Posted by Al K. on January 05, 1999 at 16:02:25:
In Reply to: "Ball-holding posture" posted by Louis on January 05, 1999 at 15:36:54:
Hi, Louis, and happy new year. Leaving aside all of the double entendres for this particular phrase, I think the ball-holding position helps beginners, especially, get the transitional hand positions right. They seem to have a tendency to hold their hands too close together at the waist when doing ward-off, for example, so this imagery helps to counter this tendency. I've even been in tournaments where one of the judging criteria was how well the performer exhibited this ball-holding position, so it has become ingrained in the culture of Tai Chi. I don't seen anything wrong with this unless it becomes a rigid dogma, as you say.
See ya,
Al K.