Well then ---mea culpa.....and

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: Oh come now...I actually have a Curly T shirt I wear to teach in at times. Taijiquan done while going Woop Woop Woop is great for you. Nyak Nyak Nayak... : Anyway, from teaching a number of students, I noticed that the tuck of the pelvis required in Yang style was something that people have to usually be corrected into a number of times. If left to their own devices they do not tuck the pelvis at all. Then, the ones who are paying attention to their body and the discomfort of the low back at having the head and torso being supported by the low back instead of the hips and pelvis, almost always modify gong bu stance (front stance) to align the back with the rear leg. At this point, if they are not corrected they will either have balance problems or they will discover that the stance is very dynamic and they have to keep the force in the rear leg and front leg opposing each other for dyanamic balance. : Their complaint of low back pain then goes away. After seeing this a number of times, I discussed it with the orthopedic surgeon as well as the Chinese medical doctor to determine exactly how the stress was reduced. It also does not hurt to have a friend into kinesiology and be an engineer. : In fact, in several Qi Gong methods there are postures similar to this. There are ones where you stretch forward in Gong Bu and pay attention to keeping the back in line with the rear leg while extending the arm in a spear hand on the same side as the rear leg. This posture develops the forward and backward aspects of the stance and legs as well as twisting the waist a bit and is great for getting you in touch with feeling the back foot while feeling the extension out to the front hand's finger tips. : As for the pelvic tilt, it is osmething that if done slowly works the lumbar areas muscles in a way that doesn't normally happen. After going over this one with the orthopedist, I was told that it could be beneficial in gently rehabilitating the low back and stretching the muscles in that area and in the pelvic region. Strangely enough, there are also Qi Gong postures that move the pelvis in a similar manner. : Now as to bad taste, it is still NOT done to practice Taijiquan in ugly old style plaid golf pants... But I once shot an elephant in my pajamas...what it was doing in my pajamas I will never know. : : : Thanks for the further clarification. What a relief--I was afraid : : that following the fat issue, that baldness, really bad tailoring--i.e : : 3 Stooges image, could not be far behind. : : I am curious about how you came to the conclusion that leaning : : is a ' very natural' and 'comfortable' posture, and that the pelvic : : swivel while walking is therapeutic for existing back trouble. : : That sort of walk was more of a Groucho Marx trademark. But I guess : : American movie stars are as popular in China as elsewhere. : : Thanks for the clarification, : : Henry

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