Video Case Study #4: Do NOT Stand With Your Feet "Shoulder Width"

By: Al Simon

Welcome to our Advanced Training video case studies. These case studies look in-depth at certain aspect of our advanced Tai Chi and Qigong training.

One of the first instructions given to many Tai Chi and Qigong students is to "stand with your feet shoulder width apart". This instruction is so common, you can find it on over 5,400 web pages!

But "shoulder width" causes kinesthetic problems for many Tai Chi and Qigong students. Find out the problems involved in learning the "shoulder width" stance, and how we solved them in our teaching and practice.

Key points:

• One of the first instructions given to new Tai Chi and Qigong students: “Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.”
  
  
• This non-kinethetic instruction is so common, you can find it on over 5,400 web pages.
  
  
• For kinesthetic instructors and students, this instruction raises the question: How are the "feet" related to the "shoulders" ???
  
  
• The kinesthetic problems with shoulder width are:
  
  
  • Difficult to “feel” alignment with no direct structural connections
    
    
  • Difficult to “see” alignment (unless you are a giraffe)
    
    
  • Students often over-estimate the width of their shoulders
    
    
  • Even spotters get it wrong
  
  
  
• Our first instruction to new Tai Chi and Qigong students: “Stand with your feet shoulder width hip socket width apart.”
  
  
• Benefits to "Hip Socket Width":
  
  
  • Direct connection between feet and hip socket through the legs
    
    
  • Easier to see and feel connection
    
    
  • Balanced, stable, comfortable stance without any kind of extremes
    
    
  • A slightly narrower stance that increase relaxation needed for Chi Development
    
    
  • Introduces new students to the practice of focusing on hips and waist
    
    
  • Chi Development is about becoming aware of “internal structures”
    
    
  • Prepares you for the basic Tai Chi starting stance – which is NEITHER shoulder-width NOR hip-socket width!

Action Steps:

Review the following lessons in the advanced training in your ChiFusion Tai Chi and Qigong Complete Course:

• Level 1, Lesson 1A: The Wuji Stance
• Level 2, Lesson 1A: The Goat Stance