01/02/2024
Here is another great article from Davidine. Zhan zhuang, or standing pole is a great exercise for us all. Perhaps a different way of thinking about exercise, as this is just standing, not moving, the article helps us understand how it is so effective.
Traditional standing pole training can be divided into three stages: 1) to seek relaxation 2) to seek stillness 3) to seek wholeness. The first stage, which is the hardest to push through, can be further divided: the first step is to experience relaxation of the shoulder and neck muscles; the second step is to experience relaxation of the waist and back; the third step is to experience relaxation of the dantian (abdominal muscles), and the fourth step is to experience relaxation of the hips.
It is difficult for beginners to discern which parts of their bodies are tense or relaxed - “having a body that is in an undifferentiated state of chaos between yin and yang”. Understand standing pole practice as a process of gradually experiencing tension and relaxation within the body by maintaining a static structure - “realising the Dao through slow practice”, using simplicity to seek a profound path.
Beginners typically have tense muscles, although years of habit make them oblivious. Soreness and discomfort experienced in these muscles are indications of tension. The first step in standing pole is to relax the commonly used muscles that have resisted gravity to maintain the body’s structure and function. By relaxing these muscles the less frequently used muscles (referred to as inert muscles) are forced to come into play, helping people to become aware of them and gradually allowing them to move, and ultimately making them as flexible and useful as the regularly used muscles.
The term "changing bones and tendons" simply involves altering the muscle engagement patterns in the body. Standing pole training is challenging, involving at least two stages. The first is the physical stage, with sore muscles, profuse sweating, trembling limbs, and shoulder and arm soreness. The second is the psychological stage, where it's difficult to control the restless and agitated mind. Beginners often face the physical challenge first, as soreness and fatigue set in before they experience any mental process. Therefore, addressing the physical issue is the initial step in standing pole training. Often the most fatigued areas are not the legs but the shoulders and neck. When the legs tremble, standing can be endured because of strong legs, whereas the soreness in the shoulders and neck accompanied by fatigue make it difficult to persevere.
The key to navigate through the "bones and tendons" challenge is relaxation. Standing is not about staying motionless but sensing internal body movements. If the shoulders feel sore while standing, don't stiffen, and try a subtle shoulder adjustment. The minute movement helps to alleviate the soreness and to feel the location of internal tensions. Relax the sore muscles, allowing the muscles in the shoulder blades and upper back to support the weight of the shoulders. Once the strength of the shoulder blades comes into play, the tension in the shoulders is released, facilitating the successful passage through this phase of standing. Noticeably the clavicles no longer lift as prominently as before, and the distance between the shoulder blades on the upper back expands.
Standing pole also trains wholeness "zheng", which involves overall body coordination. Many people think that phrases like "unmovable when struck, unyielding when pushed..." represent "zheng", which is not entirely wrong. They demonstrate the effectiveness of standing pole training, but "zheng" goes beyond these aspects. The true essence of "zheng" is achieving a unity and coordination of the entire body. When you touch with your hands, you should feel something under your feet, and there should be movement in your waist and hips. Over time as your skills deepen, your body's form naturally undergoes changes.
