Finer points of SNT/SLT?

[Nyrotic]

Ok, so at this point in training I feel that I should fully understand almost all there is about the first form. I asked my Sifu about it and he told me that everything I will garner from the first form are as follows:

• Teaches correct structure
• build root and energy control
• Creates alignment within the structures through which to express Jing or power
• Focuses the intent with the motions
• Houses the techniques for offense and defense
• Teaches controlling the center line
• teaches the feel of the gates and how to close them
• Teaches the stance dynamics and depth
• It builds and changes your muscles and tendons to better be able to perform the unique structures of WC without too much tension

However, I completely forgot to ask him HOW the form accomplishes that! I've since taken care of that, though I've yet to get a reply from him. So now I'm wondering, what is everyone else's take on the first form? I know we have many lineages here so I feel I could learn alot!

Also, if you're curious, here is how I do the first form (

). Don't worry, I know it looks horrible, I unnecessarily tried to make it look powerful, not to mention I WAS tired at that point and it has since been critiqued by other MT members. This is just to show you the way I do the form for context purposes.

Questions I have:

What should my mind be doing throughout the form? Is it focused on one thing the whole way through? Do my thoughts change depending on the movement?

Also, what are the applications of every movement in SNT? I know some of quite straightforward, however there are others that either I can't figure out OR seem contrary to WC principle (Then I'd expect to find them in Biu Ji).

Honestly, I just want to make sure I'm getting the most out of my SNT training before really starting to focus on anything else. At this point I feel that I had advanced far too quickly and am, in a sense, starting from the beginning.

 

[matsu]

hey bud
from a beginners point of view, it looked very sharp, but we are taught that the form teaches us most impotantly the tense/relax reflex.
so we are taught to slow it doen in key areas and speed certain techniques up to add power or control.
breathing is a major part of it,as is using the movemnts like huen sau to build up wrist and forearm strength so we do that very slowly and controlled(till it hurts lol )
so in my head i am concentrating on each move,transition, breathing, tension,relaxing all whilst trying to hug the floor with my hips and knees.

the amazing thing about each movement is that are soooo many reasons you do a certain technique depending on the drill/situation. my sifu seems to have a myriad of reasons why i have to do it"like so"

now if i can get taught the 3rd section of the form it will probably wreck all the good ive learnt in the first 2.....
but thats what happens when your 42....

do you do everything at that breakneck speed dude??
slow down,breeeeeeeeaaaaaaaathe.......i think your gonna miss some important relevance to half of what your being taught if you dont!

god, i wished id started at your age!
good luck

matsu

 

[mook jong man]

I have been doing the form since 1989 and i still don't understand it , and i am still not happy with my performance of it . There is always some little detail that i can improve upon , upon inspection my movements look correct , but that is the easy part .

The hard part is the mental struggle to totally concentrate on each movement and use the mind to initiate it and drive it out whilst also maintaining an internal contraction in our lineage that is called tei gong .

This slight internal contraction is thought to lock the upper and lower body together as one unit , and aid in the flow of internal energy to stabilise and energise your techniques .

It takes a lot of mental discipline to keep this contraction on and at our school students weren't really told about it until they had been training for 4 years because it is so hard to do .

I think the SLT is a very deep form and you will probably still be unlocking its secrets until the day you die .

 

[TaiChiTJ]

Hi! Nice form!
Benny Meng's vid's are good to check out (the yip man series). You are doing the same form. Benny will talk you into relaxing a bit, give you some principles to mull over, and some cool applications.

 

[KamonGuy2]

Hi! Nice form!
Benny Meng's vid's are good to check out (the yip man series). You are doing the same form. Benny will talk you into relaxing a bit, give you some principles to mull over, and some cool applications.

And charge you $2000 for the pleasure

 

[qwksilver61]

It is the seed root form...it is still being dissected and studied by the Masters..not to mention the generating of Chi,ask Dr Leung Ting or anyone who has experienced this mysterious thing....Cinnabar palms anyone?

 

[yak sao]

When I do SNT I think of the movement at hand and nothing else (in theory anyway).
My old si-fu (EB) used to say that you should always be in the moment. If you are in a fighting situation and are anticipating the next movement then you are causing yourself to be tense.

As far as application, it's good for training drills but I think a lot of the form's purpose is to build muscle memory so that if your arms happen to be found in a certain position during a fight, chi sao, etc then your body takes over in sort of an auto pilot.

 

[TaiChiTJ]

Ha! Very funny. Meng's stuff is reasonably priced, like the VHS format for $5 from places clearing out the old format for DVD's

 

[geezer]

I have been doing the form since 1989 and i still don't understand it , and i am still not happy with my performance of it . There is always some little detail that i can improve upon...

The hard part is the mental struggle to totally concentrate on each movement..l.

WC/WT forms done well are hard work, both physically and mentally. As you pointed out, the tough stuff is not how you look doing it, but what's under the surface. I find it's easy to get lazy and just do the movements. Really working the form is hard!

 

[qwksilver61]

Alright Chi Gung is a tough pill to swallow,root form....OK......prior martial skill a plus?or no prior martial skill at all? You tell me...believe in Chi Gung or Siu Nim Tau's mystycal properties? Ping me.....