Cloud Hands

[Anonymous]

Please explain why, while doing Cloud Hands, hands should never cross center line of body. Fundamental to all Tai-Chi, but never received an explanation.

[Anonymous]

IMO Cloud Hands is the most difficult Tai Chi movement to understand.
Robert Tangora has written a book on Cloud Hands.

I am not a Master of Tai Chi.
Since 1993 I have practiced Yang Style Tai Chi daily.
However, I am not a martial artist nor a push hands player;
these provide acid tests for getting Cloud Hands.
A true master during live practice will make you pay when you’re making a mistake.

My first observation is that all general rules have exceptions.
In the postures “Crossing Hands” and “Full Lotus Kick” the hands do cross the center line.
So, never say never.
Also, in bagua, a more yang martial art, hands often cross the center.

Since I’m not into bopping people or fending off assaults, my only reason for usually not letting a hand cross my centerline is to maintain
BALANCE (mental as well as physical balance.)

Philosophically, I avoid asking “Why?” my hands are doing something because understanding power in the legs, movement of Qi in the waist and the opening and closing of the spine will determine where the hands will go.

Furthermore, the principles of Daoyin
(a very ancient art of Taoism) tell you to balance yin and yang by
focusing only on one at a time and just allowing the other to naturally grow and manifest itself.
For example, when doing Cloud Hands, when you focus on yin (rooting and sinking and being song and your blood)
the yang will grow and manifest without any effort.
The hands move where ever the yin Qi guides them;
“peng” yang Qi will naturally move the right hand along the right channel and
yang “ji” will be restrained from going too far and crossing the centerline (unless a bull is goring your left side.)
Remember, the turning of the waist (kwa) is more important than where the hands are.
It is usually an optical illusion (parallax) that hands are reaching away from the side channel or crossing the center.
Don’t be fooled by the camera angle.

Accordingly, it’s not important to ask where your hand “should” be.

cheers

Bob

[Anonymous]

I’m no expert, but I guess from a martial arts perspective there’s no real stability once you move your hand past your centerline. Imagine trying to block a strike from that position: the arm would just collapse into you.

[Author]

Posts