|
|
See Master Xu on YouTube
“Martial Art, Not Martial Work”
July 31, 2007
Tim Richard
George Xu often encourages students to aspire to “martial art, not martial work.” One example he gives to explain what he means is: “Kicking a tree is martial, striking an opponent is martial. But using the yi to push hands with four legs instead of just two is art.”
Using the analogy of “four legs are better than two,” Master Xu calls up various principles and techniques to generate stability and power while doing form and push hands. Humans have two legs, but a tiger, or a guard dog, have four, making them much more stable. Using the yi, or mind intention, to feel with four legs, the effort is distributed on more points, thus distributing the pressure from only one or two to four.
This concept evolved from the counterweight analogy that Master Xu has used in the past. Reducing the pressure across four points assists in producing the effect of standing on thin ice, or on egg shells; the objective is to become freer and more agile, and avoid getting so rooted through the legs that you are stuck and not nimble.
With the four legs concept, you can place your other two legs wherever you want outside of your body. For example, when pushing hands you place one leg behind you and one in front of you using them as fulcrums from which to affect your push hands partner. The precise location can shift depending on your opponent’s position. This is a very sophisticated extension of the “counterweight” concept, which is more mechanical in nature.
Another analogy that Master Xu uses to stimulate thought in students is “four become one.” The arms and legs melt into the center creating a single unit, a “total body unit.” When you strike your opponent he feels your whole body as a single mass. “The body becomes fist,” Master Xu says. You have no arms and no legs, only intention, that transforms instantly into power.
How to progress towards
implementing these concepts
Work on jing and structure first, Master Xu says. This is a “technique”
level. You should work on the form, he said. In this jing stage, which
Master Xu describes as “effort,” or “force,” focus
on maximum total body unit. Master Xu previously had used the term “total
body unit,” but now says “maximum body unit” to distinguish
a higher-level concept that is more three-dimensional, more stable and
more powerful in the results. Ultimately, you reach a stage where you
don’t even need technique to get results.
In the next stage, once you have reached some proficiency with maximum body unit, you can begin to focus on bringing gravity into the equation. This is partly achieved by “melting your ice” and turning jing into “steam power.” Melting can be visualized or understood at different levels: one, soften the muscles of the shoulder and neck, like ice melts into water; two, the “edges” become diffuse and your power is less linear and less contained by your physical structure. Rather, it is fuller, more three dimensional, expanding outward beyond you, engulfing your opponent, into the space around you.
“When you are maximum unit and maximum gravity on your enemy, then you can talk about art,” Master Xu said, adding that this really is a scientific way of looking at movement. “If you don’t use gravity as potential (shi), you have no power until you use your weight to scientifically create it.” This is the renown “four ounces equal 1000 pounds” principle. Mass + speed = power.”
Master Xu described three degrees of weight/gravity. The first two are partial mass and maximum unit mass only on self; however, “if it’s on your enemy, it’s right.” “If your weight is on yourself it is not art, not scientific.” Weight on yourself is not bad, but that’s not the highest level that can be achieved.
This third degree, weight on your enemy, requires maximum unit first. If you can’t get maximum unit you won’t get maximum gravity.
Furthermore, maximum unit force is not maximum unit gravity. To create force, or power, without effort is an art in which you distinguish the art (effortless) from the martial (brute force, muscle jing).
With gravity, or weight, extending out of you, using the four legs concepts, you can cover (fu) and control your enemy. He warned, however, not to let weight scientifically affect (your opponent) with “strength.” He also used the term “force” similarly to strength, which he said was like “jing” although “force” is not even as good as the jing level. [IS JING A MIX OF CHI AND PHYSICAL?]
The point is that whether it’s brute force or more refined jing, it is still effort. You can attain a higher level of no effort in which mind intention creates results. Strength, force, and effort equal “martial,” but not “art.” What you want is martial “art” not martial “work.”
Master Xu advised to train by practicing maximum unit first, saying that you can expect to practice it with effort at first, then gradually internalizing it until you can turn to thinking about gravity.
Gravity, or weight, is like a police dog glaring at you while being held back with a leash. Even though he is being held back “you feel his weight on you.” He doesn’t even have to be let loose to attack, you already feel his weight. This is the kind of feeling you want while doing the form or pushing hands. Your weight is not on yourself, it’s on your enemy in this fashion. Once the mass comes through, you let all physical melt the arm. “Take effort off the center and place wherever you want.”
“Four becomes one, then melt leg. The secret is the leg doesn’t carry the body, the body takes the leg. The center is not through the leg, but rather is out of the body through the hip. The yi is thinking of a parachute lifting you up so the feet are as though they are resting lightly on very thin ice. Don’t break the ice. The whole leg on the inside.”
“Only weight not strength, like soft shells or like a crab walks across the ground very lightly. Like a baby … natural. This way we can melt. With strength, how can you be free?”
“Once you have cultivated maximum unit, followed by maximum gravity, then melt … then you can talk about art.”
”Centrifugal force, counterweight, leverage, three dimensional spiraling, you then can play with all of that.”