Balance and Strength Development Exercises

[Freddy]

Upon reading the latest members magazine, winter/spring edition, I came across an article mentioning some practice exercises. The names of the exercises are "Rowing the Boat" and "Cat Walk". Can someone please explain how to perform such exercises?
Plus, if there are some other developmental exercises for balance and strength in Tai Chi, please suggest.

[Bob Ashmore]

Freddy,
Are you talking about the Yang Family Association Newsletter? I've not had the chance to read mine through yet and so have not seen the article if you are.
Your profile shows that you are located near O'Fallon, IL. I do not recall the gentlemans name that teaches Tai Chi there but I do remember that Yang Jun had a seminar there a couple of years ago.
It would probably be best if you were to find this teacher (hopefully someone can provide his name and contact information, I do not have it) or another qualified teacher to learn these techniques as there is these are the kinds of things that simply cannot be taught via an online posting.

Bob

[Freddy]

Thanks for the reply Bob. I do take instruction from the Ofallon Sifu but he didn't know about the particular ones named in article. I was hoping since this forum was associated with the newsletter someone could explain them.

[shugdenla]

All of the methods are contained within Yang shi taijiquan. If you are studying with a 'bonafide' instructor, s/he should be knowledgeable about similar concepts.

Here is one link written by Ted Knecht and his teacher, per translation:

http://www.geocities.com/yongnian/catbenefits.html

Certain Yang formats (whether they call themselves Yang family, Yang style, or otherwise) are better at invigorating lymph circulation than others so that is why certain styles performed with 'too limp' an external eyball test, may not have a similar degree of expansion and contraction contained within the form sequence.

[JerryKarin]

I don't know what 'rowing the boat' and 'cat walk' are. My guess is they are terms used to describe continuous practice of moves like brush knee and repel monkey.

[Bob Ashmore]

Jerry,
I've head of "cat walking" before. It's the "mao xing" exercise that he's talking about, I've also heard it refered to as "tai chi walking".
It's just a continuous walk using bow steps. You step out to a bow step, give back the weight off the front leg, repositioning your front foot to the "corner", then you step out to another bow stance with the other leg in front.
Repeat.
I've practiced this going backwards and forwards.
However I have absolutely no idea what is being referenced with "rowing the boat".
Since I'm ever curious, I am sort of wondering...

Bob

[ruben]

Bob, that is exactly the description of "cat walk". Though I describe as a cat walk or "walking on thin ice", I have never call it in that way, just "taichi walking". It is an excellent exercise for developing strength in legs and for learning how to change smoothly between full/empty legs . The inverse method is "walking like monkey".
I have no idea what is "Rowing the boat", but assuming it´s a similar exercise, I guess could be changing weight from forward leg to rear one, in a continuous way.

Rubén

[shugdenla]

I like to leave the best for last concerning those who teach a specific training curriculum and use similar description of training process and synthesis.
Li Zheng of Manchu Taijiquan lineage speaks of a similar mao xing step that is part of that era of training! As below:

http://wulinmingshi.wordpress.com/2009/01/30/fu-nei-pai-taiji-of-li-zheng/

[Sanna]

I wonder if "Rowing the Boat" is not one of the seuences in "18 Taiji - Qigong"
Look at the sequence no 6 in:
http://www.folkpark.org.tw/study/site/BE/Default.aspx

and

http://www.taichi-qigong.net/shop/shop-infopage.php?longref=4~