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vova on habits and ma bu

In a chat with Vova about Ma Bu, our conditioning through habits, and changing this through our practice:

 

Vova: I got a very clear understanding now that (and why they insist on it) correct mabu comes from couple of years practice

[1:17:37 PM] Martin says: yes, they say at least 2 years

[1:17:50 PM] Vovinho says: Somehow we have a habit developed for years, maybe starting from 5-6y.o. when we stop being natural and copy other people who are around us, like parents and friends, a habit of using outer muscles of legs, not tendons and not inner muscles.

[1:18:14 PM] Vovinho says: So overcome this habit, to get the right habit you need a considerable time of doing things right

[1:18:37 PM] Martin says: yes...hardest is unlearning bad habits

[1:18:49 PM] Vovinho says: so I am pretty sure that my 10 minutes of mabu (cumulative per day) even if done every day is not enough to overcome this habit

[1:19:05 PM] Martin says: so what to do

[1:19:22 PM] Vovinho says: so when not doing mabu for couple of days and then try again I do not have a slightest feeling of using the right tendons

[1:19:42 PM] Vovinho says: So now I feel that it should be lots of mabu practice, every day, for a few years

[1:19:46 PM] Vovinho says: this is why

[1:19:52 PM] Vovinho says: Before I did not know why 2 years

[1:20:00 PM] Vovinho says: Maybe there are different reasons as well

[1:20:05 PM] Vovinho says: but for sure this one too

Static tension

Here's one of the exercises He Laoshi commented to do "with the principles in mind" and "if you can maintain this in your bagua postures" i.e. to use tendon strength, adhere to the structural principles, and perhaps transfer this feeling to the bagua postures. I think they are an excellent tool. It is quite difficult to do this exercise with muscles alone, but becomes harder when starting to focus on such principles. Here, I had to take several pictures before the feeling and posture were right. In fact, the feeling between what looks right and wrong on the picture is minimal. But for anyone doing this exercise, I think important is turning in the shoulder blades and keeping them close to the spine, while rotating the elbows upwards. In my feeling and understanding, I am pushing with my structure and from the core as in the engarde position. However, it's easy to over-stress the lower back quickly, so be careful. As can be seen here: one picture is with arched back, one with hollow back. One of them is more or less straight. If anyone has any comments as to the correctness/incorrectness of my posture or understanding, PLEASE correct me! Martin

Vova's ma bu contribution

Thanks to Vova for this one:
"Martin, hello!

Here is the pictures I promised to make. Not so good performance, I have not been doing them lately, but you can get the idea.

You put yourself in posture with lower legs vertical in all planes, back vertical, hips parallel to ground and then try to find the position when upper and outside muscles of hips are relaxed but the inner part is pulled in. You can tell if they were pulled in fine buy the extended tendons under your knee caps.

This excersize is to feel and develop the inner muscles and tendons. It is a good idea to do for longer time and grasp very clear feeling. Besides in this posture you can move torso a little up and down by using the perrinium muscles and tendons in order to grasp the feeling of using them, and then developing them.

Regards,
Vova"