Are there good ways to relax the waist in Tai Chi? (2)

Hi Every Shifu, are there good ways to relax the waist in practicing Tai Chi? My waist seems stuck. Waist must be relaxed, right?

Ian Sinclair • When my students have trouble moving the waist, it is often because chronic tension in the lumbar spine prevent the lower abs from engaging. It can also be due to the fact that the centre of gravity is too close to the heels when the waist is tense, and the attempts to improve alignment cause the person to subconsciously resist opening the waist, because to do so incorrectly would cause them to fall backwards.

What I do is ask my students to sit in a chair and practice isolating the waist. We practise lateral and anterior flexion, rotations, expansion and contraction. When they have a good sense of the waist, they can then practise moving it while standing up.

When you release the tension in the waist, it has to go somewhere. That is where the thigh muscles come in handy.

Episode 3 – The Waist

http://youtu.be/lywt3TZhZew

Episode 4 – Hips, Legs, and Oh, What a Waist!

http://youtu.be/C-Zsfbo8P0w

Episode 5 – Other types of Rotation

http://youtu.be/RMoYomCN3_Y