桩功，敛气，入骨，推手为太极基本训练之功夫
The internal power techniques of Internal Work Style Bag Gong produce not merely leg strength or simply complete relaxation. Training results in a comprehensive overall effect. Most importantly, the 'standing' in Bag Gong is not 'of' the 'body', but 'of' 'intention'. Starting with a round Bag Gong, the initial two months are focused on fitness and relaxing the entire body, with the primary awareness being to inspect oneself (each part), and can also use some warm baths in water to help relax awareness and the body. As for the hand positions, it doesn't matter as long as it's above the eyebrow and below the navel, and the hands should be across the midline. Don't focus on breathing, let it be natural.
Form relaxes, intention tightens, intention tightens, spirit and god. After having a certain foundation in these, you can quickly enter the role feeling state when standing, even if the body is fully relaxed, the awareness should enter the state of battle readiness. It's important to keep checking if the relaxation is maintained. At this time, it's necessary to start cultivating the concept of 'interval frame'. 'Interval frame' is a concept that needs to be specifically explained. 'Interval frame' refers to the body state you are in when attacking or defending. A good interval frame should be in a state of advantageous stability. 'Interval frame' is a complex concept that includes things like the curves, angles, heights, tensions, and yin-yang coordination of the head, hands, arms, shoulders, chest, back, abdomen, waist, hips, legs, knees, ankles, and feet. It also includes coordination between these parts, coordination between tension and relaxation, coordination between yin and yang, and coordination between intention and focus. It includes transitions, up-and-down, left-and-right, drawing silk, etc. The formation of interval frame is first for the benefit of offense and defense, and secondly, it should be comfortable and effective for oneself. When practicing, first high then low then appropriate then living.
You can transform step shapes and hand shapes, select Bag Gong patterns, and conduct Bag Gong training. Don't focus on quantity, but on quality. It's important to emphasize the awareness during Bag Gong. After mixing Bag Gong, you can enter three-realm Bag Gong.
Living Bag Gong means you can conduct Bag Gong practice with fist patterns. Combine several Bag Gong patterns without a specific order. Go slowly, the slower the better. Carefully experience the changes in angles, heights, spirals, advances, and retreats during the transformation. How to coordinate and become effective. When standing in Bag Gong, when you feel the most effective, do a power practice, whether it can effectively release power, this is a method to test the effect of Bag Gong. You can start to conduct preliminary push hands exercises, and test the interval frame and Bag Gong effect in the push hands. These push hands are not truly push hands, but rather a continuous transformation of several Bag Gong patterns. If it's uncomfortable or ineffective, it means there's a problem with the Bag Gong, and you should solve it in the Bag Gong.
When standing in Bag Gong, it gets too much. It can be said that all basic things can be obtained from Bag Gong. For example, overall strength, interval frame, form relaxes, intention tightens, interval frame stability (not just leg strength strengthening), awareness agility, body elasticity, opening and closing force, control force... Too much. You won't know until you try.
At any time, you can start abdominal breathing when you are comfortable and effective. Generally, we pursue natural breathing, and most practitioners don't require strict breathing (but there are specific methods in the inner gate, with specific methods to help with breathing, to assist in strengthening the intention). One sinks the abdomen, and the belly and navel seem to be moving towards the navel. This is a natural way to strengthen the intention.
When learning Internal Work Style, there is a certain foundation and knowledge in the aspect of intention, so there is not much time to focus on it. Also, practicing and performing Bag Gong should remember 'sinking the abdomen', not 'pressing the abdomen'. When releasing force, the abdomen tightens instantly, relying on the counter-force of the abdomen filled with qi, to release force with qi. The source of qi and the point of force is truly the core. Finally, gather qi and enter the bones. Gather qi into the bones, first sink the abdomen, and after the qi has formed a channel, guide the pure yang qi from the heart and kidneys, and combine the spirit and god. In fact, this is to gather qi into the bones. The abdomen is sucked in, and the navel seems to move towards the navel. 'Gathering qi into the bones' is established. Gathering qi into the bones has specific methods and processes. The largest bone joints, the six accessory joints of the back, the sacrum, and the lumbar spine, are activated when you open the six accessory joints, it's like a rusted screw, after soaking for a while, it can slowly turn. This is also the case, first sink the abdomen, or hold the intention in the abdomen, which also plays a role. The bones open and expand. First, after the heart and kidneys are interconnected, pure yang qi can 'soak' open the bones, and then enter the bones, forming a layer of bone marrow membrane. The brain is the sea of marrow, only when it enters the bone marrow can it go up, can it return to the brain and replenish it. The connection between the heart and kidneys brings water and fire together, and this effect is produced at this time. After this, the practice of Bag Gong will be different. You can feel the qi. The movements are very agile and light, but actually very heavy, so the transformation between reality and illusion becomes very obvious at this time. When qi reaches your hands, you'll know. Push hands exercise. But the purpose is different. Initially, it's to feel the feeling of Tai Chi. Go slowly, carefully experience the power that the other person applies to you, how the other person transforms your force, how the waist and hips cooperate, etc. Once you have the real feeling of Tai Chi, when practicing fist patterns, the purpose is clear, learning will be faster, and you can avoid detours.
Specifically, this is not called 'push hands', but rather 'feeling push hands'. Of course, this can be done if there are conditions. You need a 'willing hand' who is willing to play with you and won't make any demands. Once you have this sensory cognition, you'll learn Bag Gong faster, and it will also lay a foundation for future push hand practice.
When push hand learning reaches a stage. It is necessary to have 'interval frame' obtained during Bag Gong. If the interval frame is not good, don't enter substantive 'push hand' practice early on, but instead, focus on finding force in both Bag Gong and push hands, and quickly form the interval frame. Many people don't practice fist patterns, but only practice Bag Gong and then do push hands, and the teacher will force them to form their interval frame.
In addition, Internal Work Style should be a dynamic rising process. The traditional method is a process of torture for young people. In today's social environment, it is unrealistic to let young people master the first move to the level of a master. For example, learning calligraphy, it's impossible to let primary school students master 'horizontal' to the level of a calligrapher, then learn 'vertical'. Learning Internal Work Style is the same, with a certain foundation, when you find a feeling, you can then learn the next step, and the basic fist patterns between Internal Work Style are mutually supportive and promote each other.
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