Day 11: Upper and Lower Body Integration Basics

From Sword Mastery Basics - Deluxe Edition

Welcome to "Day 11 Integrating Upper and Lower Body" of the deluxe edition of the sword mastery basics. The focus of this class is on integrating the upper and lower body movement. These are Tai Chi sword drills that you can practice even standalone for improved grace and strength.

Throughout the WeaponUp practice the upper and lower body will move in unison to create flows from one side to the other. The class brings together different things learned so far, mixing both upper and lower body movements. The lower body movement from the previous day included the side-to-side figure eight and the infinity symbol.

The class involves:

Lifting the sword up from one side, bringing both hands together, lifting up, and then bringing it back down, pointing the finger up, alternating sides for 20 repetitions, focusing on the lower body.
Performing big figure eight symbols with the upper body, up and down, 10 times.
Integrating both upper body figure eight and lower body movement from side to side for 20 repetitions.
Doing a figure eight from side to side slowly 10 times.
Performing the same lower body movement while holding the hand on the hand holding the sword, lifting up, and going from side to side in a figure eight for 10 repetitions.
Doing figure eights on the left side for 20 repetitions, emphasizing elongating the spine and connecting the upper and lower body.
Bringing the right hand over the wrist and lifting up for one, continuing the figure eight with the sword.
Bringing both legs together and performing the inside and outside flower, moving the legs together to integrate the lower and upper body. This is done with softened knees, maintaining an "ethereal figure 8 infinity symbol quality" to the movement, for 10 inside and outside flowers.
Changing hands and performing the figure eight on the other side for 10 repetitions.
Reversing the figure eight, lifting up, and moving the body from side to side for 10 repetitions on each side.
Integrating various upper and lower body movements, including making an infinity symbol with the lower body with soft and slightly bent knees and a straight back, moving from side to side with both hands and feet together for 10 repetitions.
Integrating the figure eight and a specific upper body movement for 10 repetitions.
Doing a full flower to integrate the lower body, full flower, and upper body together, going from side to side using the same lower body technique and turning it over. This involves an infinity symbol and bringing the hand in, performing 10 full flowers, integrating the hand, body movement, and flower. The movement can include holding the forearm while doing the infinity flow. This technique fuses the upper and lower body together, helping with coordination.

The class concludes by practicing four drills 10 times on each side: lifting up on the right side, lifting and pointing for 10 repetitions; bringing the hand over the wrist and lifting up for 10 repetitions (infinity symbol); bending and going into the inside/outside figure eight for 10 repetitions; and five full flowers, integrating the whole body. The same sequence is then repeated on the other side.

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