Sharon Friedman – Vigilance and Tranquility

A drill to relax your form and build ability to take strikes and go on with the work. First you tense up one leg and relax it with the breath (in or out) lead the mass shift through the relaxing leg and repeat going from one to the other. After a few repetitions tense up the stomach and relax it noting how this affects the hips and shoulders. After that go for the lower back and than unite this drill by tenseing the entire lower torso and the legs and repeating the tension and mass shift that comes after. Now Tense up one arm and relax and note the shift in the torso and the legs. Tense up the neck and the other hand and repeat this drill for the chest and upper back as well. Now tense up the entire body and relax and start walking. With a partenr walk side by side at a comfortable distance and strike each other in turns. As the strikes hit (not sooner) let them go and lead them if needed to the floor or to the air through the limbs and torso. Strike the head as well and the neck. One additional drill I recomend is to do the same drill as you are leaning on a wall or a post and have yourself tense and relax and take strikes. The next level is of course to be able to take strikes as you are striking too. Remember the intent governs the movement.