A stable pelvis frees the psoas muscle to be a
guide wire.
(Liz Koch)
Core stability #1
The 13th principle of the
13 postures is called 'central
equilibrium'.
One aspect of central equilibrium is the notion of core stability.
Stabilising the
centre does not involve any form of tension.
It is about
awareness, rather than doing.
By allowing the pelvis to
relax naturally and being conscious of the
body in motion; a tai chi student can develop 'core stability'.
Core stability means that the pelvis feels to stay where it is throughout
your practice, rather than tilt or twist.
Do not tilt the pelvis
Deliberately tilting the pelvis creates tension in
the lower back and can cause the body to lean backwards.
If you lengthen the front of the body, relax the rear knee and allow the spine to relax, the
tailbone will drop by itself.
Now, open your armpits and notice how the buttocks draw inward gently.
The pelvis will feel stable and the legs are better connected to the centre.
It may feel odd at first, but after a few weeks of practice you will be
doing it unconsciously.
Do not tilt the breastbone
Lifting the sternum closes the back. Dropping the sternum
collapses the chest.
With a relaxed breastbone, you can engage the middle/lower torso muscles for
postural support.
Once the correct muscles have been engaged, you will feel all tai chi work
coming from the centre of the body.
'Engaged' does not mean tensed/tightened or stiffened. You can simply feel
that they are involved.
This will ultimately lead to 'moving from the centre'.
Moving from the centre
By maintaining core stability during tai chi practice,
you learn not to lean.
An upright, stable
body works constructively with gravity rather than slumping.
Core stability feels as if somebody has their hands on your hips as you
move, supporting the body.
You can begin to move from the centre in the knowledge that your body is
balanced.
Twisting is used in tai chi to store and release energy.
Unless the body is appropriately balanced, there is a danger of damaging the
knee joints or lower back.
If you moved the centre without core stability, you would slump, tilt or
lean.
Suspended from above
The pelvis rotates around the vertical axis - like a tree trunk - as the body
connects from the crown down to the feet.
Your body will feel light and comfortable, agile and mobile - as if
'suspended from above' - when this connection is established.
This metaphor is a crucial one in tai chi.
When you are suspended from above, like a puppet, the torso, spine, joints
and legs are all free to move.
You can
spontaneously move in any direction you
choose.
There is no holding or fixity.
Deeply sunk stances will not offer this degree of freedom.
Marriage of heaven and earth
The 'marriage of heaven and earth' is the balance between upper and lower
body.
Below the hips, the body needs to be sunk and stable.
Above the hips, the body must be light and loose.
The core stability of the pelvis represents the middle ground.
Heaven
By sitting into the stable pelvis, the upper body can relax
fully.
This enables the tai chi practitioner to move the
spine,
waist and torso without encountering any
instability that would weaken usage.
The upper body draws its power from the ground.
Earth
If the centre is firm, the legs can sink just enough to establish a dynamic
relationship with the ground.
The compressed muscles store power by allowing gravity to draw the weight of
the body down.
It is important not to slump, otherwise the leg muscles pass the point of
optimal use and rely upon the knees instead.
Deep stances are favoured by some styles of tai chi, but the
our
system remains quite high.
Feeling the stability
If you experience difficultly feeling the core stability
of the pelvis, try the 'constructive position'.
It will assist you considerably.
Core stability #2
There is a second and far more significant aspect to core stability in our
school of tai chi.
The entire body must begin to align itself appropriately with gravity; it
must root.
'Rooting' means that your feet feel as if they are growing out of the
ground.
By internally relaxing you allow the body to sink.
If pushed, you seem solid but not resistant.
This is a passive skill and requires allowing rather than doing.
Falling
With a deep root, your body feels incredibly stable.
It is very difficult to fall over, be pushed or pulled off-balance.
Your body still
yields but the
centre feels dense and settled.
Error
One of the major errors with central equilibrium occurs when the student
tenses up their torso and seeks to become
immovable.
This mistake is a serious one because at that stage you are no longer
yielding and no longer doing tai chi.
The idea of an immovable centre is more suited to hsing i than tai chi.
Page created 19 January 2000