Peng ‘To ward off slanting upward’ is essentially an inflated, rising outward, expanding energy. It's the first energy of the Ba Fa, the eight main energies of Tai Chi Chuan. Being ever present in our every move it is our most fundamental jing, hence its importance in training. Even back in the day one of Tai Chi Chuans' original names was Peng Jin Chuan “Peng Energy Boxing”.
This particular energy is most overtly apparent in the physical expressions of Ward Off Forward, Ward Off Upward, Brush Thigh Ward Off and Double Peng.
MARTIALLY –
Peng is Yang in nature, yet it is just as much defensive as it is offensive. Peng Energy is a near perfect vehicle for you to move in and intercept an opponents attack, stopping him from closing range on you and disrupting his physical and mental balance. It's not just a question of holding off an attack, with this you can actually take control of his centre (‘Chushin'), deny him his base (uproot) and leave him no space to work in.
This aspect of Peng allows it to become your anti ambush ‘panic button’, your fallback skill, a ready to go reaction, one where rather than covering you ‘go in’ and instantly create a buffer zone that mitigates the initial shock of a ferocious attack capable of overwhelming your defences and buying you a critical moment of mental space to avoid ending up on the ropes so to speak.
Where the energy strikes your aggressor doesn't matter, forget dim mak precision in this case and just do it, act without thought. In reality when it kicks off defending oneself doesn't have to be something too martially exact it just has to work – effective and practical are the bywords here. The natural roundness of Peng is rather good at bouncing incoming blows lessening their damaging effect, this shape also protects your centre really well. Peng training itself is Tai Chi Chuans' physical conditioning, granting us vitality and resilience. It boosts our wei chi energy layer which protects us and physically strengthens the body itself in a similar fashion to internal iron shirt chi kung (silk reeling exercises do this to some degree as well).
ENERGETICALLY –
As it's the source of all other energies Peng is a great way to explore the adaptability of Tai Chi. One of the high skills of Tai Chi is the ability to change wavelengths instantly via ‘Rou' or flexible energy (as opposed to ‘Gan' or dead force), this overlaps with the folding principle but actually extends way beyond it. For example your Ward Off Forward may become a Ward Off Upward which may then turn into a snapping backfist. Peng itself contains a degree of sticky energy within it, even when striking to make contact we utilise a degree of sensitivity to listen and understand an attack (which is very evident during push hands exercises), this is borne through the sense of buoyancy (akin to floating wood) one eventually acquires.
MAKING IT HAPPEN –
However you choose to express Peng energy here's a few things to be aware of.
There is no Peng without Sung. You are delivering a fa jing energy strike through your body so there can be no tension or stiffness or it won't work (and you're likely to pull a muscle or trap a nerve, which would then leave you vulnerable). The body is going from a relaxed state to a split second tightening in the explosive movement and back to a relaxed state, opening, closing and opening again in an instant.
Physically this elastic force comes from the elongation of the tendons and joints as well as the muscles, especially the fascia profunda – the elastic tissue that encases our organs and muscles. It's as tough as a car tyre in some places, clever stuff it actually reacts and remembers and basically controls your postural fingerprint.
Don't take this too far we are relaxed but not collapsed i.e. to be ‘Ruan' or like a wet noodle. We are still substantial and maintain structure.
Speaking of which, suspend the head (Ba hui pulling you up) or your neck will become tense.
Sink a touch, for strong legs and a stable base. This is eased over favouring the rear leg slightly (‘screw’ one leg into the ground, this will store up your spring power).
Keep a little space under your armpits (‘qua') and let your elbows hang down.
Sink the chi to your dantien. This helps stop tension creeping into the abdomen, as from there it transfers out to the upper chest, lower back, waist and hips which blocks chi and makes you incapable of rolling your hips and turning your waist Elvis style to generate and transmit energy. The chi needs to smoothly spiral up and out in a vertical circular movement from your feet via the Jing lu paths of power which we use for emitting force.
This full physical function is known as smeltering (Cheng Man Ching referred to it as ‘swing and movement’). We are expressing our fundamental body movement from the ground up, from the Bubbling Spring Point (KD1) to the Palace of Weariness (PC8), storing energy in the curves and coils, but emitting this energy in a straight line. As we evade an attack we accumulate, loading like a spring, then we release snapping back straight to the attack. It's right there in the Tai Chi Classics (Wang Zong – Yue)
“Find the straight in the curved; accumulate then emit.”
As you emit breathe out with a Ha or Ba or even better use your own personal sound.
Don't forget about the lower hand or it becomes ‘dead’, it generally strikes violently down or supports the other hand.
Remember this fa jing skill has to be trained, it will not simply magically appear just by doing the form. You need to build upon it as its a prerequisite for many other skills.
HOLISTICALLY –
Fa jing is the power hose of Tai Chi clearing your channels of stagnation. Peng itself has the ability to calm the Shen (Spirit) which improves your ability to meditate for longer periods, it also works your lungs, heart, pericardium and kidney meridians. The Old Yang Style even uses it as a healing application for others to treat a lack of energy or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
PRACTICE –
1/ Repetitive stationary practice is the main method to develop skill. Fast for fa jing, slow for precision. Train in different everyday locations so it never feels strange to you, alter your imaginary du fangs, perhaps have a friend supply a stimulus for debana training so you really can move on movement.
2/ Turn it into a walking exercise. Brush Thigh Ward Off is a classic, but my favourite is expanding out from the Power Stance/Old Man Stance (or Mugamae – posture of no posture if you come from a Japanese background).
3/ Static standing to learn to relax and develop your Peng muscles. Have a friend pressure test your structure by lightly pressing upon you.
4/ Practice power transference by having a partner hold your arm while you emit energy with very little movement, keep it sensible they're not an opponent they're helping you develop force.
5/ Double push hands allows you to explore its ability to change direction or transform into other energies.
However you choose to play with Peng, make it beautiful!
Mathew
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