Tai Chi 24 Form Lesson 2-Crane Cools Its Wings with Todd Martin MD

Tai Chi 24 Form Lesson 2. Crane Cools Its Wings. This lesson will look at technique number 3 in the Tai Chi 24 Form, Crane Cools Its Wings. This comes after the Opening Posture and Parting the Wild Horse's Mane. In this lesson series, I will be focusing on the movement patterns of the waist and the hips that create each of the Tai Chi techniques. I will demonstrate Crane Cools Its Wings step by step. I will explain the core movement pattern for each step in the sequence. I will explain how each of these movement patterns correspond with the 8 Techniques of Tai Chi and the 8 Trigrams.

00:00 Introduction
01: 05 Demonstration
01:50 Step-by-Step Description
02:15 Core Rotation Description
04:20 Demonstration with Core Techniques
07:49 8 Techniques, Yin and Yang Trigrams

Crane Cools Its Wings begins with a half step up from the end of Parting the Wild Horse's Mane. This is followed by shifting the weight back to the heel of the rear leg and then shifting further into empty stance with the hands in a ball-carrying position. Then there is a slight rise of the body as the hands split, one high and one low. Each of these movements is triggered by changes in waist rotation and hip action. Waist rotation is not simply turning to the left or to the right. There are two divisions of the waist, upper and lower. On the same side of the body, these muscles rotate the spine in opposite directions. There are 4 possible combinations of this waist rotation.
Upper torso and lower torso clockwise, upper torso and lower torso counterclockwise, upper torso clockwise and lower torso counterclockwise and upper torso counterclockwise and lower torso clockwise. These four possibilities, combined with four possible hip actions (flexion of the right or left hip or extension of the right or left hip) gives 16 possible unique combinations of core rotation when following all of the principles described in Tai Chi theory. Subtracting mirror images, this leaves 8 possible patterns. These are the 8 Tai Chi Techniques, and I explain how each one correlates with the patterns of core movement and how these correlate with the Yin and Yang descriptions of the 8 Tai Chi Trigrams.

Crane Cools Its Wings
Half Step Up-Elbow Strike
Shift Back on the Heel-Split
Shift into Empty Stance-Elbow Strike
Split the Arms-Split

Elbow Strike Core Technique Definition
Hip: Flexion of the active hip
Upper Torso turns away from the active hip
Lower Torso turns away from the active hip

Split Core Technique Definition
Hip: Flexion of the active hip
Upper Torso: Turns toward the active hip
Lower Torso: Turns away from the active hip

My system of Core Techniques can explain any movement in the Tai Chi forms very accurately and reproducibly. The sequence of Core Techniques determines the movement being done. A movement like Crane Cools Its Wings uses only 2 of the Core Technique, with the sequence described above. A movement like Grasp the Sparrow's Tail use all 8 of the Core Techniques. You won't find a better mechanical definition of the 8 Tai Chi techniques anywhere. If you do, please let me know, because I have never even seen a good attempt. I believe the standing assumption is they are not explainable. But I am certain if you follow my videos, you will see that the explanation is very clear and consistent. I have found no technique in Tai Chi that cannot be explained with the Core Techniques. The Core Techniques also have the advantage of explaining the difference between slight variations in the movements as performed by different schools of Tai Chi. These variations are always variations in the sequence that end up producing the same end outcome.

Visit my website: https://www.movementsphere.com/todd-martin-md

Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAkwXF7adXLWvzaoxWydHhg/join