Jibengong or Foundations exercises

Positive Circle

Grandmaster Hong Junshengs Circles and variations. These movements come from Chen Style Practical Method lineage and are performed by Master Chen Zhonghua.

The first movement usually practised is a positive circle. The movement seems simple, and in theory it is. In practice, it can take several years before you are moving close to correctly.

 In a right forward stance, raise your right arm so the fingers are at eyebrow level and even with the left eye. Sink your elbow and loosen your shoulder. Begin with your weight well sunk on the (front) right leg and the rear leg well bent. Your weight distribution should be 51% on the right leg and 49% on the left leg. 

Weight distribution is approximately equal and is secondary to releasing and sinking each hip and allowing the hips to turn, right and left.

1. Release the front hip and let it sink towards the front foot, making the right leg the power leg. The front knee moves forward and outward and your weight and waist immediately begin to rotate towards the rear. Your arm rotates down and in from the shoulder and drops to the ribs with the palm facing to the side.  

1. Continue releasing the front kua and let the front knee move further forward. Your weight should now be 51% on the rear kua and your waist should have rotated 90-degrees to the left. Your right arm continues to rotate from the shoulder. The action of rotating the shoulder and pushing it down into the elbow will cause the elbow to be rotated backwards across the body. At the same time the palm rotates upward and slightly forward. Your right arm should end this count on a 45-degree angle with the elbow pointing down and the fingers pointing forward. 

1. Release the rear (left) kua and let the weight shift to the front (right) kua. Your rear leg moves backwards and outwards and sinks towards the rear foot. Open your hand and fingers a little more and feel the shoulder rotating downwards and outwards pushing into the elbow. This action will cause the hand to begin to be pushed forward.  

1. Continue releasing the rear kua until it pushes you back to your starting position. Your arm should have rotated forward to its starting position also.      

Advanced notes: Remember our ten-word dictum while doing circles. 

Elbow in, no hand in

Hand out, no elbow out 

When you are rotating to the rear the elbow must lead the action of the arm. When you are rotating back to the forward position your hand must lead the arm. It should feel as though your arm is rotating inside a very narrow tube. To get a better idea of what this means you should start the circle with the fingers pointing to a spot on the wall. Throughout the circle your fingers must continue to point exactly to that spot.