Chin to toe

[windwalker099]

For some teachers, there are specific requirements one must meet before they agree to teach.
The chin-to-toe touch was one such requirement.

After completing "Chin to Toe" in 100 days Kuo was taught the Guang Ping Yang tai chi by the 100-year-old master Wang Jiao-yu.

Highlights the Science Behind It
Might offer some perspective on why a teacher might use this as a requirement before teaching.

 

[Same Trick]

Stretching is good, however there’s more to the chin to toe(head to foot) concept quite important in the internal martial arts practice, it’s hidden in plain sight sort of in that pic of Kou Lienying in a Zhan Zhuang pose. Wang Xiangzhai talks about it in some of his writings and relate it with Chinese opera players performance..

About wang jiaoyu there’s not known much about, I recall reading that at an old age in Beijing he asked for some interaction with Chen Fake and his teaching, CFK asked Wang Jiaowu for a demonstration whereupon CFK told the old man off.
About Kou Lienying i recall reading he once challenge Joe Louis to a fight that never happened

 

[windwalker099]

Stretching is good, however there’s more to the chin to toe(head to foot) concept quite important in the internal martial arts practice, it’s hidden in plain sight sort of in that pic of Kou Lienying in a Zhan Zhuang pose. Wang Xiangzhai talks about it in some of his writings and relate it with Chinese opera players performance..

Interesting

"Hidden in plain sight"

essentialtaichi - Randy Fung, Chin To Toe Stretch.


@ Same Trick, Are you able to do "chin to toe" ?

Used to do a lot of stretching at a younger age. Targeted the areas most useful to the practice.
Although we didn't do "chin to toe" stretches, there are other methods for loosening the areas thought to be needed for the practice.

Watching the video was quite interesting in how it outlined the process of being able to achieve it and why most people either cannot do it or are unable to do it.

The main point was "not because they could not physically do it."
They did not know how to approach it in order to be able to do it.

About wang jiaoyu there’s not known much about, I recall reading that at an old age in Beijing he asked for some interaction with Chen Fake and his teaching, CFK asked Wang Jiaowu for a demonstration whereupon CFK told the old man off.
About Kou Lienying i recall reading he once challenge Joe Louis to a fight that never happened

The stories always interesting

" Everywhere he went this Duan Fang was driven by a young coach driver and stable boy named Wang Jiao Yu.

On one occasion, when Master Yang went to Duan Fang's residence to give the Mandarin his lesson, he was told that Duan Fang had been called away on a sudden mission to the south.

As Yang was leaving the palace he happened to pass by the stables.
Through an open window he caught a glimpse of the stable boy practicing the same moves Duan Fang had been learning."

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Even if you can do "chin to toes", if you haven't developed a strong heel kick, your "chin to toes" means nothing.

CMA and Karate/TKD have different emphasize on leg stretching.

- CMA people can't do "side kick to the moon".
- Karate/TKD people can't do "left hand touch the right kicking foot (chin touch toes)".

I assume Karate/TKD don't emphasize that much on "front heel kick" that require toes bending back.

 

[Buka]

Even if you can do "chin to toes", if you haven't developed a strong heel kick, your "chin to toes" means nothing.

CMA and Karate/TKD have different emphasize on leg stretching.

- CMA people can't do "side kick to the moon".
- Karate/TKD people can't do "left hand touch the right kicking foot (chin touch toes)".

I assume Karate/TKD don't emphasize that much on "front heel kick" that require toes bending back.

That’s the first kick we teach in American Karate.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

That’s the first kick we teach in American Karate.

I had spent 3 months in YMCA Karate club. In that 3 months, the Karate instructor had never taught "front heel kick".

 

[Same Trick]

Interesting

"Hidden in plain sight"

View attachment 32222
essentialtaichi - Randy Fung, Chin To Toe Stretch.


@ Same Trick, Are you able to do "chin to toe" ?

Used to do a lot of stretching at a younger age. Targeted the areas most useful to the practice.
Although we didn't do "chin to toe" stretches, there are other methods for loosening the areas thought to be needed for the practice.

Watching the video was quite interesting in how it outlined the process of being able to achieve it and why most people either cannot do it or are unable to do it.

The main point was "not because they could not physically do it."
They did not know how to approach it in order to be able to do it.

No I can’t do the “actual” chin to toe stretch.

During my 20+ years in karate(shotokan) I was very much into stretching mainly for the purpose of being a good “karate” kicker.

In the late 1990’s I studied some with a wushu(“modern”) teacher from China that just had moved to my neighborhood, the main stretching in his teaching was elbow to toe which I could do…then.

Nowadays I dont put very much time on stretching exercises, it’s no longer really part of my regular training..

If one can easily sit in a “toilet” squat and as easily stand up from that position one’s leg agility is perfectly good enough, add to that being able with fingers/hands to touch the floor doing the regular forward fold stretch and one is fit for most endeavors

 

[windwalker099]

In the late 1990’s I studied some with a wushu(“modern”) teacher from China that just had moved to my neighborhood, the main stretching in his teaching was elbow to toe which I could do…then.

In Korea with the n-mantis teacher, we did a lot of stretching, including the "elbow to toe"
We did it with a partner, interlocking one foot, in a typical mantis ankle foot sweep position. It was kinda cool done as a partner exercise or solo..

Nowadays I dont put very much time on stretching exercises, it’s no longer really part of my regular training..

Think it's better to develop suppleness through training rather than solely focusing on range of movement through stretching.

Having worked with Yoga practitioners, for example, wanting to practice Taiji, they had good range of movement due to Yoga, Somehow it didn't really help them in the practice of Taiji.

If one can easily sit in a “toilet” squat and as easily stand up from that position one’s leg agility is perfectly good enough, add to that being able with fingers/hands to touch the floor doing the regular forward fold stretch and one is fit for most endeavors

In Beijing they had both sit down and squat toilets. public and private....in public spaces, often no toilet paper.
For those visiting, good practice to always carry your own....ya never know...