Range & reach | ||
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Reach
Reach is the act of stretching out your arm or leg in order to touch
or grasp something.
It is the limit of your potential stretch.
Range
Range is different to reach.
It represents a scale of extension; between what is close and what is far.
Reach is the extreme, the limit of range.
70%
In tai chi we follow the 70% rule.
If you were to perform every action to 100% of your physical limit - in
terms of stretch and endurance - you would be working at maximum capacity.
The 100% capacity approach is the 'no pain, no gain' attitude to
exercise.
It opens you up for strain and injury because you are fully committed at all
times.
The 70% rule reduces the risk of injury and enables you to operate
within your optimal range.
Optimal range
Optimal range is a necessary consideration in terms of fitness and
combat.
It is the degree of range that enables you to use your extension most
effectively.
Considerations:
Ease
Root
Comfort
Strength
Stability
Movement
No leaning
Relaxation
Avoid over-stretching
Maintain balance
When operating within your
optimal range, your body is far stronger and more resilient.
It can adapt, change and move with ease and
comfort.
Formlessness and fluidity
are not merely means of defence and
surprise, but means of
preserving dynamic potential, energy that could easily be lost by trying to
hold on to a specific position or formation.
(Thomas Cleary)
Stretching
Stretching the
body is good when the purpose is exercise.
When lifting a heavy object or when engaged in combat, strong stretching in not a
good idea.
The problem with strong stretching at the wrong time is that it puts stress on the
body, reduces stability and prevents freedom
of movement.
An over-stretched joint cannot rotate and turn comfortably.
It is not relaxed.
It is prone to injury.
The internal martial arts
advocate safe stretching in everyday life or combat. The joints remain heavy and dropped.
Combat range
There are a few common combat ranges:
Out of reach
Kicking
Punching
Grappling
Each of these ranges offers certain dangers and
opportunities, both for the attacker and the defender.
Recognising what an assailant can do at each range is important.
An attacker may be within reach, but their capacity to affect you may be
limited by their understanding of what works at which range.
Tai chi in our school involves close quarters combat;
which is extreme close range...
Commitment
The internal martial arts
teach the student to move the entire body towards the opponent, rather than
stretch out the limbs.
Stretching out is foolish:
It exposes the ribcage, armpit and torso
It makes the joints less resilient
It makes it easier for your balance to be taken
An opponent can avoid a strike more easily
The further out from the centre you reach, the less power you have
Rather than stretch, you
step. If you cannot employ optimal power at your current range, do something
else.
Central equilibrium
Maintaining central equilibrium at all
times is a given.
Any form of leaning or over-commitment weakens your entire
structure and
diminishes power.
Central equilibrium ensures stability, root and strength.
If you sacrifice this in order to reach the target, you may find the strike
or leverage to be lacking.
If your feet are too far away from your centre, you lose your vertical
stability.
Stances
Long, narrow stances are not combat stances. They were designed for
performance.
The deep, horse stance is not for combat either. It is intended to build
strength in the legs.
Movement
A realistic combat stance enables you to be pushed firmly from all sides
without any loss of root.
It allows freedom of movement.
It keeps the joints and spine mobile and loose.
Find the stance that allows you to use your body in a smooth, natural,
spontaneous fashion.
A stance that easily facilitates walking.
Practice
Partner work, form and other drills can teach students about reach
and range.
Three useful solo training methods are easy to practice at home:
3 tier wallbag
Striking post
Pushing peng (against a wall)
The wallbag ensures
that your strikes are powerful and have no adverse feedback into your body.
Use a tree, column or doorframe as a striking post and practice stepping and
striking.
With practice, you learn how much power you possess at what range, and begin
to find the different ranges instinctively.
Pushing peng is about finding optimal alignment, relaxing and cultivating
groundpath.
Virtually any movement from the form can be trained this way.
Testing
Ask your training partner to:
Tug sharply on your wrist
Kick your thighs and calves vigorously
Push your torso from all sides
Be awkward against your applications
Did you lose balance? Did you need to tense-up or perform an action in order to compensate? If your stability is lost or you lacked power, explore your stance, reach and range.
Page created
18 April 1995
Last updated
16 June 2023
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