L'Esprit du Singe

Il y a 2500 ans, le Bouddha parlait de «l'Esprit du Singe».

Il a décrit l'esprit humain comme étant une bande de singes ivres, criant, se battant, sautant de branche en branche, semant pagaille et chaos autour d’eux. 

Pour les personnes souffrant d’anxiete chronique, de problèmes de stress ou de problèmes émotionnels complexes en témoigneront : il semble que nous soyons constamment en guerre avec notre esprit. Quoique nous fassions, le singe continue de sauter de branche en branche, comme notre esprit continue de sauter de pensée en pensée.

Et comme notre monde technologiquement avancé produit beaucoup plus de distractions que les sociétés principalement agraires d'il y a 2500 ans, il devient de plus en plus difficile de se concentrer sur quoi que ce soit et d'étudier. Cette situation est aggravée par un flux constant d’informations superflues en provenance du monde entier, qui augmente inutilement le niveau d'anxiété de nombreuses personnes.

Il est donc vital d'apprendre à calmer, apprivoiser et contrôler l’esprit du singe. De nous accorder des pauses loin des distractions constantes pour identifier ce qui est importe réellement et nous concentrer sur ce que nous pouvons effectivement contrôler.

Gérer l’Esprit du Singe

• Méditation,

• Techniques de respiration

• Tai Chi

sont 3 moyens efficaces pour calmer et maîtriser le singe. 

 

Quelques minutes de Méditation ou de Tai Chi chaque matin vous donneront un bon départ pour le reste de la journée, vous aideront à développer une pratique régulière et vous permettront d’apprivoiser le singe.

Malheureusement il est difficile d'apprendre a méditer ou a pratiquer le Tai Chi par soi-même. Les librairies et Internet fourmillent de differentes methodes de meditation. Il suffit de faire une recherche sur le theme "differentes techniques de meditation" pour se rendre compte de la grande variete des dans ce domaine. Certaines de ces techniques qui ont passe l'epreuve du temps sont tout a fait valides. D'autres sont nettement plus discutables. Je reviendrais sur la question importante des differentes formes de meditation dans un article ulterieur. 

Quant au Tai Chi, meme s'il est possible d'apprendre en etudiant a partir de videos visibles sur Youtube ou d'autres sites, il vous sera difficile de choisir entre les tres nombreuses formes proposees. Une forme de Tai Chi devrait etre adaptee a la personne qui la pratique. (Voir note 4 ci-apres)

Il est heureusement beaucoup plus facile d’apprendre les techniques de respiration. 

Meme si elles ne vous permettront pas d'apprivoiser totalement le singe, elles vous aideront à le calmer, ne serait-ce que pour un moment. Et vous pourrez facilement les utiliser dans de nombreuses situations.

 

Exercice Respiratoire de base

Voici un exercice de respiration très simple que vous pouvez apprendre et pratiquer quotidiennement le matin, et à tout moment où vous sentez que vous avez besoin de contrôler votre esprit.

1. Asseyez-vous dans une position confortable et fermez les yeux.

2. Inspirez par le nez pendant 4 secondes. (Comptez mentalement jusqu'à 4)

3. Retenez votre souffle pendant 4 secondes. (Comptez mentalement jusqu'à 4)

4. Expirez pendant 10 secondes. (Comptez mentalement jusqu'à 10)

 

Repetez cet exercice 10 fois avant de reprendre un rythme respiratoire normal.

Note 1 : Vous pouvez ajuster les durées des phases respiratoires. L’aspect le plus important de cet exercice en est la régularité.

Note 2 : De nombreuses techniques de respiration parfois fort complexes ont ete développées depuis des millénaires, principalement en Inde et en Chine. Ces techniques sont souvent liées a la méditation et a des pratiques telles que Yoga et Tai Chi.

Note 3 : Plusieurs types de méditations sont devenus populaires au cours des 30 dernières années. La plupart d’entre elles sont efficaces pour calmer l’Esprit du Singe. Il faut cependant être bien conscient du fait que pour les méthodes de méditation traditionnelles, calmer l’Esprit du Singe n’est pas un but en soi mais un moyen d’arriver a d’autres fins.

Note 4 : Pour plus d'iformation ou pour apprendre  le Tai Chi et/ou la Meditation dans la tradition Zen vous pouvez me contacter au 07 83 89 72 49 pu par email a frederic.lecut@gmail.com

 

Tai Chi et Chi Gong

Ces deux disciplines ont leur origine en Chine.

CHI, TAI et GONG

CHI ou QI

Chi et Qi sont deux manieres differentes d’ecrire le terme 氣 que l’on traduit generalement par le terme “Energie” en francais. 

 

TAI

Le terme « Tai » signifie « Grand » on le retrouve dans le terme Typhon (Taifoon) : ouragan.

GONG ou KUNG

Le Terme “Gong” de Chi Gong est parfois transcrit “Kung” comme dans “Kung fu”. On peut le traduire en français par « Pratique », « Exercice » ou « Technique ».

TAI CHI

Tai Chi peut donc se traduire comme « Grande Energie »

Le Tai Chi utilise des mouvements amples et lents pour tonifier l'énergie interne et la faire circuler efficacement dans tout le corps. Généralement, ces mouvements sont des mouvements d’arts martiaux.

CHI GONG

Chi Gong, (également ecrit Qi Gong, Chi Kung, Qi Kung) peut se traduire en francais par « exercice énergétique » ou « techniques énergétiques ». C’est un ensemble de pratiques qui consistent a tonifier et a faire circuler l'énergie interne du corps. Ces pratiques incluent des

enchainements de mouvements, des étirements, des exercices respiratoires.

On pourrait a l’extreme considérer tout exercice pratiqué dans le but d'améliorer métabolisme et santé comme un Chi Gong.

En pratique, le terme Chi Gong est réservé a des pratiques basées sur les théories de la médecine traditionnelle chinoise.

Le Tai Chi est donc une forme de Chi Gong

Tai Chi et Chi Gong ont le même but : harmoniser notre métabolisme pour optimiser la création d'énergie (a partir des aliments que nous mangeons et de l’air que nous respirons) et améliorer la circulation ce cette énergie dans le corps.

Cependant, le Tai Chi se limite a utiliser des mouvements d’Arts Martiaux, sans utiliser d’autres techniques développées par le Chi Gong.

NOTES :

Le Symbole du Tai Chi : egalement connu sous le nom de Yin/Yang. Il illustre la theorie chinoise Taoiste du Yin et du Yang. Cette théorie est l’un des piliers de la Medecine traditionnelle chinoise. Elle est également appliquée dans de nombreuses formes de Tai Chi.

 

Tai Chi Chuan : Ce terme signifie « Boxe du Tai Chi ». Il s’agit d’un art martial. En pratique le Tai Chi utilise des mouvements similaires a ceux du Tai Chi Chuan, executes plus lentement. 

 

Le Tai Chi des 4 vents

Le Tai Chi que j’enseigne combine des pratiques de traditionnelles de Tai Chi, ainsi que d’autres pratiques respiratoires ou des exercices spécifiques plus du Chi Gong tels que le Yi Jin Jing. La plupart des formes que j’enseigne durant les premières années sont plus influencées par les arts martiaux traditionnels Japonais (Ju Jitsu et Karate) que par les pratiques chinoises.

 

 

                                                                                                                                                              et oui, Sayonara ! 

Tai Chi videos : First 3 forms of Four Winds Tai Chi

Vanished Tai Chi videos !

I realized 2 weeks ago that my Tai Chi videos had disappeared from the Youtube Mokurai Dojo channel.
I had shot some of them 15 years ago, when I did not have the ability to edit them properly and decided to start doing just that.

Modernized versions

During the next 2 months, I will be editing and uploading new versions of these Tai chi videos. They will be available on my Mokurai Dojo channel.

The 4 first forms of 4 Winds Tai Chi

4 Winds Tai Chi includes 8 Tai Chi forms and sets of Qi Gong and Breathing exercises from different traditions.

The first or short form includes 10 moves, counted from 1 to 10. Moves 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 are performed with the left foot forward. Moves 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 are mirror images of the previous ones.

The next 3 forms of Four Winds Tai Chi are built on the same structure as the short form, they include the same 10 moves, in the same order, and additional moves in between.

In this video from 2003 I demonstrate the 1st, 2nd and 3rd forms.



I will post additional videos of each individual forms, performed solo and in a group.

Tai Chi better than stretching.

Some self appointed specialists tend to believe - and are vocal about it - that all forms are exercises are beneficial. 

 

THEY ARE...

Some exercises can be detrimental to people; some exercises are more beneficial than others.

Since 2004 The Oregon Research Institute has been running an evidence-based fall prevention program for community-dwelling older adults. 

A study was carried out on a sample of 256 physically inactive, community-dwelling adults aged 70 to 92 recruited through a patient database in Portland, Oregon. The participants practiced either Tai Chi or a routine of Stretching exercises three-times-per-week for a period of 6 months.

At the end of the six-month program the risk for multiple falls in the Tai Chi group was 55% lower than that of the stretching control group. Compared with the stretching control participants, the Tai Chi participants showed significant improvements.

Read the Full article here.


My name is Frederic Lecut and I have been teaching Tai Chi and Iaido in Dothan, AL. since 2000.

If you would like to learn more about Tai Chi or come try it for free for one week, please contact me by email at frederic.lecut@gmail.com or by phone at (334) 798 1639.

Try tai chi to improve balance, avoid fall

Compared to the pumping intensity of Zumba, Tai Chi looks like it’s performed in slow motion. Watching the gentle, graceful movements of this ancient Chinese practice, it’s hard to imagine that it can burn off a single calorie or strengthen muscles. But Tai Chi is actually far more dynamic than it looks.

"The slowness that you see from the outside is deceptive. As an aerobic workout, Tai Chi is roughly the equivalent of a brisk walk (depending on the intensity at which you perform it). And as a resistance training routine, some studies have found it similar to more vigorous forms of weight training," says Dr. Wayne, co-author of The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi.

Tai Chi and Balance

With its integrative approach that strengthens the body while focusing the mind, Tai Chi addresses a range of physical and mental health issues—including bone strength, joint stability, cardiovascular health, immunity, and emotional well-being. Tai Chi is especially useful for improving balance and preventing falls—a major concern for older adults.

Studies have shown Tai Chi to reduce falls in seniors by up to 45%. It can also improve balance in people with neurological problems. A recent study in The New England Journal of Medicine found the program particularly effective for balance in people with Parkinson’s disease.

Tai Chi helps improve balance because it targets all the physical components needed to stay upright—leg strength, flexibility, range of motion, and reflexes — all of which tend to decline with age.

Interestingly, one of Tai Chi’s biggest benefits to stability isn’t physical—but emotional.

Anyone who’s had a fall or who has instability has what we call a ‘fear of falling. Ironically, a fear of falling is one of the biggest predictors of a fall. By making you firmer on your feet, Tai Chi takes away that fear. Tai Chi also makes you more aware of both your internal body and the external world, giving you a better sense of your position in space, so you won’t be as likely to trip and fall if you try to simultaneously talk to a friend and navigate a busy sidewalk.

Getting started with Tai Chi

One of the best things about Tai Chi is its adaptability to every age and fitness level. I have students in their late 80s. Because Tai Chi has “zero impact,” it doesn’t put too much strain on aging bones and joints. But it’s not by any means something that’s only for the elderly, and it can be quite demanding for the young.

You can start Tai Chi at most levels of health, and you can ramp up your activities to be appropriate to your level of fitness and function. 

Tai Chi is also incredibly safe—even for people who are older and have chronic diseases. 

I have been teaching Tai Chi in the Wiregrass since 2000. Interested, Curious ? Please come watch or participate in a FREE class. Call me at (334) 798 1639 or email me at frederic.lecut@gmail.com.

It is never too late...

Taking up Exercise in your 60's will still help stave off major ill health and dementia, research suggests. 

A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine followed 3,500 healthy people at or around retirement age.

Those who took up exercise were three times more likely to remain healthy over the next eight years than their sedentary peers.

Full article

People who took up exercise in their 60s were also less likely to struggle with day-to-day activities such as washing and dressing.

After eight years of follow-up, a fifth of the participants were defined as healthy - not suffering from any major chronic mental or physical illness.

In the study, those who had regularly indulged in moderate or vigorous physical activity at least once a week were three to four times more likely to be healthy agers than those who had remained inactive, even after taking into account factors such as smoking. 

 

 

Get off your butts...

Older people with visual impairment can benefit from Tai Chi

Researchers from the Centre for East-meets-West in Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University designed and conducted a 16 week trial involving forty people aged over 70.  

 

After this trial, the Tai Chi participants showed significant improvements in knee proprioception (awareness of the position of one's limbs) and in their visual and vestibular ratios (ability to balance) compared to a control group.

 

Care home residents in the Tai Chi group were taught a modified 8-form Yang style Tai Chi routine and practiced this in 90 minute sessions, three times a week for 16 weeks. 

Participants in the control group learned to play the Djembe, a percussion instrument.

Dr. Tsang said: "... Our study shows that Tai Chi can be a suitable form of exercise for those with visual impairment and indeed assists with improving their balance control. ..."

Read the Full article

People gain self esteem through Tai chi

Tai Chi appears to be a great way to build self esteem and encourage volunteering according to a new survey being discussed today at the Regional Conference of Gerontology and Geriatrics in Melbourne.

Already known for the significant role it plays in preventing and treating physical and psychological illnesses, Tai Chi seems to hit the mark with older people when it comes to increasing happiness and feelings of self-achievement.

 

Ruth Wei, a postgraduate student at Murdoch University, has been investigating the effects of Tai Chi on building self-esteem; through the International Taoist Tai Chi society of Western Australia, she surveyed 382 Tai chi participants between January and July 2010.

According to Ms Wei, one in five reported that their confidence and attitudes towards life had improved and they had become more confident in daily life, more compassionate and tolerant towards people and less self-absorbed.

“What emerged from the survey was that the more often people practiced Tai Chi, the more often they became involved in voluntary functions, and the more likely they were to report positive changes associated with improved self-esteem,’ said Ms Wei.

Although the underlying mechanism of how Tai chi might improve self-esteem is not clear, other findings from the study such as increased social contacts, better physical and mental functioning, effective chronic illness management, and an improved ability to relax are all likely to be related. 

full article

MAYO CLINIC RESEARCH URGES CORPORATIONS TO TAI CHI & MEDITATION

The implications of a study involving 13,108 employees - one of the largest of its kind, are significant for businesses and other organizations that offer wellness programs for employees or members. ... 

Many organizations offer wellness programs for employees or members. The programs can cut health care costs and boost productivity. However, many people drop out or decline to enroll.

 

Instead of expecting tired, stressed participants to run off pounds on the treadmill, Dr. Clark suggests organizations could offer them yoga, tai chi, meditation, stress management classes or sessions with a personal wellness coach that would help them reach overall wellness goals.

Mayo Clinic researchers surveyed 13,198 employees who joined a Mayo Clinic employee wellness center when it opened in 2008. Their study showed the biggest differences between stressed and non-stressed respondents were in fatigue levels after a regular night's sleep and in current quality of life. 

Full article available at :

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/mayo-clinic-study-suggests-one-simple-question-regarding-stress-could-help-employers-tailor-wellness-programs-and-improve-participation-2011-09-07

Tanden location

Here is an interesting video by Bill Douglas, the founder of World Tai Chi Day -  with down to earth explanation to help you localize your Dan Tien (Tan Den in Japanese).

Now this is not only important for Tai Chi or Chi Gong, it is important for ALL martial Arts (Budō 武道), as well as Zen (禪). Actually, it is also very important in other ways such as Calligraphy (shodō 書道,. 

No matter which discipline you practice, your Movement and Intention needs to begin there. 

There actually are 3 Dantien : The Lower, Middle and Higher Dantien. The Higher is located in the brain, the Middle one in the heart area, and the Lower one in the lower abdomen. Because this one is the most important, it is generally referred as the Dantien. This isthe Dantien Bill Douglas speaks about in this video.

Medication in Movement

Tai Chi has often be described as "meditation in movement" and it is true that Tai Chi can be practiced as a Meditation exercise, and can also be practiced in order top help regular Sitting  Meditation as we practice in Zen. Now, according to a Harvard Medical School newsletter, tai chi is increasingly seen as a form of "medication in motion."

Visit an urban park in China any given morning or late afternoon, and you're likely to find elderly people engaged in Tai Chi.

 

Visit an urban park in China any given morning or late afternoon, and you're likely to find elderly people engaged in Tai Chi.

A study out this week in Archives of Internal Medicine says it may help people suffering from heart failure  feel better about life. In a quality of life questionnaire the researchers gave out, those who practiced tai chi scored significantly higher than those who hadn't been doing the movement. The tai chi group also reported an improvement in mood.

 

Heart failure is a tough disease to live with; the shortness of breath and low energy that can come because the heart can't pump enough blood make physical activity unappealing. "Historically, patients with chronic systolic heart failure were considered too frail to exercise and, through the late 1980s, avoidance of physical activity was a standard recommendation," the study's authors write.

It's been shown to be useful in treating a wide range of diseases from breast cancer to Parkinson's. The National Institutes of Health has also jumped on board and is funding a variety of studies on tai chi for chronic disease.

The Archives of Internal Medicine study is the first large clinical trial to look at whether a tai chi program can do anything for people with heart failure. The researchers recruited 100 people with the chronic condition from heart clinics in Boston. About half were randomly assigned to receive a 12-week tai chi exercise program. The other half got a heart health education program.

The tai chi program started off with some traditional warm-up exercises of arm swinging, gentle stretches, breathing, and visualization techniques. Then patients learned five simple movements designed to release tension in the body, increase awareness of breathing, and relax the body and mind. Patients got an instructional video tape, and were encouraged to practice at home at least 3 times a week.

The study authors say there's a usually a strong relationship between depression and heart failure, so the fact that tai chi helped cheer people up was an especially good sign.

Tai Chi to lose weight and ease depression

The University of Queensland, Australia has released an interesting study for anyone looking to lose weight.  Researchers found that the gentle, yet powerful, exercise known as Tai chi helps with obesity and excess weight, in a number of ways.  The Australian scientists discovered that tai chi:

• Improves body mass index (BMI);
• Reduces the amount of abdominal fat and overall waist measurements;
• Improves blood sugar balance–a critical element for maintaining a healthy weight or to lose weight;
• Reduces high blood pressure;
• Significantly reduces depression; and
• Improves the body’s use of insulin (insulin resistance)–a significant factor for weight gain and diabetes, among other serious health conditions.

Tai chi  is a Chinese internal martial arts often practiced to improve health. It is designed to facilitate the flow of fluids and Qi (life force) in the body, promoting good health and vitality. Tai Chi generally utilizes martial arts movements.

Tai Chi is suitable for most people, including those suffering from injuries and illness.

Medical Studies of Tai Chi

From a very interesting and well documented article in the New York Times today

The many small studies of Tai chi have found health benefits ranging from better balance and prevention of falls to reduced blood pressure, relief of pain and improved immunity.

Dr. Chenchen Wang and colleagues at Tufts Medical Center in Boston reported in August in The New England Journal of Medicine Tai chi reduced pain and fatigue and improved the patients’ ability to move, function physically and sleep. The benefits persisted long after the 12 weeks of Tai chi sessions ended.

Documenting Tai chi’s purported health benefits is a challenge. As an editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine  noted, it is virtually impossible to design an ideal study of Tai chi. There is no “fake” version that could serve as a proper control to be tested against the real thing.

And unlike evaluations of drugs, Tai chi studies cannot be double-blinded such that neither patients nor researchers know which group is receiving which treatment. Those guided by a Tai chi master would undoubtedly know who they are and could be influenced by the teacher’s enthusiasm for the practice.

Still, scientists have come to better understand and appreciate the mind-body connection, which for too long was dismissed as a placebo effect, and most doctors are now more willing to accept the possibility that stress-reducing activities can have a profound effect on health.

There is no question that Tai chi can reduce stress. Tai chi “combines meditation with slow, gentle, graceful movements, as well as deep breathing and relaxation to move vital energy (qi by the Chinese, Ki in Japanese) throughout the body.”

If nothing else, this kind of relaxing activity can lower blood pressure and heart rate, improve cardiovascular fitness and enhance mood. For example, a review in 2008 found that Tai chi lowered blood pressure in 22 of 26 published studies.

Thus, it can be a useful aid in treating heart disease, high blood pressure and depression, conditions common among older people who may be unable to benefit from more physically demanding exercise.

Regular practitioners of Tai chi report that they sleep better, feel healthier and experience less pain and stiffness, though it cannot be said for certain that Tai chi alone is responsible for such benefits.

Perhaps the best-documented benefit of Tai chi, and one that is easiest to appreciate, is its ability to improve balance and reduce the risk of falls, even in people in their 80s and 90s.

Another benefit, again especially important to older adults, is the apparent ability of tai chi to improve immune function. In a 2007 study also financed by the Complementary and Alternative Medicine center, those who practiced tai chi had a better response to the varicella zoster vaccine that can help prevent shingles.

Finally, attending a few sessions or even a 12-week course is not enough to guarantee lasting health benefits. As with any other form of exercise, tai chi must be practiced regularly and indefinitely to maintain its value.

Tai Chi and Cardiac Rehab

Global cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality accounts for one third of all deaths, with two thirds of those deaths occurring in developing countries.

■ Heart disease is a chronic condition needing lifetime secondary prevention measures to decrease morbidity and mortality, and to improve quality of life. Cardiac rehabilitation exercise training, one aspect of cardiac recovery, traditionally includes some form of aerobic fitness and, more recently, muscle strength training to improve exercise tolerance. Tai chi, widely practiced in China for centuries, is a popular form of exercise among older Chinese persons associated with enhanced well-being and health among traditional Chinese practitioners. Recent research has reported improvement in cardio-respiratory function, balance and postural stability, fall prevention, and stress reduction. A review of the literature suggests potential benefits from tai chi exercise performed as an adjunct to cardiac rehabilitation exercise training. Tai chi is cost-effective and facilitates a lifestyle of health-related behavior practices.

Read more

The Fourth Form - 4 Winds Tai Chi - Group Practice

A video of the Fourth form of 4 Winds Tai Chi. In this form, as well as in the Long and Fourth form, we use the same defensive moves we used in the Short form, in the same order. These moves are executed on the Left then on the Right side, so we actually are performing 5 different defensive moves :

• High Block (Jodan Uke)
• Outside Middle block (Chudan Soto Uke)
• Knife hand block (Shuto Uke)
• Low block (Gedan Uke)
• Inside Middle block (Chudan Uchi Uke)

In this 4th form, we insert counter moves after each one of the blocks - Arm or Wrist locks. 

 The Fourth Form was basically designed for fun, and practice of Actual Arm and Wrist locks. The defensive moves are practiced in the same orders as in the three previous forms, but the directions have been changed. It is a more "martial" form and can really be more appreciated with some actual knowledge of the waza which are executed. 


On a non martial standpoint, its practice is also aimed at improving  spatial orientation.

4 Winds Tai Chi - the Third Form, Group practice.

A video of the third form of 4 Winds Tai Chi. In this form, as well as in the Long and Fourth form, we use the same defensive moves we used in the Short form, in the same order. These moves are executed on the Left then on the Right side, so we actually are performing 5 different defensive moves :

• High Block (Jodan Uke)
• Outside Middle block (Chudan Soto Uke)
• Knife hand block (Shuto Uke)
• Low block (Gedan Uke)
• Inside Middle block (Chudan Uchi Uke)

In this 3rd form, we insert counter moves after each one of the blocks - throws, or combination of strikes and throws. The Japanese names of these moves - in the Tradition of Nihon Tai Jitsu) are : 

• Kata Guruma
• O Soto Gari
• Tembim Nage
• O Uchi Gari
• Tai Otoshi

(sorry, I do not know their names in English...)

Some of these moves request moving three limbs at a time in three different directions, not always an easy thing to do... I have designed the Third form mostly to improve coordination and balance.

This video was taped at the Dothan Botanical Garden in Dothan, Alabama, USA in April 2010.

Thank you to Geri, Carl and Ron for their help and support.

4 Winds Tai Chi - the Long Form

The Long Form uses the same defensive moves as the Short form, in the same order.

Counter attack moves are added after each block, strikes for the 8 first moves, and a head throw for the last 2 ones.

In practicing the long form, emphasis should be in twisting the lower abdomen to massage the digestive organs, and move blood and Chi in and out of this cavity.

Another Video of the Four Winds Tai Chi Short Form

Short Form deomosntrated at the Yoshukai Dojo.

We will perform this form together for World Tai Chi Day next April 24.

The Short Form is the first one I teach. It is composed of 10 - actually 5 very simple moves, performed first on the left, then on the right. These moves are basic defenses against simple attacks.
High Block against high punch, Outside block against straight punch, Knife block against hook punch, Low block against kick, and Inside block against hook punch.

The Short Form is the entry way into the Four Winds Style. It teaches the pattern common to the 3 other more advanced forms we practice. The main emphasis is on Breathing.