Taichi – The Golden Cockerel Trying to Stand On One Leg.

Last Thursday (14/04/2011) I wrote a blog that described my new fitness regime which alternates sessions down at the gym with my heart rate monitor with my White Crane Taichi style, Suang-Yang. To illustrate a point I was foolish enough to take a photograph of me practising the potentially wobbly movement called The Golden Cockerel Stands On One Leg.  I was feeling quite smug about the photograph which I took with my camera on the tripod in its remote self-timer setting. Pride often comes before a fall and, sure enough, once the picture was published, my beady-eyed perfectionist of a Kungfu instructor ( White Crane Fighting Arts – see Links in the right hand column), Neil Johnson posted this comment on the social networking site Facebook:  “Colin leg across protecting the groin or the heart won’t matter.” Thanks Neil, I shall try to do better this time.

So here is this morning’s attempt at the Golden Cockerel Stands On One Leg and I am actually standing on one leg with the other leg, I hope, where Neil says it should be. This move, if it is not difficult enough already, leads to one that I used to dread, The Leap:

Actually I think I know, after all these years, what I am meant to do here so I am not sure why I forgot to look forward whilst I bend down.

Then it is a matter of leaping into space and here I usually just leap blindly hoping that one day it will look like I know what I am aiming at.

At least I get launched into the air…..

…and land again without falling over…..

…ending up, if you are still on your feet, with the nasty attacking move, The Immortal Casts His Net.

This move always reminds me that Taichi might, when others do it, look graceful and gentle, but my fingers are now out to do some damage to my opponent. It is not as nice as it looks!

I still love doing these movements but it is very very frustrating, after six years, that I still have so much to learn. Hopefully, if Neil sees this, there will be a long list of things I need to correct.

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