Static Balance...

Static balance is the most basic balance and the most difficult to realise. Because the most basic things are often the most overlooked. The upper and lower, left and right sides of the body plus the diagonal corners, form the potential for “octagonal support” (body structure equally supported on all fronts).  There must be balance in order to determine operational range and to execute the rules of movements.  

For instance, static balance is most often reflected in the preparation posture of a form and in standing pole. The formal preparation posture at the start of movement routines is regarded as the laying down and strengthening of these  potentials.  Cultivating the habit of keeping the eyes looking forward, the feet parallel and toes pointing forwards, and then relaxing the chest and back to sit down to find the vertical balance point, which is known as “sitting pile to find the axis”.

When the hands move up it is relatively easier to express the support strength of the left and right sides. Attention should be paid to the extrusion and forward support strength of both hands, so that corresponding strengths can be formed and the body will not lean backwards. In this way a system of coordinating and circular movements can be trained no matter how the position of  the limbs and body change.  

Finding balance in stillness enables the practitioner to progressively find balance during movements, that is,  maintain balance not only before but also during and after.