The principle of “simplicity of choice” implies instinctive, natural, subconscious, spontaneous movements are the simplest, quickest, and most accurate while conscious choice reaction takes longer.  Therefore, you should train to minimize unnecessary conscious choice reactions and select the techniques that work for you carefully and practice them repeatedly until they are second nature to you, until the intentional actions of the technique become habit, until your skills become spontaneous reflexes.  The basis of Yiquan is to work with your body's natural response to develop your spontaneous innate fighting capabilities.  The more a maneuver/technique runs counter to your instinctive abilities, the more you will have to “consciously” think about that maneuver/technique in order to accomplish it.  It is thus harder for that maneuver/technique to be a spontaneous reflex, to become habit.  Training a maneuver/technique that is against your instinctive natural abilities is futile because that training would fail under stress.

 

Walking is instinctive and natural.  It is also natural to swing you right arm upwards when you push off with your right foot to step your left foot forward.  Therefore, executing the right hand upward punch as you push off your right foot is as natural as walking.

 

Start from the right lead small step on-guard posture; keep your elbows prop out.  Make certain you have no tension in your elbows, shoulders and legs; coil your back slightly (should not be visible).  Push off with your rear left leg, drill your lead right leg into the ground (Jiao Xia Cai, 脚下踩), pivoting on the ball of your lead right foot (turning right heel outward), un-coil your back (opening joints and stretch the imaginary springs from your lead foot to the back of your head), shovel your hip up by straightening your lead leg, torque your torso to your left driving your right shoulder forward.  Simultaneously, move your right elbow inward and upward propelling your lead hand forward and upward along your central line.  As your punch connects, twist your right forearm along its axis (Luo Xuan Ning Da, 螺旋拧打), turning your hand from palms down to palm facing your face.  Push your head up slightly (Tou Xu Ling, 头虚领) so there is a rotation and stretching of your spine (visualize stretching the imaginary spring from your lead foot to your head).  Simultaneously, pull your rear hand backward, outward and slightly downward to a guard position; visualize breaking the imaginary string between your hands or visualize tearing an imaginary cotton sheet (Liang Shou Ru Si Mian, 两手如撕绵) between your hands.  As your punch connects, twist your forearm (Luo Xuan, 螺旋), focus (tense), and snap through your target, then immediately relax and bounce back to your small step on-guard posture.  Be ready for the next punch. 

 

Basic objectives of Yiquan training are:

 

1.                  Develop your innate abilities in a relaxed natural manner,

2.                  Cultivate your whole-body harmony with appropriate body alignment and connected-ness to take up power from the ground, and

3.                  Synthesize your force components as one whole-body balanced force by mentally directing your muscular relaxation/tension exchange.

 

Walking can provide training towards these objectives. 

 

Visualize walking into the wind; feel the wind pushing on your entire body.  But be relaxed, comfortable, and natural.  Stand naturally erect, spine hanging neutrally straight; visualize a rope attached to the top of your head mildly pulling it upwards; tuck-in your chin.

 

To step forward with your left foot, push off your right foot, swing your right shoulder forward and your right arm forward, inward, and upward.  Keep your mind-intent and focus attention on transmitting the reaction forces of pushing off the ground with your right foot to your right hand; feel and sense the concurrent sequential linkage of each body element.  Simultaneously, drive your left hip and leg forward and your left shoulder backward, twisting your torso to maintain equilibrium.  Use proper musculoskeletal support, optimal alignment, and connected-ness.  Take up power from the ground.  Then stepping forward with your right foot, push off your left foot; spontaneously swing your left shoulder forward and your left hand forward, inward, and upward while swinging your right hand downward, outward, and backward.  Again, mentally take up power from the ground and transmit the force from your left foot to your left hand.  Repeat this sequence as you walk forward; it should be natural and instinctive, with no conscious effort or thought.  It is important to use your mind-intent to guide and control the neuromuscular relaxation/tension exchange.