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Old 01-11-2010, 11:02 PM   #2
JW
 
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Location: San Diego CA USA
Join Date: Aug 2000
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Re: Mysteries of tai chi

Hi Bob-
I agree with your statements about pretty different takes on otherwise fairly familiar things. ("It's not biomechanics" is hard to swallow!)

I watched both with sound, and although I see what you mean about that, it turns out I was rewarded. In the 2nd vid, he was trying to demonstrate the difference between "return wave" vs "the bomb." (if I understand his terminology right)
This I think is really interesting b/c the distinction indicates that he is doing something different in the 2 cases... but on video, the 2 look similar, so the distinction is a welcome clue.

If all goes well I am going to try both out tomorrow.

Currently my take is that return wave mostly just happens if you allow it-- it is the ground acting through you. Whereas the bomb is a pulse that rides along those same paths, but is intiated by you, in your dantian. (i.e. you use intent to form the paths, plus dantian stuff to provide energy input in addition to the ground's force)

What do you think?
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