Showing posts with label tai chi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tai chi. Show all posts

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Stirred




To be a legitimate threat in the eyes of the law, the other guy must have intent (desire), the means (ability), and the opportunity (access) to hurt you. If you wind up in court, you must be able to show all three to justify using force for self-defense. And you must be able to explain why what you did was appropriate; martial artists tend to be held to a higher level than everyday citizens. Even if intent, means and opportunity are clear, there is one other requirement (for civilians and in most states) to satisfy. You must be able to show that you had no safe alternatives other than physical force before engaging. That’s the real bugger for self defense, preclusion. Campfire Tales From Hell


Stretching, Chi Gung, Tai chi a Artspawn with CK & Lisa. Weird to be back at Artspawn after many years. I haven't been keeping up on my tai chi, but I was very constantly aware of making an effort at every moment to AVOID two of my most persistant and troublesome tai ch fails: lack of body turning along with arm movement, and letting the knee turn (and cave) in.

Some of that chi gung felt so good. It was tickling and stirring the energy.

Jonesing to get on the mat. Holiday BJJ school closures suck.

Friday, July 25, 2014

Friday evening



"I've had 56 students win gunfights in the past 5 years.  I also had two students that died because they were unarmed when they were attacked.  Carry your f***in gun." - Tom Givens (Rangemaster)


OMG, Jen Jen Jen. This needs to stop. This ritual leadership team needs to break up due to irreconcilable differences. I had intended to perform my small part for next weekend's event and then just stop answering her e-mails and fade away... which would leave the door open to at least show up and participate in a non-facilitating way once in a while. But it has become clear that she ONCE AGAIN did not like what I did at the last event, even though it worked just fine,  and now she wants to vet my piece beforehand. She disguised this as a general message to everyone that "We don't want to do (fill in the blank with what I did last time). Let's all post our ideas so that we can be all goal-aligned." So almost everyone posts except me.... since I'm still trying to figure out how the hell to deal with her shit without getting pulled into a dysfunctional drama scene, and I also still have about .02% doubt that this may be *my* problem because I apparently have no ability to function in ritual nor gauge accurately whether things worked or not nor take constructive criticism... and she posts another general message going, "Okay, the only one who hasn't chimed in yet is Kitsune....." then again this morning with, "I'm freaking out here, those who haven't posted their ideas yet PLEASE DO SO". Jesus H. Tapdancing Christ, this is the biggest event of the year and you'd think she'd have enough to do without having this much time and energy to ride my ass. Over a very tiny role, which is not going to make a difference in anything even if she hates it. I don't want to be one of those people who causes a drama scene (or worse- bails) a week before a huge event, but I've about had it. This is nuts.

I mounted a pole in my basement gym to dry my gi's on. When I first moved in here, I looked at the shower in the laundry room and thought, "Sweet, I can hang my gi's right there on the shower rod to dry." Well, turns out the air flow sucketh in there and they take about a week to dry.... which is not a huge deal, except the condensation is such that I'm worried it's going to get all disgusting in that room if I keep doing that. I'm not sure the air flow and drying time are going to be much better in the basement proper, but I hope so. I'm going to mount a second pole on the porch so that I can dry them out there when the weather permits.

Friday evening BJJ in Bellevue. I got there early and had a long, thorough stretching session, followed by a few reps of the Tai Chi short form. Then Five Animals. Then Leopard Fist. I have not done any forms of any kind for, like, a year. I don't know how I feel about it. It stirred some things. Some good, some bad.

KOtH, sweep vs pass. There was an awkward moment right that the beginning when Prof Herbert tried to pair me up with Sauleh. There were only about 8 of us total in there, so having Sauleh in there with KoTH meant a lot of extra wall time for me. Irritating.

Brandon has his purple belt. He continues to get bigger- and better.

A few spars. Lance first, ha ha. He was nice, and let me simply run a sub clinic on him. I also got a turn with Herbert, which was awesome if exhausting. It was very flowy. I tried really hard to flow. I think I made a decent showing of myself.

Friday, December 27, 2013

Ta da!





Understand weapons ARE the big equalizer. Up until the introduction of very efficient weapons that did not rely on strength (think the revolver, first), might DID make right. Not morally, but any moral argument put forward could be beaten to the ground.  –Rory Miller



2 afternoons training with Tylik.

Mostly stancework (using the long form, although said stancework translates to all the other forms as well as, uh, standing. My most eggregious sins continue to be 1)failure to have the pelvis tilted at the right angle (which in turn messes up everything else all up and down the body), and 2)allowing my knee(s) to collapse inward (which in turn messes up everything else all up and down the body). Erroneous foot position also looms large. Some arm position stuff- bad crossing of centerline, not having arms low enough to guard against groin kick, and spreading arms too wide as if in a "ta-da!!!!" dance pose (which is NOT Tai Chi). Going over one or two tiny snatches of the form and being utterly dazzled at how many things you have to pay attention to in order to make a seemingly simple 180 degree turn. As soon as I start focusing on pelvic alignment and arm position, I forget foot position and torso turning... and vice versa.

We also did some Chen dao (actually got through the whole form). Many of the stancework items we'd been working on came up again here. I was able to troubleshoot my least favorite movement in the form- keeping in mind that the things I don't like are always the things I feel inept at. In this case, it was a motion that Tylik performs like an avenging sword goddess and I perform like a lame chimp on opiates. But I think we pinned down what I was doing wrong this time.

I felt really good about the progress we made both days. I have a very limited attention span, and my knees start hurting after only a modest amount of stancework. But we broke the time up into managable chunks, and switched to sword ("And now for something completely different!") just as I was about to start tearing my hair out over stancework.

It also felt very good to work on forms. I have so neglected my formwork. I am so unhappy not having a regular Tai Chi teacher/class nor a regular Kung Fu teacher/class. I miss forms. I miss Tai Chi. I miss Kung Fu. I miss striking and kicking.

Also- having spent almost the entire month on the bench for injuries, I have been very unhappy at not being able to train. It was so nice to get some training in.

Another good thing: my plantar fasciitis- while not totally gone- has slacked off to an amazingly relieving degree. That PF sucked so bad, but it did serve to be a constant un-ignorable reminder to watch my posture and balance and foot position 24/7. I was bad about doing my exercises, but the things Tylik showed me on her last visit about how to stand and step made the difference, I think. I really hope that these adjustments are now automatic and permanent, and that it will both avoid future PF as well as improve the way I move around in general.
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Holy cow, Rory Miller left a comment on one of my blog posts.  He probably Googled himself and went to see who the heck has posted about five hundred of his quotes. Hope he doesn't think I'm a stalker. I suspect that attempting to stalk Rory Miller would be a special kind of suicidal.

FYI, tattoos on the side of the ribs hurt like a mother. I have a small tat on my flank that has previously held the record for being the most painful... but the flank at least has a small layer of fat, and the side of the ribs is skin over bone. I've never had a tat still hurt nearly a week later, either.  Additionally, I can't put on a bra because the spandex would go right over the tat. It really is obscene and terrible for me to go around braless. It also made the Tai Chi interesting. Tai Chi is pretty much the only workout that is even on the table sans bra, and I had to wear layers of billowy clothes that completely concealed my body. Somehow, Tylik has no trouble seeing my knee turn in or my pelvis tip wrongly- I think she has X-ray vision. But seriously- these body parts were not visible by any stretch of the imagination, and it really makes a point for how those particular stance errors fuck up your posture in such an obvious way that she didn't need to be able to see much to tell what was happening.

But as far as the tattoo- Lindsey did an awesome job. It is very meaningful to me to have tattoos- which are all martial-arts-related power glyphs to some degree, in my case- done by a fellow martial artist, and a back belt teacher of mine to boot.  Makes me want to let him ink me up head to toe, ha ha. I'm working on a Sak Yant inspired design, contaminated with Chinese elements. It's going to take a lot of time and research, though.

Friday, January 4, 2013

The Old Farts





What you do instead of your work is your REAL work. –Roger Ebert


Met up with CK and JB for an hour or so around lunchtime. The usual phoning and driving around trying to find somewhere to work out. We were luckless and ended up outside, which I was unhappy about. Cold, wet, bad footgear. Went through the Tai Chi long form a few times.


JB was annoyed with me for not announcing my promotion with more bells and whistles than I did. I responded, "Jiu jitsu here (indicating heart). Jiu jitsu here (indicating head). Jiu jitsu never here (indicating beltline)." I wasn't sure if she was old enough to get the reference, but I knew CK would.


After JB vacated, CK and I found an open community center. We started working on the long form again, but unfortunately- as sometimes happens- our yaps ran away with us and we didn't get a whole lot of work done. It might be worthwhile to try to schedule a lunch early in her visit and get some of the chatter out of the way so that we can focus better.


One of the things she told me was that CN has moved back to town. I'm not going to pin any hopes on this, because he has not spoken to me in years, and I'm not going to chase him around and bother him. But I told CK (again) that if she sees him, to please pitch that I will pay him to give me private Kung Fu lessons. Lord, I miss Shaolin.


I really wanted to get to Bellevue in time for Doug's nascent "Old School BJJ" class (aka "Old Farts' class"). 40YO and above only. I didn't get back to Bellevue from my visit with CK until I was about 20 min late (right through commute traffic- ugh and sigh). I came in and was happy to see that there was a decent turnout- 10 or 12 people, good mix of belt levels. I announced, "Sorry I'm late- I had to put in my false teeth, adjust my truss....." Doug looked at the clock and said something about the time; I responded, "You can see that clock from here without your bifocals?" Every time I made a smart-ass remark, he mimed making a little mark on the inside of his lapel- the record of all the things he was going to spank me for once the sparring started (I guess when you get that old, you need to keep a lot of notes because you CRS...ha ha.)


We did sprawl N/S on top of turtle, crossface go to the side, switch feet, "sash" grip, pull the guy over and take the back. I continue to end up on my back while pulling the guy over, and was able to ask Doug to troubleshoot it. It appears that I am planting my butt on the mat too far away from the opponent, and I need to glue butt to mat closer. Also note: if opponent is defending your hooks, start choking hir. S/he should reach up to grab your forearm, and then you can slip the hook in on that side. Further note: make sure to keep hooks at different levels once you get them in. One more thing worth paying attention to- be careful how enthusiastically you sock your heels into the hip creases of your male training partner. I got a distinct flinch.


If the turtle is clamped closed all around, crank one of hir elbows out just enough to get a foot in, then dive-roll. I need to work more on this, I was tentative about my positioning and doubtful about being able to actually overturn the guy, so I tended to not fully commit to the roll.


Take the back as above, then add 1)RNC, 2)RNC with one arm trapped, 2)cross collar choke. I continue to telegraph my RNC setup hugely. I need to learn to sneak that second arm in.


Sparring- Doug, Robert twice (he's 58! just got his 2nd stripe on blue belt- cool, huh?). Marcello, Chris (these latter two do not qualify as Old Farts, but a few of the Young Bucks came in to open-mat with us for a bit).  Robert's got great pressure from the top. Note- try to stay off the bottom with him next time. I love sparring with Chris. He's so big and scary-looking, but he *never* uses strength and is very careful with his weight. I've never so much as bent a fingernail working with him. A sublime partner. And a really nice friendly guy too.


Anyway, Doug seemed happy with the turnout and the way things went, and I really hope the attendance justifies continuing this class- it's a great idea. It was also a good environment for asking questions. If we can have a little Old Farts open mat after, so much the better.


Unfortunately for me, Old Farts' Class conflicts with Cindy's Friday night no-gi. I'm not happy with the no-gi scheduling, and not sure how to apply myself. Right now, the Sleeper gi classes are better for my routine... but I feel that it's important for me to work no-gi as well (especially since I'm worse at it), and right now I'm getting very very little.

Monday, June 4, 2012

Sunday




 Teaching beginners, you have to break down a lot of conditioning.  Years and decades of being told not to be rude. Don't swear, don't spit, don't use nasty words and don't touch people inappropriately.  Almost everything that falls under the umbrella of self-defense is rude.  Injuring people is very inappropriate physical contact.  Setting boundaries is yelling at strangers.  "How can you hit someone if you can't even look him in the eye?" –Rory Miller


Pic- Carlos & Rodrigo


Friday: 133.0


FOD: Touch Bridge


While the stuff I ate at the Thai restaurant (the leftovers of which I finished this morning) wasn't diet fare, between that and the broccoli thing CK made for lunch yesterday, it was probably more vegetables than I normally eat in several months. I feel like some kind of granola-crunching healthy person (not that granola is particularly healthy- it's very caloric!)  It would be nice to be down a few more pounds before PSG, although I'm not really up for the kind of effort it would take to get back to 124 at the moment.


Researching for weblit: fun educational fact of the day. You can move your beehives by blocking the entrance at night while the bees are all home, then when you get the hive to the new spot, keep them confined for 1 to 3 days. When you reopen hive, place a distracting object (like a big leafy branch) right in front of the entrance, which will force the bees to reorient before they just peel out and get lost.


I have corrections on forms from my lesson with CK on Friday morning, but I haven't had a chance to transcribe them yet. I'll try to get that done in the next few days. Unfortunately, Cannon Fist seems to have some directional errors. I get turned around 180 degrees, then at a later point I get turned around 180 AGAIN so that I actually finish the form facing in the correct direction. When I had a (single) directional error somewhere in the Chen Dao form, it was a major PITA to track it down and then re-transcribe all the directions in my notes... and this form is about a jillion times longer. I'm dreading the note-revising.


We didn't get time to nitpick other corrections in Cannon Fist, so next visit I'd like to start with that form. The other thing I want to make sure we do next time is some serious sparring, which we also didn't have a chance for this visit.
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Saturday FOD: Southern Mantis Long Form fragment. I'm mixing up the little hop-and-shield here with the similar technique in the Green Dragon form. Mantis: Hop slightly to left with left palm-strike outward at rt shoulder and rt palm-strike at groin (palm down). Rt knee is up. Green Dragon: Little hop to the RIGHT, Black Crane guard toward left (Rt palm at left jaw, left palm outward at left thigh).  Additionally, re: Mantis- ahrrrg, forgetting the double down-block again. As the knee comes up for the strike right after that, don't forget to pivot the toe out on the posting foot. Otherwise the next turn is ludicrous if not impossible.  And... why do I continue to turn all the Mantis fist strikes into Dragon fists? Hello, this is a MANTIS form.


Also Saturday: Unfortunate encounter with ice cream bars at work. Thanks a lot, Archie.
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Sunday FOD: Leopard At Dawn fragment


Bought three fridge-packs of Diet caffeine-free Squirt. It's pretty foul, but I'd like to try to cut down my Dr Pepper habit. I know from past periods of abstinence that it doesn't affect my weight, but I don't care for the caffeine monkey on my back.  Also: made a healthier-than-usual version of my beef/potato/mushroom stew for work lunches this week. Healthier than usual because there are less potatoes and more meat. I have been haunting the about-to-expire bargain meat bin at Safeway, because I found some 30%-off lamb in there recently that I could feed to Richard. I've been picking up random meat for stew and throwing it in the deep freeze; this particular package I totally underestimated and found the crockpot more than half full before I even started adding potatoes.


Housemate's stolen car has been found. The thief left "a big knife" in it. Am I weird if the first thing I thought was not "Fingerprints!" or "OMG, if she'd been *IN* the car, he might have actually KILLED her for it!" but "OOOO- a big knife? What kind of knife? Is it a cool knife? Do we get to keep the knife?"


Cringe-worthy search term of the week on my blog: "kneeling beauty rear view". Jesus, I hope someone wasn't looking to *ME*  to provide that.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Chen sword form



You've just dumped a scumbag. Don't put your gun away. You scan the area. Jackals and lions travel in packs. You probably will never be involved in another shooting in your entire life. This is it! Make the most of it. This is a target rich environment. See if there is someone else that needs to be shot. -Greg Hamilton




The FOD is Hurricane Hands. (The bowl is now empty- starting a new rotation).



+Chen Jian Form

Begin standing straight, facing north. Both hands at sides. Sword is in left hand, held backhand with blade up and lying along left arm with tip extending up beside left ear.

Slowly step left foot out to west (toe first) in horse. Slowly equalize weight. Pause.

Bring arms up slowly to horizontal in front ("zombie" pose). Shoulders are relaxed. Rt palm facing floor. Sword is still held along the forearm, so that when arms are horizontal, tip is pointing straight behind you.

Return arms to thighs.

Shift weight to rt foot. left heel comes off floor. Hands move to a "holding the energy ball" pose in front of stomach (rt hand on bottom). Sword is still held along left forearm. Now the tip is pointing to your left (west).

Lift rt hand (palm out) to your rt shoulder, with first two fingers up, as though signalling for the waiter to bring your bill.

Turn left to west and step out with left foot in a front stance. Left hand (with sword still lying along forearm- now it is again point-up) drops to groin and sweeps around left thigh to clear. End with hand just behind your left thigh and sword lying along the back of your arm as at the beginning. Rt two-finger hand presses to west past face and strikes (fingers up, thumb toward you) to west chin height, almost at arm extension.

Cross rt foot in front of left to west in a scissor. Rt two-finger hand stretches behind you (to east), diagonally down toward the floor. Left hand (with sword still lying along the back of forearm) stretches in front of you (to west) at an upward diagonal. Torso is facing north. Look behind you at the two-finger hand.

Bring left foot up to right, and lift rt toe in a narrow cat. Transfer the sword to the rt hand. Twirl the blade up-over-down in a circular motion behind you and to your left. End holding hilt in front of chest with with tip toward the floor, wrist bent in a gooseneck, left two-finger hand resting on the back of your rt wrist.

Step out to east in as deep a lunge as possible, left leg straight. Slice sword ankle-height from left to rt in a wide crescent. Torso turns with sword to keep it on your centerline.

Lift left knee to stand on rt leg. bring sword to ward horiz above brow (tip to your left, to west). Your torso is now facing north. As soon as you are in this pose, remove your two-finger left hand from right wrist and track it slowly (palm fwd, fingers up) across your face from rt to left till it is almost at arm extension off to your left.

Turn torso northeast and drop into as deep a lunge as possible. Left leg is straight. Chop sword down to northeast. Left palm goes to back of rt wrist.

Slice sword ankle-height from rt to left in a wide crescent. Torso turns with sword. Your lunge switches legs as you pass center, to end in a west-facing lunge with rt leg straight. Left two-finger hand (palm out) is above left temple to ward. Sword is horiz at chest level with palm up and blade tip angled to northwest.

Drop left two-finger hand to the back of your rt wrist and bring rt foot up to left foot.

Turn rt wrist down (this will turn the sword over).

Step out with rt foot to northwest in a forward stance. Push sword horiz at waist level to northwest. Tip is pointing southwest.

Pull left foot in to right. Turn rt wrist over so that inside of the wrist is up (this will turn the sword over)

Turn west and step out west with left foot for a fwd stance. Left two-finger hand (palm out) above left temple to ward. Push sword horiz at waist level to southwest.

Pull rt foot in to left foot.

Lift left knee to stand on rt foot. Bring left two-finger hand to cross chest and sit at rt shoulder. Rt hand circles clockwise to groin, left shoulder, rt shoulder, then chop sword in a point-down diagonal at your rt. Left two-finger hand continues its circle down-out-and-around to end warding (palm out) at left temple.

Drop left foot to floor behind you and transfer weight to that foot, lifting rt toe for a cat stance. Place two-finger left hand on rt wrist. Draw sword hilt to your chest, tip diagonally up to west. Inside of wrist is upward.

Lift left knee to stand on rt foot as you stab sword on an upward diagonal to west.

Drop left foot to ground in a narrow front stance to west (left foot in front). Level the sword horizontally over your brow (point pointing north, inside of wrist inward).

Pull left two-finger hand to your left hip. Draw hilt to your left, then drop it down to left hip, then level sword horizontally at waist (tip pointing to south). Settle weight back on left foot in a cat with body turned to northwest. Pull sword hilt back to rt hip. sword is now horiz at waist with tip pointing to southwest. Left two-finger hand returns to left temple to ward (palm out).

PUll left foot in to rt. Left two-finger hand goes to rt wrist.

Turn rt wrist up (this will turn the sword over).

Step left foot out to west in a front stance. Left two-finger hand goes above left temple (palm out) to ward. Push sword horiz waist level to north, tip pointing west. (inside of wrist is upward).

Rock weight back on rt foot. Place left two-finger hand on rt wrist. Turn left toe to north.

Put weight on left foot again and pull rt foot in to left. Turn wrist down (this will turn the sword over).

Turn 180 degrees to your rt to end in a front stance (rt foot in front) facing east. Push sword horiz at waist level to east. Tip is pointing northwest and inside of wrist is downward.

Turn rt wrist inside-up (this will turn the sword over). Transfer weight to left foot and pull rt foot back to left in a narrow cat. Pull rt hand with sword hilt in to chest. Sword is now held horiz at chest level with tip pointing southeast.

Step rt foot behind you and transfer weight to it, lift left heel to make an east-facing cat. Both hands pull to hips. Left is in a two-finger position (palm to ground), rt is holding sword hilt horiz at rt hip with tip pointing east.

Bring both hands to breastbone, left two-finger hand on rt wrist. hilt is against breastbone, sword horiz with tip pointing east. Step rt foot up to left. The feet are side by side, rt is up on toe.

Step east with rt foot and stab sword to east at breast level almost at extension of arms. left foot comes up on toe. Do not pause here; this should be a quick step with weight overbalanced forward that looks almost like a stumble.

Step forward to east with left foot and bring both arms down to hips as in previous technique. This is another quick, "stumbling forward" step.

Step forward to east with rt foot to make a forward stance. Left two-finger hand goes to rt wrist. Sword stabs to east at chest level.

(Note that the next set of techniques makes a double figure-8 motion withthe hilt leading, this should be one smooth continuous motion)

Turn torso to north, turning toes to north to make a high horse. Pull sword to horiz warding over brow (tip pointing east).

Drop hilt to left hip, then pull to rt hip.

Turn toe of rt foot to south. Turn body rt to south and make a south-facing high horse. Weight is on rt foot. As you turn, pull hilt up to rt temple. Sword is now horiz above brow with tip pointing east.

Drop hilt to rt hip.

Step rt foot to east and turn torso north in high horse. Lift hilt from rt hip to horiz waist level, tip pointing east. Inside of wrist is upward. Left two-finger hand leaves wrist and goes to ward above left temple (palm out).

Turn to west in cat (left toe in front). Sword hacks overhead (make sure it slices over and down, not floating over with the tip pointing up) to end horiz pointing west chest level. Rt elbow is braced on chest. Left hand braces rt wrist.

Pull sword back and down to rt hip. Tip remains pointed west. Left hand presses forward at chest level with two fingers up (palm out).

Rt foot steps up to stand beside left. Bring sword hilt back to breastbone, left hand supporting rt wrist. Inside of wrist is upward.

Turn rt toe to north. Torso turns northwest.

Lift sword to rt temple. Inside of wrist is outward (to north). Blade is now horiz at brow level with tip pointing west. Left two-finger hand is on right wrist.

Step forward left foot to southwest to make a front stance. Torso is now facing west. Swing sword in a powerful U-shaped arc down to groin and then up to above left temple. Tip remains pointing west at all times. Left two-finger hand remains on rt wrist.

Step rt foot up beside left. Torso turns southwest.

Step rt foot out northwest to make a front stance. Torso is now facing west. Swing sword in a powerful U-shaped arc down to groin and then up to above rt temple. Tip remains pointing west at all times.

Step left foot up beside rt. Torso turns northwest.

Step forward left foot to southwest to make a front stance. Torso is now facing west. Swing sword in a powerful U-shaped arc down to groin and then up to above left temple. Tip remains pointing west at all times. Left two-finger hand leave wrist to ward (palm out) at left temple.

Step rt foot up beside left. Torso turns southwest.

Look behind you to east. Step and cross rt foot in front of left to west. Thrust left two-finger hand to west on an upward diagonal. Turn blade point to east and thrust sword east on a downward diagonal.

Step left foot west to make a forward stance. Bring sword overhead (again, slice down- don't let the tip float to the ceiling) to poke diagonal at the ground to west. Rt arm is held over head, elbow bent and against rt ear. Left two-finger hand braces rt wrist.

Rock weight back on rt foot and turn left toe to north.

Turn to your left to end east in a front stance (rt foot in front). Hack sword down to end horiz chest level, pointing east. Left two-finger hand circles down-out-and-up opposite the sword cut and ends at left temple (palm out) warding.

Bring left foot up beside rt. Torso is facing northeast. Left two-finger hand returns to rt wrist. Drop blade so that it is almost vertical to ground along your rt thigh.

Turn north and take a small step north with left foot, followed by right foot. End in a narrow cat with rt toe fwd. Bring blade up-and-over to hack north in a downward diagonal. Left two-finger hand drops down to groin, circles to left thigh, then up to left shoulder, completing the circle by ending pressed to rt wrist.

Describe a small counterclockwise circle on the ground with the point of the blade, moving only your wrist.

Step rt toe behind left heel, following with your torso, to end facing south. Pull up left knee to stand on rt leg. Pull hilt to rt hip and then sweep blade up to horiz at brow (tip pointing east) as you complete the turn. Pause. Remove your two-finger left hand from right wrist and track it slowly (palm fwd, fingers up) across your face from rt to left till it is almost at arm extension off to your left.

Step left foot east, toe turned north. Bring both hands to your left hip, placing left two-finger hand on rt wrist. Sword tip stabs to your rt (to north) hip level. Step out east rt foot to make a front stance, and continue the curving motion of the sword up to left shoulder and then around and down to end horiz pointing east chest level.

Without moving your feet, turn torso as far to your rt as possible and look over rt shoulder. Keeping arm straight, swing sword to point diagonally downward to west behind your rt hip.

Turn to east again and step fwd with left foot, then bring rt toe forward, to make a cat stance with rt foot in front. Bring sword up-and-around in a hack to east, ending with tip pointing down diagonally. Left two-finger hand circles clockwise to groin, left hip, then up-and-around to end on rt wrist.

Turn to south and step rt foot west in a deep lunge, rt leg straight. Bring sword around in a sweeping arc from your left to your right, ending pointed west at an upward diagonal. Inside of wrist is upward. Torso ends facing southwest. Make sure that the body turns *WITH* the sword, keeping the blade on your centerline. Left arm remains at a 45 degree angle off your left hip.

Turn east and shift stance into an east-facing forward stance with left foot fwd. Left two-finger hand goes to rt wrist. Sword is held horiz at waist level with wrist bent and tip pointing southeast.

Pull left foot *back* to rt foot to make a cat with left toe up. Turn inside of wrist downward (this will turn the sword over) and pull it toward body so that forearm is pressed against stomach. Sword tip is pointing northeast.

Step out east with left foot, then with rt foot to east to make a fwd stance with rt foot in front. Turn wrist up (this will turn the sword over). Push sword horiz at waist level to east. Tip is pointing southeast. Left two-finger hand goes above left temple to ward.

Place left two-finger hand on rt wrist. Turn wrist downward (this will turn the sword over).

Turn rt toe out as far as you can, and turn to your rt till you are facing north. You are now in a cat with left toe fwd. As you complete the turn, pull both hands down to hips. Sword is horiz at rt hip, tip pointing north.

Bring sword hilt up to chest level, place left two-finger hand on rt wrist. Blade is still horiz, tip to north.

Shift weight forward into a front stance. Stab to north, chest level.

Turn body to face east, shift weight onto rear (rt) foot. Pull sword hilt back to rt shoulder. Switch it to your left hand.

Turn body to face north and step forward with rt foot to stand straight. Bring left hand in an arc across brow, hilt up. End at left thigh, sword held hilt-down along the back of left arm and tip extending up beside left ear. Rt arm comes around mirroring the motion of the left, to end at the rt thigh.

Salute.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Cannon Fist


"I've had 56 students win gunfights in the past 5 years. I also had two students that died because they were unarmed when they were attacked. Carry your f***in' gun." - Tom Givens (Rangemaster)


Today's FOD is Tiger Versus Crane.

Finished Cannon Fist transcription, fixed the directional errors in the Chen Dao transcription, got the bulk of the Jian transcription done.

After finishing the Cannon Fist transcription, I realized that somehow- three quarters of the way through the form- I was facing south when I should have been facing north. It took a long time to track down the error, and then I had to go through that last piece and fix all the directional notations.

Although- once I finish transcribing the straight sword form- I don't ever intend to find myself transcribing forms from scratch again, it is a good lesson to double-check at regular intervals and make sure one is facing the correct direction. Visons of Bugs Bunny saying, "I *KNEW* we should have taken that left turn at Albuquerque...."



+Cannon Fist


(Part 1- the part that is like the short form.)

Begin standing straight facing north. Arms are at sides.

Three medium-sized openings and closings.

Slowly transfer weight to rt foot.

Lift left foot and deliberately step out to left (toe down first) in high horse.

Slowly equalize weight. Pause.

Bring arms up slowly in front ("zombie" pose). Shoulders are relaxed, hands loose and palms facing floor. When hands reach chest level, pause. Then press fingers gently to north.

Let arms gently fall to fronts of thighs. Pause.

Turn torso to northwest. Scoop in front of your groin with right hand, moving it left. Rt hand is floating above it, palm turned towards it, as if you are holding a basketball.

Move the basketball to chest level on your centerline.

Switch the hands so that right is on top (palm down) and left on bottom (palm up). Turn the torso to face northeast. Rt toe turns east. Shift into a front stance facing northeast, rt foot in front. As you turn, the hands pull the basketball across so that it stays on your centerline.

Lift rt knee to stand on left leg. You are facing east with the basketball at your chest. Pause.

Step out with left leg to northwest. Heel down first. As you step, both hands drop to groin and then do a spreading motion "smoothing your skirt" to end at 45 degree angles off your hips. Most of your weight shifts forward onto left foot.

Turn torso to front (north) and pull rt foot to left, then push it out front into a cat stance. Left hand turns palm-up to up at belly button. As foot moves forward, rt hand moves with it to scoop (palm fwd) from rt hip all the way forward and then up the centerline to above brow level. Rt knee comes up with it so that you are standing on left leg.

Left foot stomps down as rt Fist drops firmly into cupped left hand at belly button. Pause. You are now in horse.

Turn torso northwest. Stance shifts so that you are in a shallow lunge with rt leg straight. Left hand remains cupped at belly button. Rt hand (loosely cupped, palm up) reaches toward northwest on an upward diagonal. As this hand reaches, the left palm slides down the forearm to cup elbow. At the apex of the reach, rt palm turns to face northwest. Rt knee comes up so that you are standing on left foot.

Slowly Turn torso northeast, placing rt foot back on the ground and shifting stance so that your lunge transfers to a left-leg-straight one. Rt palm (facing north) travels across at face level with you as you turn. Rt elbow is bent and dropped. Left palm remains cradling elbow.

Turn torso north and settle into horse. Left hand, palm up, drops to cup under belly button. Rt hand turns palm outward (toward northeast) at face level. Rt elbow is still bent and dropped. Pause.

Drop left hand to left hip, then let it float (palm upward, elbow bent and dropped) up to shoulder level, northwesterly. It then turns palm east, pushes past face and meets up with rt hand as your torso turns slightly northeast and your horse stance shifts into a gentle lunge (left leg straight).

Both hands (palms east, elbows bent and dropped) drop from rt shoulder to rt hip.

Turn torso north and shift into horse as hands move to groin level on centerline.

Turn torso northwest and shift into gentle lunge (rt leg straight) as both hands (elbows bent and dropped, palms toward ground and fingers hanging loosely) continue the curve from groin to left shoulder.

Settle weight back on rt foot and pull left foot back so that you are in a narrow cat. Simultaneously, pull both hands (elbows bent and dropped, wrists hanging loose and palms toward you) to your solar plex.

Turn torso northeast. Do not move feet. Turn palms diagonally downward toward floor and push both hands down to your rt hip. Pause.

Turning your torso a bit more to east, form a Tiger's mouth with your left hand and push it overtop of the right hand to reach eastward at hip level (palm down). Then pull it back to cup beneath belly button as torso turns north again. As torso turns north, your rt hand forms a loose Crane's beak (beak down) and lifts up (almost at arm's extension, but elbow remains slightly bent) to northeast. Pause. This sequence comprises "Single Whip".

Turn torso northeast, lifting left knee to stand on rt leg. Step left foot (heel first) out to west and shift into horse, turning torso northwest, then north.

Turn torso northeast and lift left palm to cross rt wrist.

Turn torso slowly north, then keep going to slightly northwest. As you hit north, shift into horse stance. As you are turning, left hand turns palm out to north, fingers eastward, and pulls across face level on centerline. Elbow is bent and dropped.

As your left hand gets to northwest, turn torso back to north and settle into stance. Left hand turns fingers-up and moves just a bit back toward center. Pause. Your arms are extended to either side, just a bit forward of the torso. Elbows bent and dropped. Rt hand is a loose Crane's beak (beak down), left hand is palm facing northeast with fingers up. Pause.

(Note that up until this point, Cannon Fist is identical to the short form. This is where Cannon Fist begins to deviate.)

Draw left foot in to rt foot and then lift left knee to stand on rt foot. Form blade hands. Left is at left thigh (palm in) Rt is at rt cheek (palm in).

Two quick scissoring slashes with blade hands. Left goes to left cheek, rt goes to thigh. Then back again.

Do not put foot down. Turn torso west and step out with left foot to southwest (heel first) in a front stance. Left palm stays at left thigh. Rt blade hand pushes rt-to-left past face as you step.

Rt palm continues the circle down to left knee, then rt knee (wrist flexed, palm down). As it reaches left hip, left palm curves up and pushes across face from left to right.

Left palm continues the circle down to rt knee. As it reaches rt hip, it covers the rt fist, which is coming up from the rt hip in an uppercut. End with rt fist (palm toward you) chin level, left hand (palm in) at rt hip.

Lift rt knee to stand on left leg. Both hands (side by side, palms out) sweep in a circular motion from rt shoulder to end with left palm at left thigh and rt hand continuing circle to end with palm at rt cheek.

One quick scissoring motion. Rt palm goes to rt thigh. left palm goes to left cheek.

Step rt foot out to west in a front stance. Left palm pushes across face left-to-rt and then continues the circle down to rt hip, then rt knee, then left knee. At left knee, it forms a Crane's beak. Rt hand (palm toward you) circles back and around to brush rt cheek, then presses forward to west in a chest-level blade hand strike (thumb toward you, fingers up, palm to south).

Bring left Crane's beak up to meet rt blade hand in front, chest level.

Spread both hands out to sides, chest level, not quite fully extended. Rt hand is now palm out. Pause.

Reach both hands down toward ground in a grabbing motion in front of left knee.

Turn torso northwest. Press left palm hard across centerline to end at rt shoulder (palm facing north). Rt hand is palm-to-ground (wrist bent) at groin.

Turn rt toe as far around to the right toward east as you can. Let the left foot swing around and turn a full circle to your rt to face north again, ending in a cat with rt toe forward. Arms stretch out almost to extension and circle clockwise, opposite each other. Rt hand starts at 1 o'clock, left hand starts at 7 o'clock. When left hand gets to 12 o'clock, let it fall down centerline to end horiz across waist, palm up. When rt hand gets to 6 'oclock, it comes up centerline palm-up with elbow against belly button.

Rt hand continues to move up the centerline to above brow level.

Rt fist drops gently into left cupped hand.

Rt fist goes straight back up centerline to above bow level, rt knee comes up with it so that you are standing on left leg.

Left foot stomps down as rt Fist drops firmly into cupped left hand at belly button. Pause. You are now in horse.

Both hands separate and come out and down in a "smoothing the skirt" motion while rt foot steps to east (heel down first) in a much lower horse stance. As you settle into the stance, hands reach chest height and come in front to centerline to cross at wrists.

Turn torso northwest, shift most of the weight to left foot as stance changes to a lunge (rt leg straight). The crossed wrists stay on your centerline, so it looks like you are pushing them to your left- but they are really just staying with the torso as the torso turns to the left.

Drop rt palm to left thigh (palm facing east) and sweep across to your rt knee. left hand (palm also facing east) pushes from your left to your rt across chest at the same time. Torso turns northeast, stance shifts to a lunge with left leg straight, most of the balance goes rt.

Switch arms. Left hand (palm facing west) drops to rt thigh. Rt hand (palm facing west) is now at rt shoulder.

Reverse the previous motion. Left hand sweeps across to left knee. Rt hand pushes across chest from your rt to your left. Torso turns northwest, stance shifts to a lunge with rt leg straight, most of the weight shifts left.

Place left fist on left hip. Roll rt hand out toward little finger so that palm is out, fist it, and pull it back to rt ear. Shift left hip and shoulder to the north and downward a bit as you pull, opening the chest up.

Remove left hand from hip, fist it, and bring both fists up to your temples like the Donkey Kong gorilla. Your torso is still facing northwest, you are bent over a bit at the waist toward west.

Little hop to the west with rt foot. Bring left foot to cross behind rt. End in a low scissor stance facing south, rt foot in front. Left palm pushes past forehead left-to-rt and continues the circle down to rt shoulder, then rt hip. Ends palm-down at rt hip. Rt first gathers to chest, then circular-backfists chest level overtop of the left forearm.

Unwind legs with a hop and spin to your left to end in a deep horse facing west. As you spin, fisted arms come up in the "Donkey Kong" pose again. As you land, left fist chambers at waist and rt fist punches to gound between your feet.

Turn to northwest in horse, cover with left hand and puch waist level rt fist to northwest.

Step out with rt foot, turning to south and reaching out with rt arm at waist level.

Push left arm out to south at waist level while Pulling rt arm against waist.

Bring bottom of rt elbow (arm is bent so that fist is on chest) sharply around to slap into palm of left hand. The elbow strike should be powered by the turn-and-step.

Complete the turn of the torso to east. Drop left hand to left hip. Rt hand (palm out,elbow bent and dropped) goes to left cheekbone.

One and a half Wave-Hands-Like Clouds: Step out to south with rt foot to make an east-facing horse. Pull both hands across in front of you from your left to your rt.

Step left foot to south behind rt foot to make a scissor. Switch hands so that left hand is now at rt cheek, rt hand is at rt hip. Pull both hands across in front of you from your rt to your left.

Step rt foot out to south in horse again. Switch hands. Pull both hands across in front of you from left to rt. As you complete the pull, bring left foot in beside rt.

One and a half Wave-Hands-Like Clouds the other way: Switch hands so that left hand is at rt cheekbone, rt hand is at rt hip. Step out to north with left foot to make a west-facing horse. Pull both hands across in front of you from your rt to your left.

Step rt foot to north behind left foot to make a scissor. Switch hands so that rt hand is now at left cheek, left hand is at left hip. Pull both hands across in front of you from your left to your rt.

Step left foot out to north in horse again. Switch hands. Pull both hands across in front of you from rt to left. As you complete the pull, bring rt foot in beside left. You end with left hand at left cheekbone and rt hand at rt hip.

Turn to your rt 180 degrees to face west. You are in a cat with rt toe fwd. As you turn, bring both blade-hands over your head and then down in front of chest in a standard "karate guard" pose, with left hand closest to your body.

Step out west with rt foot, immediately bringing left foot up behind it in a quick shuffle-step. Do three of these shuffle-steps total.

Cross left hand overtop of rt wrist in a grabbing motion, then close that hand into a Crane's beak and sweep it around your left hip to end palm-up with the beak pointing behind you. Rt hand remains at chest, palm toward centerline, fingers up and thumb toward you. As you grab, kick left toe out in front and turn to your rt 180 degrees on your rt toe to face east in a cat with rt toe in front.

Three more shuffle-steps, to east.

Turn south and sink into horse. Rt elbow strike chest level as you complete the turn. rt hand is fisted. Left palm presses on top of it to support.

Lift rt knee and Turn to your right to finish northeast in horse. Drop both hands down and then out in a "spreading-your-skirt" motion. When they reach almost horizontal to sides (palms down), they move to centerline (waist level) and meet. Leave left hand out there (palm pressing fwd). Turn torso north and draw rt hand back to rt hip.

Make a fist rt hand and punch waist level northeast. Torso turns northeast again as you strike. Left hand pulls back as you punch, to chamber at waist. Pause.

Lift rt knee and turn 180 degrees to your rt to face south, in horse. Bring both fists to your chest, palms down and knuckles touching elbows out horiz.

As your left foot comes down to complete the turn and stance shift into horse, bring both fists up-and-out and backfist downwards to the sides at chest level. This should be a snappy motion, and not too big- the arms shouldn't move much above the elbows.

Step rt foot to the rt and then step left foot to the rt to end in horse again. You are still facing south. As you step, bring both fists to chest again as before. After the left foot settles, another double-backfist.

Repeat once more, for three total "fireworks".

Lift rt knee and turn 180 degrees to your rt to face north. Do three more "fireworks".

Draw rt forearm to chest and pull rt foot in, then back to west as you lift left toe to make an east-facing cat. left fist guards groin, left fist goes above brow (palm out) in White Crane Spreads Its Wings.

Switch arms in a centrifugal motion to top-fist head level to your left (north) and simultaneously hammerfist hip level to your rt (south). Put your heel down as you strike, for stability.

Little hop to face north in horse. As you hop, bring both arms up in "Donkey Kong" pose so that as you descend, you canpuch downward with rt hand.

Little hop to face south in horse. Ams are still in Donkey Kong position. As you descend, elbow-strike downward with rt elbow.

Cover rt forearm with left hand, then bring left hand (palm down) to rt hip as rt fist punches overtop of it to soutwest (waist level).

"Stirring the Cauldron": Turn torso a bit further west as you draw rt forearm to stomach and then pull rt fist back to rt hip. Left forearm then circles in to be drawn toward stomach and then fist drops to guard groin. Drop into Snake-Creeps-Down: Squat as low as possible on rt leg, left leg straight to west, torso facing southwest. Left fist is still guarding groin, rt fist (palm out) is above brow in a ward-off.

Stand up and step out to west with rt foot, turning body north and reaching out with rt arm at waist level.

Pull rt arm against waist, while reaching out at waist level with left arm.

Palm-heel strike north chest level rt hand. Left hand chambers.

Turn torso east. Place left hand on left hip. Bring rt hand (palm out) up above left temple and let it circle around clockwise to rt temple, down to rt hip. Draw left foot in to rt.

Continue the rt arm circle to left hip, then back up to left temple. Step out to south with left foot, then cross rt foot behind left for a scissor.

Turn torso to north. Place rt hand on rt hip. Now you do *COUNTER*clockwise circles with the left hand instead. Start at rt temple. Step out to east with left foot, then cross rt foot behind left for a scissor.

Continue the counterclockwise arm circle to 12 o'clock. Rt arm comes up centerline to join left at 12 o'clock. Step out to west with left foot, as both hands spread out to the sides above your head.

Pull left knee up to stand on rt leg. Arms circle around-down-and-in to be drawn up to your chest, fisted and palms-up, knuckles touching.

Left foot side kick waist level to west, with double hammerfists to either side at waist level.

Rechamber left foot and set it down with toe pointed as far around to your rt as possible. Rechamber both fists at chest.

Turn torso to south and lift rt knee to stand on left leg.

Rt foot side kick waist level to west, with double hammer fists to either side at waist level.

Rechamber foot but do not set it down. Turn torso northeast. Hands make blades and make a scissoring slash as you complete the turn: Rt goes to the outside of your rt thigh (palm in) Left is at left cheek (palm in).

Set rt foot down to make a northeast-facing horse. Both arms drop and spread ("smoothing out your skirt" motion); when they reach almost horizontal to sides (palms down), they move to centerline (waist level) and meet.

Leave left hand out there (palm pressing fwd). Turn torso north and draw rt hand back to rt hip.

Make a fist rt hand and punch waist level northeast. Torso turns northeast again as you strike. Left hand pulls back as you punch, to chamber at waist. Pause.

Sweep to west with front of left leg: Drop to a squat on the rt thigh, turning hard to your rt 180 degrees to end facing south, left leg circling out straight.

Sweep again, with back of rt leg: Transfer weight so that you are squatting on left thigh, then turn hard to your rt to end facing north, rt leg circling out straight.

Stand up and turn to southwest in horse. Cover punch with left hand, punch to southwest rt fist waist level.

Face west. Do two "tug and toss" motions: Lift rt knee to stand on left leg while you reach up with both hands (left on top) and make a grabbing motion to northwest above your left temple as if siezing a rope. Stomp rt foot down as you tug your fisted hands to your rt hip. Then lift left knee halfway and stomp it back down again as you bring your fisted hands out from the hip a a bit in a curve and "throw" the rope diagonally off your left shoulder as if tossing it back where you got it. This is a forceful motion.

"Tug and toss" in the opposite direction to south: Lift left knee to stand on rt leg while you reach up with both hands (rt on top) and make a grabbing motion to south above your rt temple as if siezing a rope. Stomp left foot down as you tug your fisted hands to your left hip. Then lift rt knee halfway and stomp it back down again as you bring your fisted hands out from the hip a a bit in a curve and "throw" the rope diagonally off your rt shoulder as if tossing it back where you got it. This is a forceful motion.

Turn to your rt, torso to south, and set left foot down to make a south-facing horse. Both arms drop and spread ("smoothing out your skirt" motion); when they reach almost horizontal to sides (palms down), they move to centerline (waist level) and meet.

Leave left hand out there (palm pressing fwd). Turn torso southeast and draw rt hand back to rt hip.

Make a fist rt hand and punch waist level south. Torso turns south again as you strike. Left hand pulls back as you punch, to chamber at waist. Pause.

Left hand turns palm-up at belly button. Rt hand moves forward to scoop (palm fwd) from rt hip all the way forward and then up the centerline to above brow level. Rt knee comes up with it so that you are standing on left leg.

Left foot stomps down as rt Fist drops firmly into cupped left hand at belly button. Pause. You are now in horse.

Chamber left hand at waist. Rt fist swings down to hammerfist to east, thigh level.

Turn torso east and step out with left foot to make a front stance. Backfist waist level to north with left hand as you step out. Chamber rt hand.

Step east with rt foot to make a front stance. Chamber left hand, forward punch to east chest level with rt fist.

Step east with left foot to make a front stance. 3 quick forward punches to east chest level, left-rt-left. Chamber the hand not punching.

Two "tug, twirl and toss" motions: Lift rt knee to stand on left leg while you reach up with both hands (left on top) and make a grabbing motion to east above your left temple as if siezing a rope. Stomp rt foot down and then skip a full circle to your rt as you tug your fisted hands to your rt hip. Then lift left knee halfway and stomp it back down again as you bring your fisted hands out from the hip a a bit in a curve and "throw" the rope diagonally off your left shoulder as if tossing it back where you got it. This is a forceful motion.

"Tug and toss" in the opposite direction to west: Lift left knee to stand on rt leg while you reach up with both hands (rt on top) and make a grabbing motion to west above your rt temple as if siezing a rope. Stomp left foot down and then skip a full circle to your left as you tug your fisted hands to your left hip. Then lift rt knee halfway and stomp it back down again as you bring your fisted hands out from the hip a a bit in a curve and "throw" the rope diagonally off your rt shoulder as if tossing it back where you got it. This is a forceful motion.

Step west with rt foot, dragging left foot over a bit with it in a shuffle-step. Torso remains facing north. As you step, bring rt elbow up to strike forward to south at chest level (forearm horiz. at shoulders) and slap it with left palm.

Step west with rt foot, dragging left foot over a bit with it in a shuffle-step. Both forearms are held horiz across chest (rt on top) in "Jeannie" pose. As you step, jab both elbows out to the sides. This is a small but forceful motion.

Step west with rt foot, dragging left foot over a bit with it in a shuffle-step. As you step, place left palm on top of rt fist and jab to your rt (west) with the elbow (chest level).

Step west with rt foot, then cross left foot in front for a scissor, then another step with rt foot so that you are in horse. You are still facing north. Arms extend and circle opposite each other, out-up-and-in. Left starts are 9 o'clock (clockwise) and rt starts at 3 o'clock (counterclockwise). Left hand ends chambered at waist, rt finishes in a hammerfist to your rt (west) at thigh level.

Turn rt toe as far to the right as possible. Turn to your rt and bring both hands up to chest level (palms out). Swing left foot around and turn an entire circle to face south again. End in a front stance with left foot fwd. You are facing north. Fisted hands (palms down, knuckles touching) are at chest. Throw elbows forward at chest level to north. This is a small but forceful motion.

Turn torso to west and bring both hands (palms out) up to chest level. Drop hands to rt hip, Then turn torso to north again.

Turn left toe east. Rt hand remains at rt hip (palm toward ground) while left hand continues the circle. Hands do a spreading motion "smoothing your skirt" to end at 45 degree angles off your hips. Pull rt foot to left, then push it out front into a cat stance. Left hand turns palm-up to cup at belly button. As foot moves forward, rt hand moves with it to scoop (palm fwd) from rt hip all the way forward and then up the centerline to above brow level.

Rt fist drops gently into left cupped hand.

Rt fist goes straight back up centerline to above brow level, rt knee comes up with it so that you are standing on left leg.

Left foot stomps down as rt Fist drops firmly into cupped left hand at belly button. Pause. You are now in horse.

Drop both arms in a "smoothing the skirt" motion. As arms come out to the sides horizontally, they move to the front (palm down) and are pulled in to the belly side by side. Press palms to floor at groin, wrists bent 90 degrees.

Step left foot in to stand straight.

Three medium-sized openings and closings.

Salute.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Tai Chi Long Open-Hands form





+Tai Chi Long Empty-Hands Form

(Part 1- the part that is like the short form.)

Begin standing straight facing north. Arms are at sides.

Three medium-sized openings and closings.

Slowly transfer weight to rt foot.

Lift left foot and deliberately step out to left (toe down first) in high horse.

Slowly equalize weight. Pause.

Bring arms up slowly in front ("zombie" pose). Shoulders are relaxed, hands loose and palms facing floor. When hands reach chest level, pause. Then press fingers gently to north.

Let arms gently fall to fronts of thighs. Pause.

Turn torso to northwest. Scoop in front of your groin with right hand, moving it left. Rt hand is floating above it, palm turned towards it, as if you are holding a basketball.

Move the basketball to chest level on your centerline.

Switch the hands so that right is on top (palm down) and left on bottom (palm up). Turn the torso to face northeast. Rt toe turns east. Shift into a front stance facing northeast, rt foot in front. As you turn, the hands pull the basketball across so that it stays on your centerline.

Lift rt knee to stand on left leg. You are facing east with the basketball at your chest. Pause.

Step out with left leg to northwest. Heel down first. As you step, both hands drop to groin and then do a spreading motion "smoothing your skirt" to end at 45 degree angles off your hips. Most of your weight shifts forward onto left foot.

Turn torso to front (north) and pull rt foot to left, then push it out front into a cat stance. Left hand turns palm-up to up at belly button. As foot moves forward, rt hand moves with it to scoop (palm fwd) from rt hip all the way forward and then up the centerline to above brow level.

Rt fist drops gently into left cupped hand.

Rt fist goes straight back up centerline to above bow level, rt knee comes up with it so that you are standing on left leg.

Left foot stomps down as rt Fist drops firmly into cupped left hand at belly button. Pause. You are now in horse. (This sequence comprises "Golden Warrior Pounds the Mortar".)

Turn torso northwest. Stance shifts so that you are in a shallow lunge with rt leg straight. Left hand remains cupped at belly button. Rt hand (loosely cupped, palm up) reaches toward northwest on an upward diagonal. As this hand reaches, the left palm slides down the forearm to cup elbow. At the apex of the reach, rt palm turns to face northwest. Rt knee comes up so that you are standing on left foot.

Slowly Turn torso northeast, placing rt foot back on the ground and shifting stance so that your lunge transfers to a left-leg-straight one. Rt palm (facing north) travels across at face level with you as you turn. Rt elbow is bent and dropped. Left palm remains cradling elbow.

Turn torso north and settle into horse. Left hand, palm up, drops to cup under belly button. Rt hand turns palm outward (toward northeast) at face level. Rt elbow is still bent and dropped. Pause.

Drop left hand to left hip, then let it float (palm upward, elbow bent and dropped) up to shoulder level, northwesterly. It then turns palm east, pushes past face and meets up with rt hand as your torso turns slightly northeast and your horse stance shifts into a gentle lunge (left leg straight).

Both hands (palms east, elbows bent and dropped) drop from rt shoulder to rt hip.

Turn torso north and shift into horse as hands move to groin level on centerline.

Turn torso northwest and shift into gentle lunge (rt leg straight) as both hands (elbows bent and dropped, palms toward ground and fingers hanging loosely) continue the curve from groin to left shoulder.

Settle weight back on rt foot and pull left foot back so that you are in a narrow cat. Simultaneously, pull both hands (elbows bent and dropped, wrists hanging loose and palms toward you) to your solar plex.

Turn torso northeast. Do not move feet. Turn palms diagonally downward toward floor and push both hands down to your rt hip. Pause.

Turning your torso a bit more to east, form a Tiger's mouth with your left hand and push it overtop of the right hand to reach eastward at hip level (palm down). Then pull it back to cup beneath belly button as torso turns north again. As torso turns north, your rt hand forms a loose Crane's beak (beak down) and lifts up (almost at arm's extension, but elbow remains slightly bent) to northeast. Pause. This sequence comprises "Single Whip".

Turn torso northeast, lifting left knee to stand on rt leg. Step left foot (heel first) out to west and shift into horse, turning torso northwest, then north.

Turn torso northeast and lift left palm to cross rt wrist.

Turn torso slowly north, then keep going to slightly northwest. As you hit north, shift into horse stance. As you are turning, left hand turns palm out to north, fingers eastward, and pulls across face level on centerline. Elbow is bent and dropped.

As your left hand gets to northwest, turn torso back to north and settle into stance. Left hand turns fingers-up and moves just a bit back toward center. Pause. Your arms are extended to either side, just a bit forward of the torso. Elbows bent and dropped. Rt hand is a loose Crane's beak (beak down), left hand is palm facing northeast with fingers up. Pause.

(Note that up until this point, the long form is identical to the short form. This is where the long form begins to deviate.)
(Part 2)

Drop rt hand to groin, continue the circle around till it is beside the left hand (palms out, fingers up, thumbs facing each other).

Pull both hands to your right till the reach the right shoulder. Drop them both down to rt hip.

Turn left toe west. As your hands reach the rt hip, you turn body west and shift into a front stance (left foot fwd). Rt hand remains at rt hip (palm toward ground) while left hand continues the circle. Hands do a spreading motion "smoothing your skirt" to end at 45 degree angles off your hips. Pull rt foot to left, then push it out front into a cat stance. Left hand turns palm-up to cup at belly button. As foot moves forward, rt hand moves with it to scoop (palm fwd) from rt hip all the way forward and then up the centerline to above brow level.

Rt fist drops gently into left cupped hand.

Rt fist goes straight back up centerline to above bow level, rt knee comes up with it so that you are standing on left leg.

Left foot stomps down as rt Fist drops firmly into cupped left hand at belly button. Pause. You are now in horse.

Turn torso southwest, bringing rt hand (palm in) up to left shoulder while left hand slides along forearm to elbow. Weight shifts slightly left.

Turn torso west, equalizing weight again. Rt hand turns palm-out and circles from left shoulder to pass in front of face from your left to your rt. Left hand (palm down) is dropping to your left thigh. The two arms circle clockwise, opposite each other, till they reach centerline (Left at 12 o'clock). Then torso turns southwest again as left palm closes to your rt shoulder and rt arm moves to horiz across belly (rt hand at left elbow).

Step back with rt foot, you are now in cat stance with rt toe fwd, facing west. Arms split. Left drops to rt hip and then brushes left thigh before ending just outside of rt knee. Rt hand goes palm-out at left shoulder, then arcs over head to end above rt temple, palm out. Pause.

Turn torso slightly southwest as rt palm (facing south) passes in front of face, curves down to left hip, then moves to rt hip. Then turn torso slightly northwest as left palm (facing north) moves from left hip to curve slightly out and move across face, curving down to also end at right hip.

As left hand passes across face, turn rt toe and torso to northwest. As left hand reaches rt hip, bring rt palm up to cover right ear, and lift left knee up to stand on rt leg. Pause.

Step out west with left foot (heel first) into a fairly deep fwd stance facing west. As you step and your weight shifts to the left foot, left hand (fingers down and palm south) sweeps from rt hip to cover groin and sweep around left thigh to form Crane's beak at outside of left thigh. Simultanously, rt hand pushes forward in a blade hand strike forward to west at chin level. Thumb toward you, fingers up.

Bring left Crane's beak up to meet rt blade hand in front, chest level.

Spread both hands out to sides, chest level, not quite fully extended. Rt hand is now palm out. Pause.

Bring both hands down to meet and grab in front of groin. After you grab, Shift back into a cat stance with left toe in front, weight on rt leg. Bring both hands up to chest level and push them out to west in double blade hand strikes. Thumbs toward you, fingers up, palms facing centerline. Rt is in front of left. Pause.

Lift left knee up to stand on rt leg. Drop both hands to rt hip, then bring them both up to rt ear (palms together).

Step left foot into fwd stance west, both hands move from ear to blade-hand strike chin level to west (palms to centerline, fingers up). Left hand is in front, almost to extention, rt is behind it with elbow bent. The step fwd (weight shift) helps power the strike.

Step rt foot into fwd stance west, dropping left hand to left hip. Rt hand extends for a second blade-hand strike, powered partially by the step and weight shift.

Step left foot fwd into front stance west. Rt hand drops to waist, then comes up to cover rt ear with rt palm. Left hand brushes across face from your left to your right, then drops (fingers down and palm south) and sweeps from rt hip to cover groin, then sweep around left thigh to form Crane's beak at outside of left thigh. Simultanously, rt hand pushes forward in a blade hand strike forward to west at chin level. Thumb toward you, fingers up.

Bring left Crane's beak up to meet rt blade hand in front, chest level.

Spread both hands out to sides, chest level, not quite fully extended. Rt hand is now palm out. Pause.

Bring both hands down to meet and grab in front of groin. After you grab, Shift back into a cat stance with left toe in front, weight on rt leg. Bring both hands up to chest level and push them out to west in double blade hand strikes. Thumbs toward you, fingers up, palms facing centerline. Rt is in front of left. Pause.

Lift left knee up to stand on rt leg. Drop both hands to rt hip, then bring them both up to rt ear (palms together).

Step left foot into fwd stance west, both hands move from ear to blade-hand strike chin level to west (palms to centerline, fingers up). Left hand is in front, almost to extention, rt is behind it with elbow bent. The step fwd (weight shift) helps power the strike.

Step rt foot into fwd stance west, dropping left hand to left hip. Rt hand extends for a second blade-hand strike, powered partially by the step and weight shift.

Bring left foot fwd and turn northwest, dropping into horse stance. Bring rt fist to solar plex, left hand starts at left hip and swing out at extention in a big circle to end with palm down, covering rt fist.

Both arms drop and spread ("smoothing out your skirt" motion); when they reach almost horizontal to sides (palms down), they move to centerline (waist level) and meet.

Leave left hand out there (palm pressing fwd). Turn torso northeast and draw rt hand back to rt hip.

Make a fist rt hand and punch waist level northwest. Torso turns northwest again as you strike. Left hand pulls back as you punch, to chamber at waist. Pause.

Turn torso to your left as you bring left hand to rt shoulder (palm in) and weight shifts to left foot. Rt fist drops to groin, then makes a large circle clockwise almost at arm extention until it gets back to rt thigh. As the rt hand gets to 12 o'clocK, left hand drops to six o'clock and circles opposite. Weight equalizes again and torso turns north. When left hand reaches noon and rt hand is at 6 o'clock, left hand drops straight down centerline and cups below belly button. Pull rt foot to left, then push it out front into a cat stance. As foot moves forward, rt hand moves with it to scoop (palm fwd) from rt hip all the way forward and then up the centerline to above brow level.

Rt fist drops gently into left cupped hand.

Rt fist goes straight back up centerline to above bow level, rt knee comes up with it so that you are standing on left leg.

Left foot stomps down as rt Fist drops firmly into cupped left hand at belly button. Pause. You are now in horse.

Both hands separate and come out and down in a "smoothing the skirt" motion while rt foot steps to east (heel down first) in a much lower horse stance. As you settle into the stance, hands reach chest height and come in front to centerline to cross at wrists.

Turn torso northwest, shift most of the weight to left foot as stance changes to a lunge (rt leg straight). The crossed wrists stay on your centerline, so it looks like you are pushing them to your left- but they are really just staying with the torso as the torso turns to the left.

Drop rt palm to left thigh (palm facing east) and sweep across to your rt knee. left hand (palm also facing east) pushes from your left to your rt across chest at the same time. Torso turns northeast, stance shifts to a lunge with left leg straight, most of the balance goes rt.

Switch arms. Left hand (palm facing west) drops to rt thigh. Rt hand (palm facing west) is now at rt shoulder.

Reverse the previous motion. Left hand sweeps across to left knee. Rt hand pushes across chest from your rt to your left. Torso turns northwest, stance shifts to a lunge with rt leg straight, most of the weight shifts left.

Place left fist on left hip. Roll rt hand out toward little finger so that palm is out, fist it, and pull it back to rt ear. Shift left hip and shoulder to the north and downward a bit as you pull, opening the chest up.

Turn torso north and shift back into horse stance. Drop rt forearm northeast for backfist to ground.

Turn torso northeast and place left heel of hand (fingers up) on rt inside-of-elbow. Push with left hand and pull with rt. Rt hand chambers.

Chamber left fist and punch waist level northeast rt fist. Torso turns almost all the way north again with the punch.

Use both hands to catch an imaginary basketball chest level from northwest.

Turn left to west in a cat with rt toe fwd. As you turn, bring the energy ball curving down to groin and then up to hold it in front of your chest as if you were about to shoot for a basket.

Step forward to west with rt foot, then bring left toe fwd for a cat stance. With palms out, fingers up and thumbs side by side, push the ball out to almost arm extension chest level as you step.

Turn rt hand palm up, turn torso to southwest, and drop left hand to left thigh. Continue the circle all the way around almost at arm extension till left arm reaches 12 o'clock and torso turns west again.

Fist the left hand, and bring the elbow down to hover just above rt palm. Left forearm is vertical.

Turn torso northwest, drop rt hand to rt thigh, continuing the curve up to chest level. Then position palm facing west (wrist bent 90 degrees, fingers up) and push past chest to west. As you reach chest, left palm brushes rt palm and then pulls back to chamber. As you push and pull, the left foot retreats diagonally backward (to southeast). Weight shifts back ato this foot, rt toe comes up for a cat stance. This technique comprises "Repulse the Monkey".

Repulse 4 monkeys total, alternating sides.

On the fifth rep, the footwork is the same, but both hands (palms out, fingers up) reach up to almost arm extention above rt temple and pull diagonally down and across to left hip. Torso turns slightly southwest.

Bring rt foot straight back to east and lift left toe for a west-facing cat stance. Left arm folds inward at elbow and left palm goes to rt inside-of-elbow. Torso turns west. Arms split. Left drops to rt hip and then brushes left thigh before ending just outside of rt knee. Rt hand goes palm-out at left
shoulder, then arcs over head to end above rt temple, palm out. Pause.

Turn torso slightly southwest as rt palm (facing south) passes in front of face, curves down to left hip, then moves to rt hip. Then turn torso slightly northwest as left palm (facing north) moves from left hip to curve slightly out and move across face, curving down to also end at right hip.

As left hand passes across face, turn rt toe and torso to northwest. As left hand reaches rt hip, bring rt palm up to cover right ear, and lift left knee up to stand on rt leg. Pause.

Step out west with left foot (heel first) into a fairly deep fwd stance facing west. As you step and your weight shifts to the left foot, left hand (fingers down and palm south) sweeps from rt hip to cover groin and sweep around left thigh to form Crane's beak at outside of left thigh. Simultanously, rt hand pushes forward in a blade hand strike forward to west at chin level. Thumb toward you, fingers up.

Bring left Crane's beak up to meet rt blade hand in front, chest level.

Spread both hands out to sides, chest level, not quite fully extended. Rt hand is now palm out. Pause.

Drop rt hand to rt knee, curve it down and around till it is above left hand. Shift weight back onto rt foot and lift left toe to make a cat stance. Pull both hands across from your left to your right, chest level. (Both palms facing north).

Switch hands so that left is on top. Turn both palms south. Pull both hands across from your rt to your left, chest level.

Switch hands so that rt is on top. Turn both palms north. Pull both hands across from your left to your rt, chest level.

Lift left knee so that you are standing on rt foot. Rt arm at side, wrist 90 degree angle, palm to floor (fingers to front). Left arm bent with elbow glued to ribs, palm up at rt shoulder, fingers forward.

Turn rt hand palm-up and bring to rt shoulder, then stab the palm-up spear hand to west shoulder level. Turn left hand palm up, form into a Crane's beak, and drop to left hip (beak pointing behind you to east). Step into a west-facing fwd stance with left foot fwd. The spear hand should strike as you step.

Lift rt foot and turn to your rt, setting down in horse facing southeast. Fist rt hand. Bring left hand curving down, out and around to place left palm on top of rt fist (which is vertical in front of chest). As you settle into the horse stance, hands drop and spread in a "smoothing your skirt" motion. When they reach almost horizontal to sides (palms down), they move to centerline (waist level) and meet. Leave left hand out there (palm pressing fwd). Turn torso southwest and draw rt hand back to rt hip.

Make a fist rt hand and punch waist level southeast. Torso turns southeast again as you strike. Left hand pulls back as you punch, to chamber at waist. Pause.

Reach out with both hands (palms toward each other) in front of your rt shoulder to catch an imaginary basketball.

Turn left toe out and turn to your left, stepping in with rt foot to make a narrow cat stance (rt toe fwd) facing northeast. Pull the energy ball to your rt hip, then up and hold in front of chest as you turn.

Small step to northeast with rt foot, followed by small step with left foot. You are still in a cat with rt toe up. Push the energy ball diagonally, with both palms, to floor beyond rt hip.

Turn torso east while you form a Tiger's Mouth with left hand and push it toward east over top of rt hand. Rt hand pulls back slightly as you do this.

Turn torso north as you turn left hand palm up and pull it back to sit just below belly button. Rt hand forms Crane's beak (beak pointing down, wrist kinked upward) and floats up to chest level toward northeast. elbow is bent at not quite 90 degrees, elbow dropped. Pause.

Turn torso northeast, shifting into a gentle lunge (left leg straight) as your left hand floats palm-up to touch your rt wrist.

Turn torso slowly north, then keep going to slightly northwest. As you hit north, shift into horse stance. As you are turning, left hand turns palm out to north, fingers eastward, and pulls across face level on centerline. Elbow is bent and dropped.

As your left hand gets to northwest, turn torso back to north and settle into stance. Left hand turns fingers-up and moves just a bit back toward center. Pause. Your arms are extended to either side, just a bit forward of the torso. Elbows bent and dropped. Rt hand is a loose Crane's beak (beak down), left hand is palm facing northeast with fingers up. Pause.

(Part 3- the kicks section)

Drop rt hand to rt knee, draw across to left knee, then up to sit beside left hand (in front of left shoulder). Drop left hand to waist, palm east.

Draw both hands across body from your left to your right. rt hand is at chest level, palm north. Left hand is at waist level, palm east, fingers down.

When both hands reach rt shoulder line, switch hands. Now rt hand is at waist, palm west. Left hand is at rt shoulder, palm north.

Pull hands across body from your rt to your left. As you do this, step rt foot in to left.

Switch hands again. Pull hands across body from left to right.

Switch hands again. Pull hands across body from right to left, stepping left foot out west.

Switch hands again. Pull hands across body from left to right. Bring rt foot in to left.

Switch hands again. Pull hands across body from right to left, stepping left foot out west.

Switch hands again. Pull hands across body from left to right. Bring rt foot in to left.

Step left foot out to west while bringing crossed wrists to brow and then opening the arms out to reflect the feet.

Turn torso west and step rt toe west in a cat stance. Bring rt wrist to cross left wrist in front of throat.

Step rt foot backward to east. Transfer weight to rt foot.

Rock weight fwd onto left foot, then back onto rt. As weight goes rt, pull left foot back to step behind rt, and turn to south. As you turn, rt palm brushes left palm at chest level. Settle into south-facing horse with left hand chambered at waist and right hand palm-out near rt shoulder (elbow bent and dropped).

Rt hand rolls to little-finger side in a wrist release.

Cross left foot in front of rt for a scissor stance and bring left wrist to cross right wrist in front of chest as torso turns southwest and stance drops into scissor.

Rt ball-of-the-foot snap kick to west. Elbows both straighten so that arms are in a "cheerleader" position. Slap kicking foot with rt hand.

Rechamber leg. Set the rt foot down with the toe pointing northwest. Elbows fold again so that you are doing a "Jeannie" pose with arms folded in front of your throat. Your body is now facing north with rt leg crossed in front of left.

Left ball-of-the-foot snap kick west. Elbows both straighten so that arms are in a "cheerleader" position. Slap kicking foot with left hand.

Rechamber leg and turn body south. Touch left toe to ground on the end of straight leg. Hands move in "smoothing the skirt" motion.

Lift left knee up to stand on rt leg. Let hands curve back down and in to meet and pull up centerline to chest, fisted with knuckles touching (palm up)

Side kick left leg to east, waist height. At the same time, double hammerfist to the sides at chest level.

Rechamber the leg but do not set it down. Turn body to east. Set left foot down in a forward stance facing east. Drop both hands to rt hip, then bring them both up to rt ear (palms together). Press the left blade-hand forward at face level to east, little finger first, fingers up, palm to south.

Step rt foot into fwd stance west, dropping left hand to left hip. Rt hand extends for a second blade-hand strike, powered partially by the step and weight shift.

Step left foot fwd into front stance. Left arm circles from 7 0'clock all the way around clockwise. When it reaches 6 o'clock, this arm comes up centerline to ward fisted (palm-out) at brow. Rt arm drops to rt hip, then circles up and around to punch to ground from the shoulder. The punch to the ground is going down at the same time that the warding forearm is going up.

Rock weight back onto rt foot. Switch arms so that left fist is in front of groin and right is warding brow. Elbows are out.

Turn to your rt 180 degrees to face west in a cat with rt toe in front. Switch arms again so that rt fist is in front of groin and left is warding borw, elbows out.

Jumping ball-of-the-foot snap kick to west with rt foot. Slap the kicking leg with rt palm at the apex of the jump.

Land in horse facing west. Pull both hands (palms out) across chest from left shoulder to rt shoulder.

Bring rt fist up from rt hip in an uppercut ending at chest level (palm of fist facing you). Left hand covers the rt fist as it comes up, then ends palm-down at left hip.

Step rt foot to northwest, but with the toe facing north. Turn torso north, dropping into a scissor. Drop both arms in a curtseying pose, then bring them up and around to finish folded across your chest in a "Jeannie" pose.

Ball-of-the-foot snap kick left foot to northwest, then spin 180 to face south before putting the foot down. Elbows both straighten so that arms are in a "cheerleader" position. Slap the kicking foot with left hand. As you finish the turn to south, bring both fists (palm up) to chest with knuckles touching.

Set left foot down and lift rt knee to stand on left foot.

Side kick left leg to east, waist height. At the same time, double hammerfist to the sides at chest level.

Rechamber leg. Do not set foot down. Bring fists back to chest.

Use rt toe to turn your body northwest. Hands make blades and make a scissoring slash as you complete the turn: Rt goes to the outside of your rt thigh (palm in) Left is at left cheek (palm in).

Set left foot down, turn rt toe so that you can sink into horse facing northwest. Bring both hands together at belly and then down-and-out in "smoothing the skirt" motion. When they reach almost horizontal to sides (palms down), they move to centerline (waist level) and meet. Leave left hand out there (palm pressing fwd). Turn torso northeast and draw rt hand back to rt hip.

Make a fist rt hand and punch waist level northwest. Torso turns northwest again as you strike. Left hand pulls back as you punch, to chamber at waist. Pause.

Let straight rt arm drop to rt knee, then to left knee, then continue the circle all the way up, bending at elbow to end warding brow (palm out). Bring up left arm behind it so that wrists are crossed. Step rt foot in front of left to southwest in a scissor.

Step left foot out to southwest and make a front stance. Joined-wrist, almost-extended arms continue the large clockwise circle all the way from 12 to 9 o'clock. Uncross wrists and reach out to southwest with both hands (palms down and fingers limp), chest level and arms almost at extension.

Rock weight back on rt foot for a cat stance, pulling hands (side by side and palm in) almost to solar plex.

Transfer back into the front stance. left forearm is horiz at chest, palm out and fingers west. Rt palm (fingers up) is held just under left hand as if you were pushing something as you shift the stance weight.

Step rt foot in to left in a very narrow cat and drop both hands in a "smoothing the skirt" pose.

As hands come down-out-and-up, turn to the right 180 to face northeast. You are now in a narrow cat with left toe up. Bring both hands up to chest (palms out), and as you settle into the cat, push both palms diagonally at the ground near your rt knee.

bring both hands up to your left shoulder (palms down) and pull them in toward your chest, then divert to push the palms diagonally at the ground again near rt knee.

Turning your torso a bit more to east, form a Tiger's mouth with your left hand and push it overtop of the right hand to reach eastward at hip level (palm down). Then pull it back to cup beneath belly button as torso turns north again. As torso turns north, your rt hand forms a loose Crane's beak (beak down) and lifts up (almost at arm's extension, but elbow remains slightly bent) to northeast. Pause.

Turn torso northeast, lifting left knee to stand on your rt foot. Turn body north and Step west with left foot (heel first). Turn torso northwest, then northeast again as left hand floats up to touch rt wrist. Turn torso north again, then keep going to slightly northwest. Left hand turns palm out to north, fingers eastward, and pulls across face level on centerline. Elbow is bent and dropped.

As your left hand gets to northwest, turn torso back to north and settle into stance. Left hand turns fingers-up and moves just a bit back toward center. Pause. Your arms are extended to either side, just a bit forward of the torso. Elbows bent and dropped. Rt hand is a loose Crane's beak (beak down), left hand is palm facing northeast with fingers up. Pause.

Drop rt hand to rt knee, then bring it to left knee, then up to left shoulder. Left hand drops to left thigh. Transfer weight to rt foot. Turn rt toe east.

Pull both hands (palms facing south) across body from left to right as you sweep left foot out in a crescent step. End facing east in a cat with left toe forward.

Switch hands. Now left is on top and palms are facing north. Pull both hands across body from right to left as you sweep rt foot in an east-moving crescent step. End facing east in a cat with rt toe forward.

Do two more Wave-Hands-Like-Clouds motions, arms only- left to right, then back to left.

Lift rt knee and bring heel of rt hand (palm up) to chin. Chamber left hand.

Step forward with rt foot to east in a forward stance, pushing rt hand forward in a palm-up spear hand chin level to east.

Step forward with left foot to east in a forward stance, chambering rt hand and bringing heel of left hand (palm up) to chin. Push left hand forward in a palm-up spear hand chin level to east.

With both hands, make a grabbing/catching motion in front of your left eye.

Pull both hands to rt hip, rocking weight back on rt foot.

Transfer weight to left foot, Step forward with rt foot and turn body northeast in a hill-climbing stance (left leg straight, weight on rt foot). Both hands continue the circular motion from rt hip, making a throwing motion toward northeast.

Bring both hands to rt hip, then turn northwest and reach out northwest beyond left shoulder with both hands.

Pull left foot in to make a cat with left toe in front. Simultaneously, pull both hands (elbows bent and dropped, wrists hanging loose and palms toward you) to your solar plex.

Turn torso northeast. Do not move feet. Turn palms diagonally downward toward floor and push both hands down to your rt hip. Pause.

Turning your torso a bit more to east, form a Tiger's mouth with your left hand and push it overtop of the right hand to reach eastward at hip level (palm down). Then pull it back to cup beneath belly button as torso turns north again. As torso turns north, your rt hand forms a loose Crane's beak (beak down) and lifts up (almost at arm's extension, but elbow remains slightly bent) to northeast. Pause.

Turn torso northeast, lifting left knee to stand on rt leg. Step left foot (heel first) out to west and shift into horse, turning torso northwest, then north.

Turn torso northeast and lift left palm to cross rt wrist.

Turn torso slowly north, then keep going to slightly northwest. As you hit north, shift into horse stance. As you are turning, left hand turns palm out to north, fingers eastward, and pulls across face level on centerline. Elbow is bent and dropped.

As your left hand gets to northwest, turn torso back to north and settle into stance. Left hand turns fingers-up and moves just a bit back toward center. Pause. Your arms are extended to either side, just a bit forward of the torso. Elbows bent and dropped. Rt hand is a loose Crane's beak (beak down), left hand is palm facing northeast with fingers up. Pause.

Turn east in a cat with rt toe in front. Us an overhead throwing motion, bring both hands into a standard "karate guard" pose at chest (left on top).

Turn both hands palm-up and lift to chest level, while drawing rt knee up to stand on left leg.

Turn both hands palm-down and press back down to waist, while firmly pressing rt foot back to ground slightly ahead of left foot.

Turn both hands palm-up and bring both hands back up to chest, while lifting rt knee to stand on left leg.

Thrust kick waist level rt foot to east, while palm-heel striking rt hand to east chest level (fingers up) and lifting left elbow to left ear, palm up at temple, to ward.

Set left foot down just in front of rt with toe pointed northeast. Draw both hands to chest, palm out.

Palm-heel strike lft hand to east, chest level. Step east with left foot. Turn 360 degrees to the right (this may be done as a step or as a jump). Step east with rt foot. As you begin the turn, bring rt hand above rt temple, palm out. Left hand is at chest level, palm to centerline, thumb toward you. Both elbows are slightly bent. As you turn, the hands follow, keeping their orientations. End in a shallow lunge, rt foot in front and left leg straight, torso facing southeast. Hands are palm-out to east, elbows bent, right hand on top at brow level, left at chin level. Pause.

Pull both arms down to left hip, then up to left shoulder, then back out to the previous pose.

Turn body to northwest, dropping both hands to rt hip. Transfer weight to rt foot. You are now in a narrow cat with left toe up.

Bring both hands up to your left shoulder (palms down) and pull them in toward your chest, then divert to push the palms diagonally at the ground again near rt knee.

Turning your torso a bit more to east, form a Tiger's mouth with your left hand and push it overtop of the right hand to reach eastward at hip level (palm down). Then pull it back to cup beneath belly button as torso turns north again. As torso turns north, your rt hand forms a loose Crane's beak (beak down) and lifts up (almost at arm's extension, but elbow remains slightly bent) to northeast. Pause.

Turn torso northeast, lifting left knee to stand on your rt foot. Turn body north and Step west with left foot (heel first). Turn torso northwest, then northeast again as left hand floats up to touch rt wrist. Turn torso north again, then keep going to slightly northwest. Left hand turns palm out to north, fingers eastward, and pulls across face level on centerline. Elbow is bent and dropped.

As your left hand gets to northwest, turn torso back to north and settle into stance. Left hand turns fingers-up and moves just a bit back toward center. Pause. Your arms are extended to either side, just a bit forward of the torso. Elbows bent and dropped. Rt hand is a loose Crane's beak (beak down), left hand is palm facing northeast with fingers up. Pause.

(Part 4- the Golden Rooster section)

Drop rt hand to rt knee, draw across to left knee, then up to sit beside left hand (in front of left shoulder). Drop left hand to waist, palm east.

Draw both hands across body from your left to your right. rt hand is at chest level, palm north. Left hand is at waist level, palm east, fingers down.

When both hands reach rt shoulder line, switch hands. Now rt hand is at waist, palm west. Left hand is at rt shoulder, palm north.

Pull hands across body from your rt to your left. As you do this, step rt foot BEHIND left in scissor. (Note that thare are three Wave-Hands-Like-Clouds sequences facing north in the this form. This one- the second- is the only one in which you step BEHIND in a scissor step rather than bringing the right foot in beside the left.)

Switch hands again. Pull hands across body from left to right.

Switch hands again. Pull hands across body from right to left, stepping left foot out west.

Switch hands again. Pull hands across body from left to right. Bring rt foot behind left.

Switch hands again. Pull hands across body from right to left, stepping left foot out west.

Switch hands again. Pull hands across body from left to right. Bring rt foot behind left.

Turn torso west and step west with left foot to make a forward stance. Rt hand drops to rt hip. Left hand drops to groin (palm to floor) and then does a small rising block as you turn to end groin level, palm out, fingers north.

Turn rt toe southwest.

Rt leg crescent kicks to west (inside-to-outside). Slap leg with both palms as arms move opposite direction (rt to left).

Immediately drop into a Snake-Creeps-Down pose. Squat all the way to the floor on rt thigh, left leg sticking out straight to west and torso facing north. Right fisted arm is in a ward at rt temple, left fisted hand is guarding groin (elbow turned out).

Stand up in a west-facing forward stance (left foot in front). Rt fist returns to rt hip. Left fist (palm toward you) is held out in front of belly as if you were holding a beach ball against your body.

Stand up straight on left foot, lifting rt knee up. Bring rt hand (palm toward you, fingers up) up between body and left arm and lift it up above head in a "stop" gesture. Hand turns palm-out as it clears the left forearm.

Stomp rt foot to ground, then step out to the rt with it to take a wider stance. Turn rt hand palm-toward-you and drop it to cover the left side of the body. As it passes the left elbow, left hand turns palm-out and lifts above head in "stop" gesture. Rt hand ends at rt hip, cupped. Lift left knee to stand on rt foot. This sequence comprises "Golden Rooster Stands On One Leg".

Do not set the foot down. Turn to look over your rt shoulder.

Turn torso northwest, drop rt hand to rt thigh, continuing the curve up to chest level. Then position palm facing west (wrist bent 90 degrees, fingers up) and push past chest to west. As you reach chest, left palm brushes rt palm and then pulls back to chamber. As you push and pull, the left foot retreats diagonally backward (to southeast). Weight shifts back ato this foot, rt toe comes up for a cat stance. This technique comprises "Repulse the Monkey".

Repulse 4 monkeys total, alternating sides.

On the fifth rep, the footwork is the same, but both hands (palms out, fingers up) reach up to almost arm extention above rt temple and pull diagonally down and across to left hip. Torso turns slightly southwest.

Bring rt foot straight back to east and lift left toe for a west-facing cat stance. Left arm folds inward at elbow and left palm goes to rt inside-of-elbow. Torso turns west. Arms split. Left drops to rt hip and then brushes left thigh before ending just outside of rt knee. Rt hand goes palm-out at left shoulder, then arcs over head to end above rt temple, palm out. Pause.

Turn torso slightly southwest as rt palm (facing south) passes in front of face, curves down to left hip, then moves to rt hip. Then turn torso slightly northwest as left palm (facing north) moves from left hip to curve slightly out and move across face, curving down to also end at right hip.

As left hand passes across face, turn rt toe and torso to northwest. As left hand reaches rt hip, bring rt palm up to cover right ear, and lift left knee up to stand on rt leg. Pause.

Step out west with left foot (heel first) into a fairly deep fwd stance facing west. As you step and your weight shifts to the left foot, left hand (fingers down and palm south) sweeps from rt hip to cover groin and sweep around left thigh to form Crane's beak at outside of left thigh. Simultanously, rt hand pushes forward in a blade hand strike forward to west at chin level. Thumb toward you, fingers up.

Bring left Crane's beak up to meet rt blade hand in front, chest level.

Spread both hands out to sides, chest level, not quite fully extended. Rt hand is now palm out. Pause.

Drop rt hand to rt knee, curve it down and around till it is above left hand. Shift weight back onto rt foot and lift left toe to make a cat stance. Pull both hands across from your left to your right, chest level. (Both palms facing north).

Switch hands so that left is on top. Turn both palms south. Pull both hands across from your rt to your left, chest level.

Switch hands so that rt is on top. Turn both palms north. Pull both hands across from your left to your rt, chest level.

Lift left knee so that you are standing on rt foot. Rt arm at side, wrist 90 degree angle, palm to floor (fingers to front). Left arm bent with elbow glued to ribs, palm up at rt shoulder, fingers forward.

Turn rt hand palm-up and bring to rt shoulder, then stab the palm-up spear hand to west shoulder level. Turn left hand palm up, form into a Crane's beak, and drop to left hip (beak pointing behind you to east). Step into a west-facing fwd stance with left foot fwd. The spear hand should strike as you step.

Lift rt foot and turn to your rt, setting down in horse facing southeast. Fist rt hand. Bring left hand curving down, out and around to place left palm on top of rt fist (which is vertical in front of chest). As you settle into the horse stance, hands drop and spread in a "smoothing your skirt" motion. When they reach almost horizontal to sides (palms down), they move to centerline (waist level) and meet. Leave left hand out there (palm pressing fwd). Turn torso southwest and draw rt hand back to rt hip.

Make a fist rt hand and punch waist level southeast. Torso turns southeast again as you strike. Left hand pulls back as you punch, to chamber at waist. Pause.

Reach out with both hands (palms toward each other) in front of your rt shoulder to catch an imaginary basketball.

Turn left toe out and turn to your left, stepping in with rt foot to make a narrow cat stance (rt toe fwd) facing northeast. Pull the energy ball to your rt hip, then up and hold in front of chest as you turn.

Small step to northeast with rt foot, followed by small step with left foot. You are still in a cat with rt toe up. Push the energy ball diagonally, with both palms, to floor beyond rt hip.

Turn torso east while you form a Tiger's Mouth with left hand and push it toward east over top of rt hand. Rt hand pulls back slightly as you do this.

Turn torso north as you turn left hand palm up and pull it back to sit just below belly button. Rt hand forms Crane's beak (beak pointing down, wrist kinked upward) and floats up to chest level toward northeast. elbow is bent at not quite 90 degrees, elbow dropped. Pause.

Turn torso northeast, shifting into a gentle lunge (left leg straight) as your left hand floats palm-up to touch your rt wrist.

Turn torso slowly north, then keep going to slightly northwest. As you hit north, shift into horse stance. As you are turning, left hand turns palm out to north, fingers eastward, and pulls across face level on centerline. Elbow is bent and dropped.

As your left hand gets to northwest, turn torso back to north and settle into stance. Left hand turns fingers-up and moves just a bit back toward center. Pause. Your arms are extended to either side, just a bit forward of the torso. Elbows bent and dropped. Rt hand is a loose Crane's beak (beak down), left hand is palm facing northeast with fingers up. Pause.

(Part 5- the "Close left, open right" section)

Drop rt hand to rt knee, draw across to left knee, then up to sit beside left hand (in front of left shoulder). Drop left hand to waist, palm east.

Draw both hands across body from your left to your right. rt hand is at chest level, palm north. Left hand is at waist level, palm east, fingers down.

When both hands reach rt shoulder line, switch hands. Now rt hand is at waist, palm west. Left hand is at rt shoulder, palm north.

Pull hands across body from your rt to your left. As you do this, step rt foot in to left.

Switch hands again. Pull hands across body from left to right.

Switch hands again. Pull hands across body from right to left, stepping left foot out west.

Switch hands again. Pull hands across body from left to right. Bring rt foot in to left.

Switch hands again. Pull hands across body from right to left, stepping left foot out west.

Switch hands again. Pull hands across body from left to right. Bring rt foot in to left.

Step left foot out to west while bringing crossed wrists to brow and then opening the arms out to reflect the feet.

Turn torso west and step rt toe west in a cat stance. Bring rt wrist to cross left wrist in front of throat.

Step rt foot backward to east. Transfer weight to rt foot.

Rock weight fwd onto left foot, then back onto rt. As weight goes rt, pull left foot back to step behind rt, and turn to south. As you turn, rt palm brushes left palm at chest level. Settle into south-facing horse with left hand chambered at waist and right hand palm-out near rt shoulder (elbow bent and dropped).

Pull rt foot in to left. Place left hand diagonally across chest with palm on rt shoulder. Drop rt hand and scoop it up to touch palm to left elbow, at your left hip.

Turn rt to northwest, stepping out with rt foot, toe turned WAY out. Arms split clockwise. Right goes palm-out over rt temple to ward. Left goes palm-down to left hip. Complete the turn by stepping left foot northwest to make a front stance (left foot in front). Arms continue the circle and end with left forearm held horiz across chest (palm down) and rt hand resting (palm down) on top of left wrist.

Rt crescent kick northwest, inside-to-outside. Slap leg with both palms as arms move the opposite way (rt to left).

Chamber the leg but do not set it down. Turn 180 degrees to face southeast. Hands make blades and make a scissoring slash as you complete the turn: Rt goes to the outside of your rt thigh (palm in) Left is at left cheek (palm in).

Set rt foot down, step left foot out a bit to sink into horse facing southeast. Bring both hands together at belly and then down-and-out in "smoothing the skirt" motion. When they reach almost horizontal to sides (palms down), they move to centerline (waist level) and meet. Leave left hand out there (palm pressing fwd). Turn torso southwest and draw rt hand back to rt hip.

Make a fist rt hand and punch groin level northeast. Torso turns northeast again as you strike. Left hand pulls back as you punch, to chamber at waist. Pause. (Note that all the other punches of this type in this form are horizontal to chest level. This is the only low punch.)

Make a finger-swirling grabbing motion with rt hand.

Turn rt fist palm-up and bring it up in front of your face as if you were looking at it. Elbow is bent 90 degrees. At the same time, turn left toe and torso northeast, and bring rt knee up so that you are standing on left leg.

Small step to northeast with rt foot, followed by small step with left foot. You are still in a cat with rt toe up. Push both palms to floor beyond rt hip.

Turn torso east while you form a Tiger's Mouth with left hand and push it toward east over top of rt hand. Rt hand pulls back slightly as you do this.

Turn torso north as you turn left hand palm up and pull it back to sit just below belly button. Rt hand forms Crane's beak (beak pointing down, wrist kinked upward) and floats up to chest level toward northeast. elbow is bent at not quite 90 degrees, elbow dropped. Pause.

Turn torso northeast, shifting into a gentle lunge (left leg straight) as your left hand floats palm-up to touch your rt wrist.

Turn torso slowly north, then keep going to slightly northwest. As you hit north, shift into horse stance. As you are turning, left hand turns palm out to north, fingers eastward, and pulls across face level on centerline. Elbow is bent and dropped.

As your left hand gets to northwest, turn torso back to north and settle into stance. Left hand turns fingers-up and moves just a bit back toward center. Pause. Your arms are extended to either side, just a bit forward of the torso. Elbows bent and dropped. Rt hand is a loose Crane's beak (beak down), left hand is palm facing northeast with fingers up. Pause.

Drop into Snake-Creeps-Down. Squat all the way to the floor on rt thigh, left leg sticking out straight to west and torso facing north. Right fisted arm is in a ward at rt temple, left fisted hand is guarding groin (elbow turned out).

Stand up in a forward stance facing west. left foot in front. Rt fist returns to rt hip. Left fist (palm toward you) is held out in front of belly as if you were holding a beach ball against your body.

Step rt foot west so that you are in a cat stance with rt toe fwd. (Note that this is a cat stance, NOT a seven stars stance.) Hold both arms out at extention west, chest level, wrists crossed.

Roll both hands under, ending in the same position but with a distinct press of palms to west.

Step rt foot back to east and turn torso north, bringing left toe in to make a north-facing cat stance with left toe in front. Hands are in a "basic karate guard) at chest level, palms to centerline, rt on top. This technique comprises "Straddling the Tiger".

Transfer weight to left foot, Turn rt foot as far around to the right toward south as you can. Let the left foot swing around and turn 360 degrees to your rt to face north again, ending in a cat with rt toe forward. Arms stretch out almost to extension and circle clockwise, opposite each other. Rt hand starts at 1 o'clock, left hand starts at 7 o'clock. When left hand gets to 12 o'clock, let it fall down centerline to end horiz across waist, palm up. When rt hand gets to 6 'oclock, it comes up centerline palm-up with elbow against belly button.

Rt hand continues to move up the centerline to above brow level.

Rt fist drops gently into left cupped hand.

Rt fist goes straight back up centerline to above bow level, rt knee comes up with it so that you are standing on left leg.

Left foot stomps down as rt Fist drops firmly into cupped left hand at belly button. Pause. You are now in horse.

Drop both arms in a "smoothing the skirt" motion. As arms come out to the sides horizontally, they move to the front (palm down) and are pulled in to the belly side by side. Press palms to floor at groin, wrists bent 90 degrees.

Step left foot in to stand straight.

Thee medium-sized openings and closings.

Salute.