Budd

Kieth, that's a good start in the whole "extension" process and how the baby steps can be trainined. As that gets refined your body gets more connected as a single unit - which then allows the increasingly trained legs and middle to convey the powers of the "ki of heaven/earth" throughout the connected body (via breath, intent, etc.).

I generally think *any* ki exercise needs to be concretely be contributing towards the above in a measurable way - such that it becomes your body's natural mode of operation. These days specific exercises that I like to tune this stuff would be letting my body "hang" on virtually anything I touch . . ..almost to the point where I'm off balance, then staying at the near-tipping point for an uncomforable bit. Another is to touch something/anything/anyone and immediately have my middle/hara connected in such a way that when I move (depending on which of us/things are more grounded) either me or something/someone will be pushed away - then hovering at that tipping point for an uncomfortable period of time.

Both these exercises (along with the basic foot in the door exercises that start to rewire your body) will train "extending ki" as part of your intent. The idea is to get so subtle and powerful in your expression that nobody sees you "change" your ki, but it can be brought to and through any point in space in an instant.