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ACTIVATE-REBOUND-CATCH: Tangible Internal Super-Charge

 

 

Mantis #5 Tip: Functional Tucking Precision (FTP)

[NOTE: The OP here is referring to a recent post where I gave a powerful variation on the Mantis Neigong 7 series, drill #5]

 

Q:  Thanks for the "tucking in the tailbone"  tip! I've tried it, and it's definitely GOOD, but it's still not as good as Mantis 6 and Mantis 7 (with MANTIS 7 being the

best energy harvester among the seven mantis exercises--- IMHO). Thanks again for everything.

 

A: Good on you for trying it out. However, this reaction indicates to me that you aren't quite doing it precisely right yet. Otherwise you be raving about the full-torso blast furnace that this one fires up. So let me help out with a little more specification.

 

1. Get in the basic one-leg configuration (as shown in pic at the top of the relevant post, link above)

2. Your kicking leg is well-projected, without excessive/unecessary tension but with good shape and extension.

3. Arms firmly but not tensely assist in supporting the kicking leg, so that neither arms nor leg has the full burden, they share the weight.

4. Pretend there's a button or spot about an inch or a few inches past the point of your (well-shaped!) kicking foot.

5. Your job is to repeatedly, cyclically, press the button for just a beat, repeated maybe 5 or 10  times (per side of course)

6. Key thing is that your leg must be kept well shaped, extended, but essentially passive. You do not stretch out your LEG to hit the button.

7. Instead, you USE THE TAIL TUCK (gently, moderately, slowly) to extend your leg physically those couple inches, and to project the internal power through the leg to the point of the kicking foot.

8. Repeat: hit button via tail tuck, let leg retract slightly, hit button via tail tuck, let leg retract slightly, ...

 

Don't try to phase it with your breathing, but if it gets entrained to breath that's ok but sometimes mix it up, play with de-entraining it moderately and softly by taking more or less time on each action within each rep. 

 

I don't really know how I can explain it any more clearly. Key thing is leg and arms are well-shaped, with supportive engagement but no excessive tension, and all the 'kicking' action is performed by your repeated tail tucks/drops. You should feel the actual internal power surge from pelvis out through kicking leg if you can control your typical excessive tension.