The breath should be thin,
long, quiet and slow.
It is like drawing silk from a cocoon.
(Chen Man Ching)
Delivering energy
Conscious breathing is necessary when you deliver energy.
The breath helps to power the release, and it also enables the body to sink
further internally.
These moments occur during the closing phase of a given posture.
In-breath
If
you exhale fully, the in-breath occurs by itself.
The in-breath is particularly relevant for rising or inward
movements.
A sharp in-breath can provide a sudden shot of oxygen and is useful when you
feel afraid.
Self defence
When
breath and movement unite in self defence, the effects are dramatic.
Rather than thinking about hitting, you expel air and your muscles extend
outwards.
With practice, you feel to breathe the move.
Rollback and pluck can be employed with either an out-breath or in-breath
relative to your application, although in-breath is usually better unless you do
not plan to flow into a second delivery.
Remember that all breathing in self defence must be abrupt.
Moving with the breath
Deliberate breathing methods are fine for standing or moving qigong but no so good
during dynamic self defence work.
With practice, your body finds its own balance between movement and breath.
Page created 1 June 1998