The meaning of “GOU”(hook) in praying mantis

The translation for the word ‘gou’ is hook, like a fish hook or a grappling hook. it is a name given to an item or tool that used to catch hold of something and pull it in. In the praying mantis system it is one of the first of the twelve words used for the essence of the style. There are more than twelve words that are used to formulate the system, depending on the branch of praying mantis and the lineage there can be any where from twelve to thirty one. Over time I will go over the  main twelve  and will continue with the others if and when I feel the need.

The term gou as a technique in Seven Star and Plum Flower Praying Mantis is generally connected with the signature hand position practitioners refer to this as the Praying Mantis hand. It is also called the Intercepting hand or tiao shou. The hand extends out and the fingers drape downwards in a kind of hooking position as in the following illustrationss.

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This is not a grabbing maneuver. The intent is not to hang on the opponent to keep them from moving away but to break an opponents timing and alter their avenue of escape. When the opponent reaches out with and attack of some sort the response is to extend, intercept and hook along the line of force that has already been given.

One of the misconceptions regarding the hooking method is that in the praying mantis system is the idea that tiao shou or the signature praying mantis hand is required for it to work. In the beginning of practicing this method it may be true that this is only way to do guo. The main reason is because in the beginning we can only understand this as principle of technique rather than a principle of force. In the pure essence of all practices if we have the ability to intercept, adhere and follow a force then a physical latching maneuver is more of crutch than a necessity. In other words the use of the tiao shou technique when performing guo is useful but not required. This hooking energy can be done quite well without the use of the hand at all. The less encumbered we are by the physical mechanics of a method the more easily we can respond with immediacy to a force we encounter. The following illustration give one example of just a condition.

When examining any technique or methodology of practice we must always keep in mine that in the end it comes down to how we respond to and generate forces.

A guiding framework for practice

The Four linking necessities

In traditional Chinese martial arts there are categories for each aspect in Kung-Fu training. One of the methods used for this training can be called the ‘four linking necessities’. They are as follows: Lien Li- Practice principles, Lien Zi- Practice structure, Lien Ji- Practice opportunity and Lien Chi- Practice chi.

The ‘four linking necessities’ can assist the practitioner in conceptualizing important aspects of their training. What is interesting about them is that even though they are used in martial practice their application can be applied to any real discipline.

(1) Lien Li -As practitioners we need a clear understanding and practical knowledge of the principles of our practice. Ask yourselves why we are doing a particular action and what purpose the action leads to. We must continually practice in accordance with the principles we are given taking into consideration that our understanding of them evolves as we refine ourselves and our abilities

(2) Lien Zi- These principles must be rooted and linked to a solid foundation. This foundation constitutes the practitioners structure. Our ability to understand the principles of our practice has a direct relationship with our ability to follow them. Our ability to follow them is directly related to a clear structure. If we fail to establish the proper foundation, no principle can ever take root.

(3) Lien Ji- When the principles are linked to a good foundation the practitioners have the skill. What is needed through experience is the ability to link the skills with the opportunities created when opposing forces are encountered. The fluidity of mind and body come together so that we interact spontaneously to our environment.

(4) Lien Chi- The practitioners develop fluidity in the ability to seize opportunities by having a calm and steady ‘chi’ (our cultivated life energy). The way we control ‘chi’ directly relates to how we generate forces in our lives. This also assists in clarity of our ability to respond to the environment.

In truth, the ‘four linking necessities’ assist in establishing clarity in our approach to work in any field of endeavor. What we may find interesting is that as traditional practitioners of Chinese martial arts the more we can apply these methods to our daily life the deeper our understanding of the art becomes. This is what the old masters meant when they said “ Practice all the time. Make your art your life and your life your art.” Consistency of practice over long period of time creates clarity of purpose imbued within a deep abiding respect for the humane struggle.

For those persons who are not martial artists, apply the ‘four necessities’ to what you choose as your work-art. This can be cooking, dancing, business, writing. The list can be endless. The important thing is to practice. A tool is only useful when it is used. So here is a tool. Use it!

Scott Ripke is chief instructor of the Green Forest Temple

5901 Freedom Blvd. Aptos, Ca (831) 688-6934

www.Greenforesttemple.org

DRILL, RISE, FALL,OVERTURN

Gun, Zuan, Zheng, Gou- Rolling, Drilling, Striving, Encircling

This terminology is borrowed from the Ba Qua system as an assist in explaining the idea of silk reeling energy. All methods of force generation come from the spiralling structure of the silk reeling method. These words are used as a reference for variations of Jin (force), which flow sequentially from the inside to the outside door of the body. The illustrations below will hopefully help as a visual representation for the right arm and hand movement.

Gun (rolling) implies the circling motion of the arms and shoulders.

Zuan (drilling) is a turning and forward motion constituting a drilling movement with the arms.

Zheng (striving) refers to extending the arm to its’ farthest extreme.

Gou (encircling) implies an embracing movement across the front of the chest. These are the four basic arm movements, which make up ‘nei chan si jing’ ( inside silk reeling energy) structure.

The four energies (Gun, Zuan, Zheng, Gou,) are not simply a sequence of arm movements, but rather an extension of what the body has created. In the ideal sense this group of energies can and do exist without the arms moving at all.

In order to have a better understanding of this it helps to introduce another related principle that also is borrowed from Ba Qua system.

Rise to Drill, Fall to Overturn- PiZuan DiFan

To rise refers to the unbroken arcing line of force. The force is derived from the energy of the earth and is released through the waist and midsection (dan tain). The chest and back should be engaged with the spine in proper alignment (upright), in order to generate force properly. This rising principle is related to ‘striving’.

To drill refers to a relentless penetrating energy. This force is like a bird of prey, which folds its’ wing back to dive like bullet into the forest after its’ quarry.

To fall is smooth flowing force, which permeates the postures the way water finds the pathways to all things. This energy has a settling, enveloping quality. This principle is connected to encircling.

To overturn refers to the circulating force that is constantly in action in and around us. This includes the front, back, left, right, upward, downward, inside and outside. The force turns continuously like a wheel in all directions. This creates a condition, in which nothing is penetrable. This principle is related to ‘rolling’.

Although principle has a relationship to overturning, drilling, striving and encircling, it has a far more encompassing relationship to all of the body’s movement. This means it applies to the arm movements whether they move inside out or outside in as in the illustration below.

This principle applies to the arms, legs, hips, pelvic area, spine, waist and back and all the major joints. Whenever we refer to using the body as a unified structure to generate force the spirally forces of silk reeling energy must be deeply understood.

THE AVENUES OF FORCE AND DIRECTION

In Chinese martial arts there are two principles of direction and two principles of force that need to be developed in order to establish a foundation for future practice. Without these a practitioner has no real future in tradition Kung Fu. There are multiple kinds of force in martial practice but without these four there is nothing to build on. The first pair of the four are Kai / He (open/close), which are the principles of direction. The second pair Chen / Zhang (sink/expand) are descriptions of particular energies. As with all traditional practice these principles of force and energy are directly related to how we interact with our environment both internally and externally.

KAI (OPEN)- This means to open a particular thing. We can open a door for example. In martial arts we are opening a space in the body. The areas of the body, which this involves, are the back (upper and lower), midsection, chest, hips, spine and joints of the skeletal structure. There are many kinds of energy, which can require an opening principle.

HE (CLOSE)- This means to close a particular thing. We can close a door for example. In martial arts we are closing a particular space in the body. The areas of the body, which this involves, are the back (upper and lower), midsection, chest, hips, spine and joints of the skeletal structure. There are many kinds of energy, which can require a closing principle.

ZHANG (GROW, EXPAND)-

This is a soft and extended energy. It is considered completely Yang. There are many kinds of Jing involved when connecting with an opponent for which Zhang plays the role of big brother. When you do Growing Jing, your hands relentlessly and insidiously keep approaching the opponent. When you encounter resistance instead of forcing your way in you evade and coil around obstacles, neutralizing any forward motion form the opponent.

CHEN (SINK)-

This refers to rooted heaviness, which is consolidated in the seat of the Qua (hips). The whole body can develop a soft yet extremely dynamic weight. A practitioner with good sinking energy is very hard to uproot. This is not a stagnant heaviness. The idea is to be able to shift fluidly where needed while maintaining a lightness at the top of the head and uprightness in the upper torso. When a skilled practitioner touches an opponent the feeling of a heavy pressure should unmistakable. In addition to having ones’ own heaviness the practitioner can transmit it to another. This energy in combination with others can create a formidable tool not only in martial arts, but also as a first step towards a rooted mobility.
One does not need to do traditional Kung Fu to develop these skills and there are great advantages to having a dynamic form of mobility that is organic and in harmony with our physical environment. The issues of strength, alignment and balance can be enhanced and deepened as we become older. This, in turn, enriches our lives so we can experience the profound beauty of conscious movement in modern day society.

Wrapping and binding force

BASIC EXERCISE: KUN- TO TIE, BIND OR WRAP
Kun energy is highly sophisticated. To develop this energy requires extensive practice. Six Harmonies Praying Mantis draws heavily from this kind of energy. In BaQua Zhang this term refers to the horizontal wrapping around the vertical center. In Six Harmonies this wrapping energy also moves vertically from front to back. There are particular exercises, which can help one to develop this ability to wrap up an opponent. The following is one of these exercises.
This exercise is approached in a similar manner as the “lion playing with the ball”. The arms move on a vertical plane in front of the body. The motion can be separated into four distinct parts. These are: Zuan (drilling), An (pressing), Zhang (expanding), Chen (sinking).

1. The practitioner draws the energy up from the root of the pelvic, through the back, up the spine and drills forward along the centerline, intercepting and dissolving the oncoming force (Zuan).

2. The practitioner continues by pressing forward and slightly downward (An), distending the back equally in relation to the forward momentum.

3. The opposing arm then covers over the top and wards off, catching the root of the opponent (Zhang). After the opponent’s root is caught, the arm continues to circle outward while matching this with a downward sinking force (Chen) in one fluid movement, dispersing and disrupting the opponent’s force.

ZUAN-(DRILL) AN- (PRESS) ZHANG-(CHEN) GROW-(SINK)

A good punch

BASIC EXCERSIZE: PUNCHING WHILE SHIFTING TO EITHER SIDE IN A FORWARD STANCE
The following is a root practice and needs to be done very day. Zhang XiangSan was fond of saying that if we could do a good punch then the rest of our kung fu would be good also. There are many important qualities that are developed through this method of punching and there is no real substitute for it.
Start in a horse stance with one arm extended in front and the other at the in a fist at the waist. For explanations sake, have the right arm the extended in the front of the body.
1. Pull the right fist back to the hip while shooting out the left fist and shifting into a right bow and arrow stance.
2. Pull the left hand back while shifting into a horse stance.
3. Push off from the right foot and punch with the right while shifting into a left bow and arrow stance.
4. Do this at lest fifty times in both directions (one hundred). Work up to three hundred a day.

When we practice punching there are particular principles to take into consideration. In addition to what has already been presented previously there are two terms which are required for mobility in relation to the qua. One of these terms relates to sinking the hip and pelvis. When referring to this the term ‘zou qua’(seat the hip) is used. We choose to drop the entire qua or pelvic region as a single unit or in the case of punching dropping one side, left or right, in order to assist in generating force to the other side. We also use zou qua to assist in creating a rebounding force on the same side that has been dropped. In order for one side the properly drop the opposite side must empty the weight. To empty one side we use the term ‘yi xu’ one (side) empty. Conceptually this is like a ball bouncing from one side of the qua to the other, from the left hip to the right hip. Whether or not we drop the qau as single unit or drop one side while we empty the other we must maintain our central equilibrium.

Going to a deeper level

There is an advanced level of practice to generate force for punching. This is not recommended as a beginning method. The principles of ‘yi xu’ (one side empty) and ‘zou qau’ ( sit hip) in relationship to ones central equilibrium must be clearly understood and verifiable before moving on. This is introduced as a method to move towards a deeper understanding of conceptually raising our level of practice. The following is a description of how circular energy applies to punching.
Chan si jin and punching
Your energy rolls along the arm circling horizontally and energetically from the upper area of the qua and generating the force which spreads downwards and outwards through the knees and feet and exponentially towards to the fists. It starts generating as a small circle from the qua (hips and pelvic) and moves outwards to a larger circle at the base towards the knee region to execute the force. This is essentially an energy generating form of practice. The first circle begins at the qua and then will generates deeper and wider as we execute additional techniques. Always pay attention to the elbow. Without the elbow you cannot properly interact with an opponent without causing a leak in your structure. Always drop the elbow.understanding that it is related and connected to the qua. This falls under the same principle as san jie, or three parts. The elbow, shoulder and qua, are three connected parts. By generating a horizontal circle from the qua, shoulder and elbow will respond accordingly. As the technique is executed further outward towards extremities then the circle will expand outwards exponentially lower in addition to higher. As the fist moves out further from the center of the circle that is generated from the qua, the body responds by sinking deeper.

For this reason all previous aspects of structure have to be understood. You need a strong connection to your central equilibrium. You have to understand ‘chen and zheng’ (sinking and growing). This is necessary so that went we touch the opponent we respond properly in relation to the force that they give us. When someone touches us, we must feel that the energy comes to us in a spiraling manor. All energy is based on spiraling movements or (chan si jing).
Bong (warding off) energy is our intercepting energy; the first energy we use when we touch an opponent. From there we grow outwards. That means we impose our energy out towards the opponent as we sink our body downwards using the same principal of circling, smaller at the qua and then deeper and wider as it spreads out towards the knee and lower extremities. The energy circles also in the extremities of the arms and hands. Ideally the minute we touch an opponent a multiple series of circular forms of energy are involved. With one touch simultaneously multiple energies are generated. This is the six harmony way. Energy should never be terminated or broken in six harmony practice. So the rule is the moment one makes contact there is an unbroken line that moves in a series of spiraling forces. This is the nine-linked chain, which refers to various fundamental connections of the joints of the human body. When one link is affected the entire chain is affected as an unbroken line of force. This sometimes is not entirely understood when talking about the idea circular forces. When grand master Zhang XiangSan would touch an opponent it would be a straight line, which is to say that the circles were so refined and invisible that the minute he touched you the attack was direct and overpowering. The numerous aspects of continual circular forces would be indistinguishable. The idea of even seeing it from the standpoint of a circle is too late, the action has already occurred and the movement appears to be a single unbroken, straight, direct line of force. So if he were to do a movement such as pifeng (split and seal), which is generally considered a splitting wide arcing movement, it would be done in a fashion that appeared to go up and then drop down, BANG!!! like an explosion.

Natural Stepping

NATURAL STEPPING

By Scott Ripke

There is a saying in traditional martial arts regarding the older generation of masters. When asked about technique the master might respond,” I do not teach technique. I teach stepping. “ This was not what most students learned in the general school population. Stepping was considered the most important part of all technique and the master would hold back these principles so as to maintain the upper hand when he was challenged by one of his students. Usually only the oldest and most trusted of students were given this information. Today one of the main weaknesses of martial practice is the lack of knowledge regarding the proper footwork and stepping. The following is a brief examination and explanation of the principles of stepping from a Chinese martial arts point of view.

The first place to start when discussing the principles of stepping is the study of the act of walking. We take it for granted because we already know how. We do it unconsciously. This is where we invariably miss an important opportunity. The way we walk dictates the foundation of any movement we perform and for this reason we are obligated to examine it.

In traditional Chinese martial arts the chi (the life force circulating through us) should reside in the lower dantain, (the area about three inches below the belly button). This includes the lower back area from the kidneys to the tailbone.

The pelvis is essentially the carriage of our body and we ideally should sit comfortably in it as if seated in a swing. Our spine and head should be upright and uplifted as if it were the chain from which the swing hangs. The lower back area needs to be heavy as is aligns to the pelvis and the pelvis itself should be conceptually the heaviest part of the body. When walking we should pay close attention to where the energy moves. For a majority of people the energy consolidates in the head and chest areas. One of the ways to check oneself in this regard is through balance. When the energy is high we generally use our eyes for balance. Visual equilibrium is connected to the inner ear. If we lose our sense of equilibrium through our sight and/or inner ear damage we can regain it by sinking the chi to the dantian. The energy that moves through our body needs to be generated from our root. The lower dantain establishes where the root center of our body is. This is the area from which the initial force of any movement must begin. The legs swing naturally from the pelvic area and the feet have weightiness to them. When the feet are heavy our bodies will naturally allow their weight to carry the momentum of the step. When the pelvis is heavy the equilibrium of the step can be stabilized. In Chinese martial arts we call this natural stepping. It is considered an important practice and a special secret of the old masters.