Muscle tension when opening Joints

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I have a question about muscle tension while opening joints as I am not totally clear on how opening joints should feel,

I am able to open the shoulders really well and can get them extremely open, as my understanding goes you should feel slight pressure (synovial fluid entering the joint), I can create the sense of that pressure but my muscles are tight as hell which seems very contradictive if you are trying to let everything flow through nicely, so I feel I am in a possition where I can open the joints but nothing is flowing because the muscles are now blocking everything.

with continued practice should the muscle tension eventually dissapear because im totally tense about halfway through opening the shoulder joints completely.

Kind Regards

[Anonymous]

Hello Owen, best of luck- I’d say there are two aspects to this.. the first being as Bruce has mentioned there are say 3 stages to learning a skill: first stage being getting some idea of what the skill is, and getting some vaguely related action, the second stage being to refine the actions, and lessen the distracting/unrelated efforts, the third stage being to do it “second-nature” (still not first-nature .. to deepen and experience/know the skill from within it..
as an example (above largely just a model to approach it)- say learning to “write”.. first stage- like look in Kindergarten or whereever little kids are learning to write ABCs.. early attempts oft have them all contracted, mouths all funny expressions of concentration, and shoulders bending, while the letter “A” looks more like a circle scribble.. then that Circle-Scribble looks a little more Triangle shaped.. (a horizontal line may be there- lower or higher, or more diagnolk etc)… so once it may look like an “A”.. it could still take all of their attn and effort..

as Bruce has said- when first learning open-close, first step is getting a concept of what it is (many seem to thinking KaiHe is “opening’ by pushing or controlling the jt.. vs it opening hydraulically like being in a hot-tub can all-over…).. but while getting that concept “on-track” .. as he has said, if you need to light a candle, or say a chant or sing-a-song.. whatever you need to get it started…. (just to touch it and get “in the ballpark”.. then can learn to integrate it)…
so that is part of it…
‘
also specific to OpeningClosing KaiHe not just ‘learning a skill” but specifically related to the tissue elements– in the beginning one is not elastic and bouncy.. so like paper or hard plastic- try and “grow” and the tissues can’t move.. – try and “shrink” tissues can’t move..
so as they get Energy moving through them, they loosen up (not pull and “Stretch” but soften… just as a dry-sponge softens as soaks in water, if you grab dry-sponge an jam it under water and forcefully wring-it.. it will tear/rip.. (ouch).. vs it soaking in)…. so that is part of it..
……
a problem is if the idea is that one “pushes” open the shoulder.. its a feeling unlike any previously- so if it feels in the ballpark of other physical activities… may not be it.. as Int’l movement (even “ext’l” training that calls it int’l… if it doesn’t feel a bit- well alien.. a jellyfish, fluidic slooshing type feeling).. then might not be it..

but even if not it.. still part of the above stage1… (just keep going, don’t think I should already get it– continual re-eval and re-interp as you body, and mind, changes quality over your practicing).. even getting to stage2 (of above ex) is a different thing from stage3- which then you ‘get it’.. (which just means you ‘get-it’ it then reveals as it unfolds).

thus muscle tension disappear? yes- but it should be a different sort of thing (not an idea that it begins pushing-“Making it” and then just do it easier, and thus more effortlessly.. its a different way of moving.. so in beginning likely may slight move, barely and buildup over time.. vs wanting to feel a clear movement from the start

---

many models seem to be- see example, I got the exercise, I’ll try it a bit (a while) but in an exercise session (or at most within a week or so) I can do it.. vs a pile building up of sheets of paper (gradual but distinct).. gongfu..

help any?

[Anonymous]

Hello Owen,

I suggest that learning 0/C the joints (and cavities) is best learned with an EA instructor e.g. someone with level 1 training in Marriage of Heaven and Earth (and Gods Playing in the Clouds, if possible). Do you have someone like that where you live? Better still one of Bruce’s level 2 instructors – they really know the business!

Whoever you find should be able not only to demonstrate O/C without the use of tension, but more importantly for you, they will be able to teach you how to do it. If they teach regularly, they will have taught this to lots of people, and will have worked out how to help their students to “get” O/C with certainty, and without tension.

Good luck, Paul Parramore

[Anonymous]

Hi, Thankyou for the indepth response I think I will have to re read these a few times to make sure it all sinks in correctly. Unfortunatly I am in a location that provides no bagua instructor for 150 miles so I am all out of luck when it comes to learning first hand from an instructor.

[Anonymous]

One more thought for you Owen.

Don’t just look through the list of Bagua instructors – other EA instructors with multiple certifications (especially the “certs” which I listed in the previous comment) should be able to help you – both by demonstrating for you what you want to learn, and then by teaching it to you in a way which will make it absolutely clear to you that O/C the joints ( and cavities) is done without using tension.

Same skill – whether used in Qigong, Taiji or Bagua.

Good luck, Paul Parramore

[Anonymous]

Just to go further upon Paul’s comment, not only what “int’l component” skills (for ex KaiHe ~opening-closing.. shrinking/growing) being dependent upon what a practitioner would be willing to demo and “evoke” in you…
but further, even just planning to meet on one occassion, even if you need to plan a while until you are able to make personal contact. (it may take a journey, and some preparation to make that journey..

it all depends upon how much interest you have in this art.. or if it is just ‘oh well’ whim).. I’ve spent a day of travel to attend a class/seminar for a few hrs and then another day of travel back-home.. all based-upon who you are going to reach (and that bit of the learning-process of what to learn, and what is worth-it .. not all pay off

– -in short, if may not be only a matter of who would be avail locally, ongoing… (heck even if a high-lvl teacher were in your town, they may not be avail, nor willing, to teach regularly.. and usually one can “digest” and work-through material you learn for a while.. before you need more.. then ‘they’ usually expect to see your progress.. do you have a mind that has worked-in-depth and practiced this.. or just skimmed the surface? (that last question can affect what you might be shown later… access- pearls and all that).

best wishes

[Anonymous]

Yeah Opening & Closing is one that you really gotta feel first hand. It can be kinda mysterious at first. I know it took me quite a few sessions to get a good sense of it. Years later it seems more comfortable now.

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