A very good complement to what Master Liu Hong Cai says about the need to have correct physical structure as well as energy alignment. More advanced practitioners will hear new information as well as familiar concepts presented in a fresh and unique manner. Higher level practitioners will be pleased with the fresh approach her unique teaching approach brings. This is a good video for young trainees to see his more physical training approach of that time. I look forward to new continued discovery with time and with exposure to new teachers. Start with one foot/leg at a time. The first way is taught describing the anatomical details of power-stretching in which one part of the body is set up in opposition to another, creating an isometric stretch around the joints. Don't Let Me Lift Your Arm' Test - This was the first test I ever learned from George Xu. Lift your left arm towards the ceiling, then slide it under the right arm. 4. Pause and bring your left hand to your right elbow, hugging the elbow closer to the side of your forehead. Bend the right knee to the chest, clasping the shin (or the back of your thigh) with both hands.

If there is tension in the low back, bend your knees. In the next step the practitioner actively stretches out slowly against the downward pulling force in the low back created by the feet. Stand with feet almost parallel, hip width apart. This spiraling goes down the inside of the ankle and sends the big toe forward while the pinky toe and outside of the ankle spiral up into the hip. Master Xu is true to the authentic ancient knowledge that has been passed down through the ages. In her unique trademark approach, Shifu Matthews integrates neuroscience and her extensive knowledge of anatomy with using mind intention and energetic awareness to move the body. At the simplest level, Susan Matthews describes the specific anatomical manipulations that create basic rooting and the fundamental postural changes, anatomy and biomechanics required in all power stretching. Detailed sessions videotaped during a weekend workshop in Cortez, Colorado, hosted by Susan A. Matthews.

This method has been elucidated and is described by Susan Matthews after integrating her extensive training and research in anatomy, physiology, neuroscience with 30 years martial arts. She also incorporates pieces in her training from other Chinese internal martial arts styles, including xing-yi quan and lan shou quan. Thread the Needle is one of the most effective shoulder yoga poses, as it provides a deep stretch for the entire back, including the posterior shoulders, where many feel the most pain. Module 3 provides stepwise training on power stretching! Power stretching is part of basic training in the Lan Shou System, an internal style of fighting characterized by its side-power technique. Ye Xiao Long demonstrates amazing flexibility as a result of practicing power stretching. Lan Shou Quan Essentials with Ye Xiao Long and George Xu documents the Power Stretching and Lan Shou Workshop in Telluride, Colorado, 1998. Video has rare footage of Ye Xiao Long. In his usual approach, Master Xu leads Telluride, Colorado weekend workshop participants in doing the very moves he does himself to train. Telluride, Colorado in August 2010 comes with an additional several minutes of extras adding to the wealth of information Matthews has shared in several previous video releases.

This information came from spirit, and from all my wonderful teachers. Indoor Study introduces important information for developing power in martial arts. Any practitioner of Chinese Internal Martial Arts who studies long enough and consistently will eventually arrive at a point of learning some form of power stretching exercises that tones the body. Strength is felt in the physical body and testing creates a form of hard power through the bone-tendon-ligament, Yoga Stretch for Opening Shoulders and Upper Back as opposed to power derived from energetic focus. Practiced at higher levels, the work can become energetic mind work, revealing lines of forces, with the physical body responding to the energetic command and focus. It creates a mental focus that reduces energy expenditure by increasing stability when walking or hiking. The postures are simple to learn, but doing them correctly for their fullest benefits is key to feeling their profound effects in moving energy in the major meridians. Dantien gong (8 moves), shrinking-expanding moves (8), power stretching postures (8), and Chan-shi-jing (10 spiraling postures). Nowadays, Master Xu moves much more energetically and with what he calls "spiritual" awareness. The joints and attendant stretched connective tissue becomes more hydrated, elastic, and bouncy. We have often been taught to tuck the tailbone to open the low back and get more ground power.