tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post3076550671953312673..comments2023-10-22T16:13:55.130+01:00Comments on My journey to black belt: Taiji seminar revisited...Sue Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-10171974329722059912013-02-05T14:08:24.397+00:002013-02-05T14:08:24.397+00:00Kamil, a lot of people have told me how beneficial...Kamil, a lot of people have told me how beneficial their study of tai chi has been to their karate practice and I can understand why they would say that. I can definitely see the potential benefits and I have been practising some of the exercises I learnt at the seminar. However, without a teacher to guide me I fear I may practice the wrong thing or practice in the wrong way. Unfortunately I can't train regularly with Joe as he is to far away from where I live. There is also an issue of time. I just don't think I have time at the moment to commit to a second art. However I am definitely interested in exploring tai chi further and will probably attend more seminars with Joe. Perhaps some time in the future I will have more time to take it up seriously.Sue Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7361443425638782419.post-14503825235124455772013-02-05T13:19:06.093+00:002013-02-05T13:19:06.093+00:00This stretching expansion of muscle that Mr. Harte...This stretching expansion of muscle that Mr. Harte discussed is something that I have experienced first hand. It was from a karateka though, Kenji Ushiro. He does this demonstration where he stands in Sanchin kamae, and then pulls back his arm in hikite and extends it in a slow punch. <br /><br />He then asks you to take firm hold of the forearm of his extended arm. It was the most surreal feeling I've ever experienced - you're holding his arm and then, without any discernible outward movement, you can feel the tension inside of his arm disappear, like it sank away from the surface that you're holding. He changed the tension in his muscle absent of movement or flexion! Because you can't feel the tension, you can't keep a proper hold of him and he downs you with a simple movement of the shoulder. He says that karate is supposed to be this softness inside of the hardness, like a japanese blade, the hard steel keeps the edge but the soft carbon core gives strength to the blade.<br /><br />I'm curious, Sue, are you going to explore Tai Chi going forward? Your posts are giving me serious ideas.Kamilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12216057008638038108noreply@blogger.com