LEGENDS OF KUNG-FU #31 The Needle Wrapped in Cotton Yang style Tai-Chi practitioners commonly make reference to a "needle wrapped in cotton". A few of the other Chinese martial arts do as well. While this may seem like an obscure reference to some sort of deadly concealed weapon, the "needle wrapped in cotton" is, in actuality, perhaps one of the most important ideas in Chinese martial arts training. This concept is a prime example of the dual nature of Chinese martial arts training, fusing combative practicality with health and longevity training exercises into the perfect marriage of yin and yang. From the standpoint of health, the needle symbolizes the straightness with which the spine should be held and the firmness with which that alignment should be maintained. While many pay lip service to this idea, those that pay rigorous attention to this postural note hold their bodies in a very different way and usually experience radically different health benefits. To emphasize the health benefit of a straight and tractioned spine, think about the image of a sick or pain-racked body - someone lying down in fetal position. A healthy body is upright and there is maximum distance between the vertebrae of the spine. This strong, upright position creates a few different benefits. The traction along the neckline creates stronger muscles along the neck, which support the head in a position of maximum anatomical efficiency, commonly illustrated in medical texts as the alignment of four points in a vertical line: the center of the foot, the hip joint, the shoulder joint, and the center of the ear. With the head properly balanced on top of the body, less effort is required from the supporting muscles of the neck to maintain that position of maximum anatomical efficiency. Aside from balance and ergonomic efficiency, the extended spine also creates the maximum distance between adjacent vertebrae, which prevents the bones from pressing on the nerves and creating pain or discomfort. Additionally, the lifted head keeps the trachea, or windpipe, in a position such that the maximum amount of breath can be taken in with a minimum of effort. If you're not sure what I'm talking about, compare the comfort levels when you try to breathe with your chin tucked to your chest versus trying to breathe with the vertex of your head reaching upward and your chin lifted slightly. Combatively, this head and neck position are slightly controversial, as many martial artists are influenced by boxing training, which teaches to keep the chin tucked to the shoulder for protection. While this may be sensible in some situations, it's definitely not the best idea for someone who's training not only to be a good ring fighter, but also a healthy and relatively pain-free practitioner of their art. The elevated head position not only minimizes antagonistic tension along the shoulders and neck (allowing for smoother, faster upper body motions), but also allows for wider peripheral vision (keeping the fighter more aware of the opponent's entire body posturing and telegraphing), and, as stated above, allows for greater respiratory ease (which is a tremendous asset in a fight). The next lower section of the "needle" is in the thoracic spine, which goes from the base of the neck down to the last of the floating ribs. Most people tend to have a slight kyphotic, or hunchback, curvature of this area, which leaves the head tilted forward and the lower back arched backwards. Many Tai-Chi practitioners are especially guilty of this, citing the classical line "han xiong ba bei" as their rationale for such posture. The words "han xiong" mean "to wrap the chest". Many have interpreted that to mean that the shoulders should be curved in such a way as to sink the center of the chest, hollowing it out in a concave fashion. In my own experience, the shoulders should be wrapped downward instead of forward. Depressing the shoulders downward stretches the trapezius muscles along the shoulders, which are common sites of unnecessary tension. In pressing the shoulders downward, most people will automatically lift their heads up as well. The words "ba bei" mean "to pull the back" as one would pull or lift a bucket out of a well. If you think for a moment about the concave structure mentioned before, it's fairly obvious that it's impossible for the back to be pulled straight while the shoulders are rolled forward in a concave position. It's simply unnatural to train the body to keep that kind of posture. Let's go back to the concept of breathing for a moment, though. Put your fingertips on the front of your hip bones, palm up. Then put your thumbs on your ribs. Now, pull your spine up straight from the vertex of your head, and let that traction go all the way down through your back and feel how your fingers are pulled away from your thumbs. That increased distance is greater respiratory capacity. And that greater respiratory capacity means increased oxygen intake and less energy wasted on fighting the body's own structure to get a breath in. More oxygen means more energy, so it's not too hard to understand why the Chinese character for chi energy is the same word that we use for air or breath. The cotton part of the picture has to do with minimizing the tension in the body in all parts peripheral to the spine and stance. It's sort of like a rubber wheel that rotates around a steel axle. When the body is held tense, motion can't be fluid, reactions can't be fast, and energy isn't used in an economical manner. Tai-Chi emphasizes the ability to yield to an opponent's attack, and keeping the torso and limbs relaxed and pliable like cotton allows for one to yield without resistance, while the needle-like spine keeps the integrity of the body's structure and balance. |