Self Training

I do not understand much about how zhan zhuang works. I have read two books on it - The Way Of Energy (Lam Kam Chuen) and Inside Zhan Zhuang (Mark Cohen). I have also had an hour Skype lesson from Mark Cohen in January, 2020, and have been following his advice since then. Essentially I self-train. None of what I write should be attributed to Mark Cohen or Lam Kam Chuen.

I started practicing in October, 2017. At first just the first two positions (wu chi, hold the ball) in The Way Of Energy. I practiced off and on for 3 months, then not at all for 3 months, and then daily practice beginning in April, 2018, and have continued daily practice ever since. I am writing this 30 months later, so I am still a novice.

I turned 74 this month. I am 6'2" (188cm) and 190 lbs (86kg). In August my doctor pronounced me "in excellent health, especially for my age." I have had episodes of inflammatory arthritis, the most recent in 2019, but it is more or less in remission now. I practiced daily even during last year's flare up.

I usually do a rotation of 8 poses, 5 minutes in each pose plus 15 seconds to transition. Inside Zhan Zhuang calls these Eight Postures For Martial Arts. I do them for health and fitness. I do them with feet parallel, aligned either with hips or shoulders, weight on the center of the foot. I bend my knees slightly. I do not cantilever my butt as prescribed by The Way Of Energy. The rest of my pose is consistent with the form recommended in both books - back straight, shoulders slightly rounded, neck straight, chin slightly tucked, tip of the tongue on the palate and between the front teeth. Belly inflates on inhale and deflates on exhale.

I maintain that form throughout the 8 poses. The only thing that changes is the articulation of my arms. My wife says my form is perfect. Apart from my hands it is easy to keep still. It was not always so. Cramps, especially in my shoulders or legs happened on and off every day. Now the worst is occasional cramps or tightness in my legs.

One of the keys, I think, is relaxation. Top down. First the facial muscles, starting with the jaw. I keep my teeth and lips very slightly parted. From there the focus spreads through the face, and down the neck into the shoulders. Somehow the shoulders have a way of riding up on their own and tensing slightly. The focus dispels that. It seems that the hands are responsible, tension running up the arms to the shoulder from the hands. It is trivial to release the shoulder tension, and that release of tension cascades downward and exits through the feet.

Both books (and many You Tube videos) advise that the head should 'be as if hanging by a thread'. This confused me until very recently. I think the tucking of the chin achieves this. Tucking my chin is the last thing I do, and when I do I feel my spine pulling taut from the nape of my neck to my lower back, and then my head feels like it is floating free of the spine. I guess that this unburdens the spine of the head's weight and allows freer circulation upward along the spine.

THE EIGHT POSES. First position is holding the ball. Hands facing, 6-8 inches (15-20cm) from my chest, 2 inches (5 cm) apart, the tops of my hands level with the clavicle. My fingers are spread apart and thumbs at 45 degrees. Second position the hands rotate upward til facing down, thumbs 2"/5cm from clavicle. Third position the hands rotate outward in a semicircle until facing upward, little fingers 2"/5cm from abdomen. Fourth position hands turn to face navel, 2"/5cm away. Fifth position raise the hands to eye level and then spearate so that each is facing an each, at a 45 degree angle, 4"/10cm out. Sixth position the hands rotate forward and downward until the arms are curved and level, the hands about 16"/40cm apart. Seventh position the hands turn flat and arms are at 90 degree angles, the fingers not widely spaced. Eighth position bring the hands down and in, facing each other at a 45 degree angle over the hips, 6"/15cm apart.

This is not training advice but a way of getting a hands on feel for zhan zhuang: Try the eight poses, assume a pose and then hold it just for a few seconds. Just do one pose at a time. If you think you might like it check out either of those books, or YouTube videos, or web sites. A personal teacher is best. If there were one near me I would study under one. Instead I do what I think is right for me, informed by the books and online materials.