Understanding Structure

Forever sinking, forever rising!

"In training a proper stance you should imagine yourself like a bust on top of a pillar."
-Sifu Dave Cial

​Where the pillar is your legs and the bust your upper body. The upper body should be light and fluid, whereas the lower body should be sunken and relaxed as if deeply entrenched in the ground!

This is an atribute particularly important to the practice of Shaolin Kung Fu, however, I've found many parallels in Silat, Systema, Tai Chi, other internal arts, etc. It usually isn't spoken of in the same vernacular, although the meaning is similar. In silat they call it your base, in Kun tao or kempo I've heard it referred to as your triangle//triangulation, internal arts including Tai Chi we speak of alignment, and structure, Kwa, ming min, etc. most of these terms flow over into Kung Fu, but I have heard others.

Various arts have various methods to train and articulate the particulars on how to achieve solid base, structure etc. They all strive to achieve the same thing, solidity with mobility. Adaptability w/ ease of footwork for transitions to seamless application.

To accomplish all these things two things must always be present, forever sinking, forever rising!

The only question remaining is how?

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