9/13
A group of Native Americans, or at least people dressed up in pseudo-traditional regalia, has been performing in a square near us for the last couple of weeks. By performing, I mean singing along and occasionally playing a flute to Cusco-type synthesized music and the theme from “Last of the Mohicans”. I think they were pissing off the Dancing Ladies, and I couldn’t help thinking it would be really cool to see what would happen if they all got into a giant brawl.
I got Mr. V again this week, but instead of trying to match his force, I concentrated on trying to keep myself planted while moving as far backwards as I could. I found there wasn’t much he was able to to, as he was stretched beyond his own balance and didn’t have the leverage to do much in that position. All I had to do was move his arms away. My knees, particularly my injured left knee, couldn’t keep that position very long, though. I guess I need more practice.
Teacher Xu told us to envision our opponents as a 3D ball that you could roll by applying pressure in the right places. All you have to do is build up a resistance in one direction to create an opening in another. In fact, you yourself are also a spinning ball of energy, he said. He also said that, no matter whether you’re pushing or being pushed, to envision not your front, but your back and your opponent’s back as the origin and destination of one’s energy.
“Imagine that your arms are hoses full of water,” Teacher Xu said at one point. “And you’re using them to manipulate your opponent.” I didn’t quite get this, even after trying it. I understand concentrating on your opponent’s feet, but the water-arms thing is beyond me at this point. I did get the ball thing, which seems to work for me. I suppose different people get different concepts at different rates. I know, big surprise.