For some reason, I am hitting on controversial subjects in my last couple of blogs! Such is life! It’s rare that people (in general) agree on anything. Martial arts are certainly no exception.
One subject of hundreds of differing opinions is pivoting on a weighted or unweighted foot! Why and/or when? Let’s start with a scenario from an old popular TV series “Kung Fu”. If you’ve ever watched it, you may have watched Kwai Chang Cane walk across the rice paper for his graduation ceremony at the Shao Lin Temple. While the scene looks very mystical, the purpose of the test was to see if he was pivoting a weighted foot! It’s actually a very practical test.
Let’s start with a very short discussion of what it means to be “weighted” or “unweighted”. If you are unsure as to whether or not your foot/leg is empty (unweighted), try lifting that foot. If you jerk, need to reposition your body, or (yikes) fall, you know your leg is not empty. We won’t discuss “partially” empty/full at this time. When your leg is “full” (Yang), your Dantian is positioned over that leg. The other leg is considered “empty” (Yin, without weight) and can be pivoted without damaging the knee. Most lineages and Tai Chi family forms do not pivot on the weight-bearing foot. The majority (but not all) Yang Style and beginner forms empty the leg prior to pivoting.
To use weight when pivoting can damage your knee. It can also destabilize your balance. That being said, there are Tai Chi styles that do pivot on a weight-bearing leg. This is not usually done exclusively and they, hopefully, take precautions to prevent knee damage. Side note: weight bearing pivots should not be done by anyone with arthritis, especially in their lower limbs!
There are definitely several advanced forms (most martially oriented) that do pivot on a weighted leg. The practitioner is usually very careful about the surface they are working on. They must ensure that little to no friction occur, thereby, reducing the possibility of knee or ankle injury. This may work well if one is barefoot on wet grass, or wearing socks on a slippery or polished surface. If you are wearing a shoe, the type of sole can either cause or reduce the possibility of injury.
There are some forms where pivot movements are actually done on one leg. Again, not an area of discussion at this time.
So why the confusion?
One of the ongoing and confusing issues in the Yang form is the lack of standardization/consistency. I truly doubt that Yang is the only form where this exists. As in many forms, the ideas are divergent and the execution varies widely. This is particularly hard for newer students.
Unfortunately, this reminds me of politics where everyone has their own opinions and reasons why they believe as they do. In politics and other areas of life, this can be interesting and actually entertaining. However, for new(er) students trying to learn and do the “right thing”, this can cause quite a bit of stress. The more they read, learn, or see, the more they question what they are learning or their instructor’s instruction. Everyone seems to want to know what the Yangs do. Again, it’s difficult (actually totally impossible) to find a definitive answer!
For example, many of Yang Cheng Fu’s “successors” like weighted foot pivots. Many of the practitioners using weighted foot pivots don’t feel that it limits their ability to be nimble but instead feel that it increases there mobility, saves time, and energy. They also assert that one can change the amount of weight on the “foot during the pivot”. Depending on the situation, many practitioners do both weighted and unweighted pivots.
Yang Cheng Fu has been quoted as saying that when you shift your weight to one foot (leg), that side is full and the other is empty. This was his instruction in order to turn and move correctly, and without effort. If you did otherwise, you would be “slow and clumsy” and you would not be stable nor firm on your feet. Sounds like he means turning on an unweighted, empty leg, doesn’t it? From what I have read and watched on Cheng Man Ching’s Yang 37 form, he appears to be shifting weight off the pivoting foot.
I had the opportunity to attend a class with a disciple of Yang Jun recently. When asked about his take on weighted versus unweighted pivots, he responded: “On weighted versus unweighted pivoting, my view is both are right. Weighted pivoting is more agile and used more in turning angles less than 90 degrees but unweighted pivoting is a bit easier to practice especially for turning angles more than 90 degrees”.
Let’s move from Yang to Wu family style.
Wu style often pivots on the weighted leg. For Wu practitioners, this means 100% weight separation - you pivot on a leg supporting 100% of your weight. This is a hard concept for new students and they usually find it necessary to shift their weight in order to do this. As well, there is a forward lean (which I will not address in this blog) in Wu style.
Wu style is said to boost circulation, improve balance, and train the extremities (by making the legs do more work). The weight separation is considered Yin/Yang. The theory is that this style also enables the free leg to kick, step, etc.
Both Wu and Yang styles have endured many variations, and there exists numerous “modern forms”. There is, however, a push to unify the 54 Wu Style form in the world. I believe there have been several of these efforts at standardization in Yang as well. Personally, I can’t imagine that there will ever be a standardization in either family form.
What is a practitioner to do?
When it comes to pivoting, it may be that it depends on the application and the practitioner’s comfort level! You have to do what’s right and comfortable for you!
Maybe it’s time for practitioners to look at the principles of form they are doing. If you enjoy the form you are doing, continue doing it. If you are following Tai Chi Principles, there is no absolute “right” form nor one “ultimate” method to negotiating nor practicing that form. At some point in the future, you may change your mind and try another form or interpretation. This is your choice!
Note: Some students become life-long “seekers”. They are on a quest to find the Holy Grail of Tai Chi! In my humble opinion, it doesn’t exist!
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