the movement and will not have to stop and hold to feel, connect joints and deliver. The first step is as described. Let me know if this helps!
@@InternalTaiChi Thank you for sharing this practice. I believe I have a partner, patient and curious enough, to explore in this deliberate way.
@@lehnb58 That is fantastic! That is the most challenging part sometimes, finding a willing and cooperative partner. Have fun and let me know how it goes!
Understand! Thank you very much.
You are welcome!
Thanks, good explanation !
Thank you!
Very well explained fundamentals of tai chi. Thanks
Thank you! :-)
@InternalTaiChi I would like to ask about 'inflating like a balloon' before issuing or I didn't understand well? Thanks
Inflating like a balloon is a sensory, imagery, and physical act. The best way to feel it is to get into a slight stretch where you know you have what you probably perceive as muscle/tendon tightness, but is more likely fascia tightness. For instance, you could bend to touch your toes, while keeping your knees slightly bent. You will likely feel tightness in your hamstrings (muscles in back of leg). Once you feel it, rather than pushing through and doing a traditional stretch, breath into that tightness instead. Take a deep breath and direct your awareness to that area and pretend you are inflating it like a balloon. Then release your breath and you will immediately get more range of motion. That inflating feeling is what you will eventually feel throughout your body when "inflating like a balloon" but in more subtle ways.
As with an actual balloon, the more relaxed your muscles are, the more room you have to inflate like a balloon! Imagine squeezing a balloon (a long balloon) in the middle while trying to inflate. That is what most of us are doing when we have tension in our body. So the key is first to relax the muscles, letting them hang on the bones, then inflate with your mind, not always in correspondence with the breath.
My students, when the touch me and I inflate, can actually feel my body expanding outward and my joints separating. It is sort of mind blowing because I am an Occupational Therapist and from my western training, never thought such things were possible!
Thank you for asking such great questions. You give me superb ideas for my next videos!
@@InternalTaiChi It would be nice to come to a seminar with, yet I believe it is impossible as I don't intend to travel outside of Europe, Italy for the next few years. Though your deep insight and thoughts made me think of a meditation that I found in Tai Chi book by Cinese Grandmaster who explains that one should squeeze the breathing into the bones until a huge forse is obtained? Thank you again!
@@simeonsimeonov5205 Thank you. Maybe one day I will do a workshop in Italy.
I typically do not advise focusing the breath or the Qi to a specific body part or response. I believe Qi is wise and when we focus on directing it, we are basing that on our own thought processes rather than a balanced natural flow. When doing standing meditation or Tai Chi, if the postural principles are in place and you are in the state of "song" then the Qi will naturally flow into the "bone marrow" and circulate outward. If we force it, we are over doing it and potentially disrupting a natural balance. I hope this makes sense!
Wow !Thank you for the lesson
My pleasure!
Grazie. Finalmente con questo video sono riuscito a spostare me stesso. Rimane da provare con un altro adesso.
Sei molto benvenuto. Ora che hai sentito la fascia su te stesso e ti sei mosso, sarà molto più facile farlo su una persona. Se non hai successo all'inizio, probabilmente è perché non hai collegato mentalmente il tuo tocco alla fascia delle loro articolazioni. Devi connetterti alle loro articolazioni, almeno gomito e spalla, e si spera alla colonna vertebrale e ai piedi. Sii paziente con te stesso e col tempo, comincerà a succedere! Buona fortuna!
thats a vey simplistc view about the fascia
I actually take that as a compliment. I am fully aware of the complexities of the fascia. I am an occupational therapist. However, it is my goal to teach well. To do so I must simplify at times to create building blocks of success. I could not possibly put all that I know in a four minute video. That would benefit no one.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
really excellent demonstration. Want to know that if i can touch the fascia , i should feel a friction.
And also when you say that then you can connect it to the elbow , to the shoulder or even to the back..
Does it mean i also need to connect it with my yi...
Thanks very much!!
Thank you. Yes, you can and should feel a bit of friction. Once you develop more sensitivity you will need the friction feedback less and less. I actually feel the connection to the elbow and less so as I move upstream. The more upstream I go, the more I use intention (yi). In other words, I can feel the connection to the elbow in a real way. Then the shoulder is less evident but I can still feel it, with the spine and down to the feet it becomes my Yi. I hope this makes sense!
Well said. 👏👏☯️
Thank you!
Yes excellent explanation 😊
@@TempleToursRedwood Thank you!
Thank you for this. I see now the delivery system for the Jin is the fascia. We were taught to use softness not force but had no knowledge of this.
Instead of using the fingers to move energy along the fascia as you demonstrate can we use the feel of the ground against our foot? Isn't that why the classics say "the energy is rooted in the feet, burst out in the legs, is directed by the waist and functions in the fingers."?
This is an excellent question. Generally we feel the other person's fascia through our hands and make our initial contact there. However, to initiate the movement through them....we certainly can do that with our feet, even the fascia of our feet. I'll have to play with this and see the difference. It makes total sense. All Tai Chi movements initiate in the feet!
My students and I were delightfully playing with your technique of having the fascia move the body. I have a small class in Virginia and would not mention my website without your permission. My name is Victor. I was a 4-year personal student of Master Jou, Tsung Hwa in the early 80's and have been teaching for 40 years. He would always say "don't move by yourself." With knowledge of the fascia now I know what he meant. I have been taking a fresh look at the classics of Tai Chi and the words intrinsic energy, tenacious energy and elastic energy all make more sense now. I have even caused my body to move with your technique by pushing the fascia up and down on my face! Thank you for spreading this knowledge. My students and I have fresh enthusiasm for the art. We can even cause our bodies to move by feeling the air pushing and pulling the fascia under our skin. As it heals and rejuvenates us it is truly a wonderful time to be learning Tai Chi with this knowledge.
@@JMonk26 Thank you, Victor, for your wonderful comment and for sharing your experience with me. I am so delighted that you are able to bring this to your students, bringing new enthusiasm and meaning to their practice. This is one of my main goals; to elevate the practice and understanding of Tai Chi so that the art will continue to grow and develop rather than be watered down or grow extinct. Knowing that you are able to hear new meaning in the words of the tai chi classics and that you are bringing newfound understanding to your students, is inspiring. Thanks so much and keep up the good work!
thankyou, that was answering my question.. thankyou
Great. I'm glad you saw it and that the video answered your question. Thanks for letting me know!
Hello there and thank you for a wonderfull video!
If I may ask one question it would be the following : When you say you connect to the knuckle (video min. 2:10) which for me translates to the fascia is pulling on the knuckle (maybe I’m wrong) and afterwards you say you connect to the wrist elbow spine etc but the fascia isn’t tens/strech upwards the arm and you then mention (“into my mind”). So is the connection to the wrist/elbow/spine (as mentioned in the video) an Yi “function” or is really feeling that part of the body? Also I hear some practitioners talk about connecting to their center. Is that a way of saying to feel their DanTien or a metaphor?
Thank you!
Great question. So I sense and feel one direction or the other. In other words, if I am touching the forearm, I can work downstream to the wrist and then fingers, or I can go upstream to the elbow, shoulder, spine and down to the feet. I don't try to go both directions for the reasons you cited about the slight friction stretch toward the joint(s) your effecting. Or you can stretch away from the joint too.
Now is it a "Yi" function..yes and no. To start it really is just a mechanical connection. I use the example of touching a table. When you reach out and touch a table, are you touching it? Well, yes. Are you also in a way touching the leg of the table....well, yes because you are touching the top of the table and the leg of the table is connected to the top of the table. There really is no magic or Yi in that. So to start, just touch the arm of someone and then the slight stretch of the fascia and know you are touching the elbow through their fascia. As you connect upstream (in this case, to shoulder, spine, to feet) it becomes more Yi and less sensation and yet it is still a mechanical connection. I liken it to a fishing line. At first you only feel the really big fish hit your line, but as you become more tuned in to your fishing line, you can feel the smallest minnow tickling that line.
In summary, to start it is sensation and mechanical. The more refined you get, it moves into Yi. A simple touch now, and I have someone's whole body.
Does this help clear things up?
@@InternalTaiChi it helps a lot! Thank you so much for the very detailed and clarifying answer 🙏🏼
You are very welcome. Glad it helped!
Merci madame, tres interessant.
Merci. Merci de regarder et de commenter !
Helpful. Thanks!
You are welcome!
Thank you so much!
You're welcome!
Nice!! Thanx!!🙏
Thank you!
Super! Thank you!
Thank you!
Thaks for video teacher
Thank you! I hope it helps.
THANKS FOR VIDEO
You are welcome. Thanks for commenting and watching!
Hi susan, i have a question for you? When you connect the fascia , you said we can go upstream to wrist, elbow and shoulder . Does it mean we use our mind too.
Thank you.
We use our mind too. It is a combination of feeling, connecting, sensing the person's joints and then traveling with your mind upstream and then down to the feet. I am going to make a video soon on this topic. This week. Keep an eye out for it!
Thank you!
You're welcome!
Thank you.
You're welcome! Hope it helps.
thank you
Welcome! 😊
Y👍ou are doing a great job
Thank you so much 😀
How do I use this to help my running ?
Check out the book "Chi Running." Also check out Thomas Myers.....he has a whole program on Fascia and athletic endeavors.
Excellent
Thank you so much 😀
Is it the fascia your really catching or just catching the skin? I get it that ,if your touch is too light you slide on the skin, if you put a bit more pressure you catch the skin better (you call it fascia). Fascia or skin, still not convince but very interesting demonstration.
Thank you for the good question. I assure you it is different than the skin. I guess you could say I am catching the skin AND the fascia underneath. One pulling on the other. I know it is hard to imagine, but once you feel it and have success with it, it is very easy to do and understand. Thanks for watching and for your respectful inquiry.
There's good and related information about the fascia from the anatomical perspective in Wikipedia too.🙂
Excelente!!!! Xiexie Laoshi
Xièxiè nǐ, bù kèqì!
How I will connected with next joint?
I explain that in this video: ua-cam.com/video/v7GPpKag4qs/v-deo.htmlsi=y1jUMXPIYVrphZnJ
When you say connect it to the elbow, the shoulder "etc... How do you connect it when you're touching your hand? Do you merely just intend it and it works? Thank u!
@@AK_UK_ You have asked some really great questions. I have made a good video to help answer those very questions. I am traveling right now so will post that video on Monday. Keep an eye out for it. Thanks for remaining engaged and for the good questions!
@@InternalTaiChi I'm honoured that you actually remembered me! Thank you! Look forward to it! ♥
I posted the video on connecting to the joints. Enjoy! 😊
@@InternalTaiChi thank you! I'll check it out!
Does it work on you guys?
I am assuming you are asking the viewers if they are having success. This is a great question! I am available for troubleshooting, and would enjoy hearing successes or problems. This helps to guide me toward making my next videos to assist in building toward success.
What dies this look like in real time?
Thank you for commenting. I have a few videos where I am moving someone by tapping their fascia. I am actually still a little slow, but getting much faster and at ease with it with each passing day. Have you seen my other videos on the topic? I have a playlist called The Fascia Secret. Check it out!
🙂🙏🏼☯️
Thank you! :-)
nice to give credits to
Shifu Lin of Phoenix Mountain Tai Chi.
This shows your honesty and values!
There are so many teachers “stealing” from others and present it as their own and
they feel like super heroes…
Thank you for recognizing this. I have had several so called "experts" steal from me and credit it as theirs. That is not the spirit of Tai Chi we want to promote and grow. I think the more we set the example the more we can eclipse those of lesser integrity. Then Tai Chi and those who are earnest in their pursuits become more elevated as well. I join Shifu Lin in the goal to bring Tai Chi to ever higher levels for all to enjoy.
@@InternalTaiChi thank you very much indeed!
@@back-seat-driver1355 I also wanted to mention, that I asked Chester prior to posting, if he was okay with my moving forward in teaching these concepts. He was very positive about it. I spent a weekend training with him a few months ago. Just thought it was worth mentioning. 🙂
Question, can you use it against punches, or is it too fast ?
Eventually as your skill develops you can use it against punches or kicks. The trick is to not meet the punch with force of any kind. Rather, you guide the punch away and as you do you connect to the fascia and to their joints. Practice slowly at first then gradually speed up the process.
This is what I think they were talking about when they said 4 ounces moves a thousand pounds….
Another reason I like to call taijiquan, Friction Boxing
Yes! Also Song and Peng can be the 4oz. I really like that "Friction Boxing" idea. Thanks for mentioning that again.
@@InternalTaiChi also the 4 ounces is asking their subconscious for resistance, which you use against them. This is what I think gives you the skill of stickiness. As it flies under their radar, they push against your “asking” (4 ounces) and in effect stick to you, then manipulate within the friction you create.
Yeah Friction Boxing…. When you get the touch right, there’s friction between you and the opponent, you and the floor and you work within that state.
@@littlecannon I really enjoy reading your descriptions. You have a talent for putting it into words and describing the mechanism well. I like the idea of working with the "friction" between you and the floor! The opponent is obvious...the floor not so much. Thank you for sharing your insight and experience!
??? Fascia is not the qi. The Chinese separate qi from fascia/membrane and tendon. When you touch someone who is, for instance, "rooted" or using jin, you don't "feel the fascia", you feel their subtle connection to the ground through your touch and the interpretation from your subconscious.
You are correct in some of what you say. The fascia is one highway through which Qi flows. However for teaching purposes, it is beneficial to learn how to connect to the fascia first and can be effective without using actual Qi. Once an individual can connect to another's fascia and move them in a mechanical sense through the fascia, they can then add Qi and have a greater effect with less effort and less mechanical force. Then adding the subtle subconscious as you stated ( intention or yi) adds even more effectiveness.
My current videos are just a starting place. It is not possible nor is it prudent for me to teach all at once what I know. My goal is to make internal aspects of Tai Chi accessible to all and that does require some step-by-step teaching and learning.
@@InternalTaiChi I see. How does one "connect to the fascia", BTW. Do you mean 'touch and feel something to do with the fascia'? I've seen a number of people, over the many years, try to use "fascia" as a buzzword, but it doesn't seem to work. Most people get a little bit of rudimentary muscle-jin ability and think they have arrived. There's much more to it than that. Good luck.
@@InternalTaiChiRight! Fascia, a “stepping stone” toward achieving what may appear as impossible: moving, manipulating or throwing pure Qi energy into objects or persons.
The fascia is an actual anatomical organ in our body. I made this video to illustrate clearly how to connect or touch the fascia. Yes you are correct, I do mean one actually touches and connects with the fascia of the other person. Since I'm a therapist, I guess it is almost second nature to me. I had no idea the concert was as challenging as it seems to others (not necessarily saying it is for you). It is quite simple and easy to do. Just perhaps hard to learn via video.
Tai Chi is a marvelous journey that grows ever deeper. I will never feel I have arrived because that would take the fun away! I believe most Tai Chi practitioners seek a continued journey as well. That is the allure and the benefit. The more you give it, the more it gives.
Wishing you all the best in your Tai Chi journey too!
Exactly!!
😆
Can't tell if you are laughing or waving or just having a good time there, but thanks for watching! :-)
Nice explanation but as a side not, you need to start eating. Your fat % is suuuuper low 😬
Lol.....I have always been that way. I eat quite a lot but my metabolism is high.
Thank you!
You're welcome! :-). Thanks for watching and commenting.
thank you
You are welcome! Thanks for watching and commenting.