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GRASP SPARROWS TAIL - WARD OFF RIGHT |
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Draw your left hand in towards your body and position it
at about shoulder height with palm facing downward and the elbow
relaxed beneath it. Scoop your right hand up in a curve towards
the elbow of the left arm to finish palm up near your left hip.
Shift 70% of your body weight into/over the left leg. Lift your
right foot a few inches and reposition it to alongside the left
with the heel raised. Turn your head to your right to face directly
E.
Turn your shoulders and then hips clockwise to finish with your
shoulders aligned left/N right/S.
With your right heel still raised, pivot clockwise on the ball/sole
of your foot to position the toes and knee to also face directly
E.
Step E with your right foot and shift 70% of your body weight
into/over that leg. Raise your right arm in an upward and outward
diagonal E to shoulder level, palm up.
Move the leftt hand first forward a little with palm outward
and then inwards towards your left hip in downward diagonal
arc. |
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| 22.
GRASP SPARROWS TAIL - ROLLBACK |
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Turn the left palm to face upward and the right palm downwards.
Turn the palms to diagonally face each other. Raise your left
foot just an inch or so and - leading with the toes - move
it in a clockwise arc to finish parallel with your right foot
with toes pointing NE and heel SW.
Shift 70% of your body weight into/over the left leg.
Lift the toes of your right foot (just an inch or so) and
pivot clockwise on the heel until the toes and knee point
SE. Bring your left hand to your body centre-line at about
waist level, palm up.
Draw your right hand back in towards the centre of your chest
and position it above the right hand, palm down.
Turn your head to your right to face directly SE. Turn your
shoulders and then hips clockwise to finish with your shoulders
aligned left/NE right/SW. Keep the toes of your right foot
raised and conclude this phase of the posture with 70% of
your weight in/over the left leg, "holding a circle at
your body centre-line" and facing SE.
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| 23.
GRASP SPARROWS TAIL - PRESS |
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Pivot as far as you are able on the right heel and put it
down (for now) toes and knee pointing NE.
Turn your shoulders and then hips anti-clockwise 90° to
face N/NE with your shoulders aligned (for now) left/NW right/SE.
Shift 70% of your body weight into the right leg and place the
toes down.
Lift the toes of your left foot (just an inch or so) and pivot
anti-clockwise on the heel until the toes and knee point NW;
then lower your toes to the floor. Turn your head to your left
to face directly NW. Turn your shoulders and then hips anti-clockwise
to finish with your shoulders aligned left/SW right/NE.
As you turn 180° from SE (Tiger) corner to NW (Dragon),
raise your left arm diagonally across your chest and bring it
to shoulder height and extended out away from the body, fingers
pointing NW, palm facing down. The right hand remains at shoulder
height throughout the 180° turn as described above and travels
palm down from SE to NW to finish alongside the left, fingers
pointing NW, palm facing down. The fingertips of both hands
should arrive together at the NW diagonal; held at about shoulder
height, arms extended (but never stiff), palms facing down.
Shift 70% of your body weight into/over the right leg.
"Withdraw hands/arms": Turn the palms away from you
and "Withdraw" both hands simultaneously in vertical
parallel arcs over an imaginary circle (imagined there in front
of your belly) towards the corresponding shoulders to finish
facing NW, fingers up and elbows down - ready to press NW.
"Withdraw into Cat Stance left": Lift your left foot
a few inches and reposition it to alongside the rightt with
the heel raised and the toes and (left) knee facing directly
NW. Step NW with the left foot and shift 70% of your body weight
into/over that leg.
Extend your arms away from your body at shoulder height to "Press"
both hands NW, palms facing away from you. Soften your hands
(relax your wrists and fingers) upon completion of this "Press". |
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| 24.
GRASP SPARROWS TAIL - WITHDRAW & PUSH |
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Relax/soften your hands and draw the elbows in close to
the body.
Shift your weight back into/over the right leg. Lift the toes
of your left foot (just an inch or so) and pivot clockwise on
the heel until the toes and knee point NE; then lower your toes
to the floor.
Shift your weight back into/over the left leg. Lift the toes
of your right foot (just an inch or so) and pivot clockwise
on the heel until the toes and knee point E. Turn your head
to your right to face directly E.
Turn your shoulders and then hips clockwise 135° in all;
finishing with your shoulders aligned left/N right/S. Raise
your left hand to above that elbow and position it at about
shoulder height with the palm facing (E) away from you. Rotate
your right hand clockwise to thumb uppermost so that the palm
faces towards you with your (right) elbow pointing S.
Take a small step forward to E with the right foot and shift
70% of your body weight into/over that leg. Keep your back upright.
Press the left palm forward and slightly upward to meet your
right hand and bring the wrists together. With the hands still
joined at the wrists, flatten your left hand to cover your right
wrist.
"Separate Hands": Leading with your wrists and knuckles,
draw the left hand out towards N and the right towards S to
about a shoulder width apart, palms facing you.
"Withdraw Hands": Turn the palms away from you and
"Withdraw" both hands simultaneously horizontally
towards the corresponding shoulders to finish facing E, fingers
up and elbows down - ready to push E.
"Withdraw into Cat Stance - right": Lift your right
foot a few inches and reposition it to alongside the left with
the heel raised and the toes and (right) knee facing directly
E.
Step E (out of Cat Stance) with your right foot and shift 70%
of your body weight into/over that leg.
Extend your arms away from your body at shoulder height to "Push"
both hands E, palms facing away from you. Soften your hands
(relax your wrists and fingers) upon completion of this "Push". |
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25.
SINGLE WHIP |
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Raise your left foot (just and inch or two) - pivot it anti-clockwise
at the ankle to realign it and place it back down again now
beneath your (left) shoulder-line with the toes and knee pointing
N. Shift your weight back into/over the left leg.
Lift the toes of your right foot (just an inch or so) and pivot
anti-clockwise on the heel until the toes and knee, for now,
point N; then lower your toes to the floor. Shift your weight
back into/over the right leg. Lift the toes of your left foot
(just an inch or so) and pivot anti-clockwise on the heel until
the toes and knee point directly W; then lower your toes to
the floor.
Turn your shoulders and then hips anti-clockwise 180° to
eventually (passing through N) face directly W with your shoulders
aligned left/S right/N. Keep both arms parallel at shoulder
height and sweep them in an arc across at eye-line from your
right (E) to your left (W). Throughout this turn the left hand
should remain palm down. As your shoulders and hands pass through
N, turn your right hand to palm facing you.
"Make a beak" with your right hand by holding the
thumb between the other four fingers - at shoulder height with
your elbow below the wrist level. Begin to make the beak first
with your fingers pointing upwards and in line with your wrist.
As your left hand approaches W, allow it to fall in a curve
towards your right hip and then raise it up in an arc (like
a whip) to pass across your right armpit. As the left hand passes
above the left foot (falling in a curve towards your right hip)
bring your left foot back a little and place it next to the
right with the toes only touching the floor (Cat Stance - left).
'Drop' the beak held in your right hand by relaxing your wrist
so that the bunched fingers and thumb point downwards. At the
same time extend this right arm outward a little to N. Turn
your head to your left to face directly W.
Raise your left hand to above that elbow and position it at
about shoulder height with the palm facing (W) away from you.
Step W (out of Cat Stance) with your left foot and shift 70%
of your body weight into/over that leg. Extend (never lock)
your left arm to push/press W with the left palm.
Soften your left hand (relax your wrist and fingers) upon completion
of the push/press. |
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26.
WAVE HANDS LIKE CLOUDS |
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Shift your body weight into/over
the right leg. Turn your shoulder and hips clockwise and face
NE.
Lift the toes of your left foot and pivot on the heel to reposition
it with the toes pointing N; then lower your toes to the floor.
Release the 'beak' from your right hand and withdraw that hand
back to the right shoulder, palm down. Scoop your left hand
down in an arc towards the elbow of your right arm to finish
palm up near your right hip. (Hold a Circle on the right hip)
Shift your weight into/over your right leg. Slide the left hand
up and the right down vertically to pass each other midway.
Stiffen your fingers a little as you do so. Both hands should
begin as soft, become 'harder' as they pass each other and soft
again by the completion of this phase.
Turn the palms to face each other - left above, palm down; the
right beneath, palm up.
Lift your left foot and with the toes still pointing N reposition
it a little further out to your left (W) - beyond your left
shoulder. Turn the body anti-clockwise to face NW and by the
action of the waist move the arms (holding a ball) across the
front of the chest to the left side of the body. (Hold a Circle
on the left hip). Slide the left hand down and the right up
vertically to pass each other midway.
Shift your body weight - laterally - into/over the left leg.
Turn the palms horizontally to face each other - right above,
palm down; the left beneath, palm up. Turn the body clockwise
to face NE and by the action of the waist move the arms (holding
a ball) across the front of the chest to the right side of the
body (Hold a Circle on the right hip).
Shift your body weight - laterally - into/over the right leg.
Slide the left hand up and the right down vertically to pass
each other with one palm passing the other. Turn the palms horizontally
to face each other - left above, palm down; the right beneath,
palm up. Lift your left foot and with the toes still pointing
N reposition it a little further out to your left (W) - beyond
your left shoulder.
Turn the body anti-clockwise to face NW and by the action of
the waist move the arms (holding a ball) across the front of
the chest to the left side of the body. (Hold a Circle on the
left hip)
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27.
SIDE SINGLE WHIP |
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Shift 70% of your body weight into/over the right leg. Allow
your arms hands to fall in an arc towards your waist and come
briefly to rest in front your waist/hips.
Raise your left foot (just an inch or two) and reposition it
to alongside the right - toes only touching the ground (Cat
Stance left). As you reposition your left foot, raise both hands
together straight up along your body centre line to about shoulder
level - with the wrists relaxed and fingers for now pointing
downwards.
"Make a beak" with your right hand by holding the
thumb between the other four fingers - at shoulder height with
your elbow below the wrist level. Raise up the fingers of your
left hand as you rotate that hand anti-clockwise at the wrist
to position at about shoulder level with fingers up and palm
facing W.
Turn your shoulders and hips anti-clockwise and pivot on the
ball of your left foot to finish for now facing directly W left
toes and knee to W. Step W with the left foot and shift 70%
of your body weight into/over that leg. Push W with the left
palm and extend right (beaked) hand a little further away from
the right shoulder - to the N. |
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28.
HIGH PAT ON HORSE |
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Release the 'beak' from your right hand and withdraw that
hand back to the right shoulder, palm down. Shift your body
weight into/over the right leg. Rotate your left hand anti-clockwise
at the wrist, turning the palm over to face upward as you
do so.
Draw your left elbow in close to your body/ribcage - keeping
the palm facing up and fingers pointing W. Draw your left
foot half a pace back (towards your right foot) and position
it with the ankle directly beneath the knee and with the toes
only touching the floor. Pivot your left foot anti-clockwise
at the ankle so that the raised (left) heel points NE.
Bring your left hand down in an arc to beside your left hip
- rotating your wrist clockwise as you do so to finish with
it positioned just for now to palm down beside your left thigh.
Bring your right hand up in an arc up and away from your body
- rotating your wrist clockwise as you do so to finish with
the arm extended away from your body, palm up at about (right)
eye level. As you rotate both wrists clockwise and the hands
approach each other make them a little harder (stiffen the
fingers) with each becoming hardest as the palms pass each
other (left palm briefly facing N and the right S) midway.
"Sink" into your right leg - bend at the knee a
little. Turn your hips anti-clockwise to align them left/S
right/N. Turn your shoulders anti-clockwise to align them
left/SE right/NW. Following the action of "pivot your
left foot anti-clockwise at the ankle" and as a consequence
of the co-ordinated hand/arm movements as described above;
your left foot should become aligned toes facing SW the (raised)
heel NE.
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29.
SEPARATE RIGHT FOOT |
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Step diagonally SW with the left foot and shift 70% of your
body weight into/over the left leg. Bring the right toes alongside
the left - toes only touching the ground (Cat Stance right).
Bring the right hand towards your right hip and then circle
both hands upward to cross at the wrists at chest height with
the left hand being the one closest to your face. Both palms
face towards you. Lift the right thigh parallel to the floor
(toes hang directly below the knee). Bend the left knee slightly
and point the toes of your right foot NW.
"Separate
Hands": Leading with your wrists (elbows relaxed beneath),
draw the left hand out towards S and the right towards N - to
about a shoulder width apart, palms down. Turn the palms outwards
(left facing S and right facing N) and extend them both further
out from your body to assist your balance as you perform the
toe kick as described above. |
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30.
SEPARATE LEFT FOOT |
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Lower your right foot and step diagonally NW. Shift 70%
of your body weight into/over your right leg and bring the left
toes alongside the right - toes only touching the ground (Cat
Stance left).
Lower both arms in front of the thighs and then circle both
hands upward to cross at the wrists at chest height with the
right hand being the one closest to your face. Both palms face
towards you.
Lift the left thigh parallel to the floor (toes hang directly
below the knee). Bend the right knee slightly and point the
toes of your left foot SW.
"Separate Hands": Leading
with your wrists (elbows relaxed beneath), draw the left hand
out towards S and the right towards N - to about a shoulder
width apart, palms down. Turn the palms outwards (left facing
S and right facing N) and extend them both further out from
your body to assist your balance as you perform the toe kick
as described above. |
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