Xù Jìn (蓄勁)

*Xù Jìn* literally means "to store or save money". This requires that the stomach area (Dānt'ián) fold inward at a slant, with knees bent. Almost like a crouching tiger, the movement unfolds and expands into a short burst of power. Although basic to almost all baji movements, it is very difficult to master and requires consistent, supervised practice.

## Practical Explanation

In the Chinese Martial Arts there 2 ways of fighting: Category A) The way all Martial Arts and Basic Pugilism Skills of the world function - using quick and fast hand methods, combined with quick kicks and footwork. It consists of only 'Hand Methods' (Shou Fa) and 'Leg Methods' (Tui Fa) that can be done in quick concession. The power is relative to one's own body mass.

Then there is Category B) Building upon and changing those 'Hand and Foot Methods' by learning and adding in very distinct 'Torso Methods' (Shen Fa) to gain more power. At first it adds a raw, overwhelming 2nd force to the initial 1st force strike of the hand or foot, causing the opponent's body/skeleton to be moved and ideally damaged. (How the opponent was affected is fairly visible to the outside observer). Later on, via continued practice, the 'Torso Methods' are further refined and can then also be used to add-in a 3rd Penetrating force to injure the insides/ flesh of the opponent while leaving the body/skeleton relatively unmoved or still. (This is where the affect on the opponent is not visible to the outside observer).

While learning and harnessing the skills of Category (B), one should continue to only use the skills of (A) for fighting. Even after (B) is fully refined and usable in a fight, in the midst of that fight, one can still be using and changing back & forth between (A) and (B).

Category (B) Just adds another set of tools to learn how to use. A whole new arsenal of *weapons* to employ.

(On this forum all I've ever written about is the skills involved and principles that fall under Category (B) - the *'Torso Method'-based* set of skills. They're the more difficult ones to achieve, and hence rarer, but wholly usable in a fight as long as you keep some relative line of distinction, in your own mind, between the two categories.

This also makes for 2 completely different types of discussions happening on the forum, sometimes in the same thread, and a lot of confusion arises when people who only know and practice (A) don't really understand what's being written when (B) is being discussed.)

One of these 'Torso Methods', and the first one to be taught in most of the Chinese Martial Styles is called 波浪勁 Bo Lang Jin (Crashing/ Breaking Wave Power) or 浪头劲 Langtou Jin (Wave Power).

This has been casually but mistakenly referred to as a "Spinal Wave".

It's really important to know that the vertebrae of the spinal column don't actually move in a wave-like manner.

Trying to move the spinal column in a wave-like motion to generate this power and learn the 'Torso Methods' will only cause great amounts of frustration.

It's better to just think about 'Concaving' the Chest' (虚胸 Xu Xiong/涵胸 Han Xiong) *and* 'Concaving the Abdomen' (凹肚 Ao Du /收腹 Shou Fu) / *'Rounding-Out the Lumbar' by tucking the sacrum/tailbone underneath*, in a single, coordinated and harmonized movement, where then the whole back is rounded forward, and power is issued.

The metaphor to it being like a wave is because the power produced from the spine is like a seismic wave (震波 'Zhenbo') traveling through the flesh of the torso then moving out into and through the flesh of the arms and legs.

In the body there are six natural curves/ bends that can generate power - the 2 elbows, 2 knees, and 2 sections of the spine which in Chinese are called the 'Liu Gong' (Six Archer's Bows).

The Bows of the chest (thoracic) and abdomen (lumbar) are 2 separate, individual Bows until one learns to move them in unison with a single thought. "6 Bows of the body becoming 5."

波浪勁 Bo Lang Jin (Crashing/ Breaking Wave Power) aka 浪头劲 Langtou Jin (Wave Power) is the way Chinese Martial Arts 'Issue' (發 Fa) 'Power' (力 Li or 劲 Jin) using the Bow of the spine: 力由脊發 {Power comes from the spine Issuing.}

It's also more apt to look at the metaphors where the movement of the spinal column is likened to an Archer's 'Bow' in a more literal and visual manner.

Almost like if someone was standing behind you, pulling on a bowstring that's attached to the base of your neck and tailbone, then releasing the string and your spine, functioning like a leaf-spring, then 'Issues Power' (發劲 Fa Jin).

As you pull the shoulders back and 'Open' the chest (thoracic part of the spine); and pull back the sacrum from a tucked position (the lumbar curving inward); then you're 'Storing-Up Power' (蓄劲 Xu Jin): 蓄劲如开弓 {Store-up power like if one is drawing back the string of a bow.}

Then in a quick movement the sacrum tucks underneath, the shoulders move forward, the lumbar and thoracic are rounded forward, and 'Issues Power' (發劲 Fa Jin): 發劲如放箭 {Issuing power is like releasing the bowstring/ letting loose the arrow.}

杨式太极拳第二代传人杨班侯之六合劲是：“拧裹、钻翻、螺旋、崩炸、惊弹、抖擞” ~ {Second generation disciple of Yang style Taijiquan: Yang Banhou wrote: [*Describing this subject of harmonizing the physical movements of 'Storing Up' (蓄 'Xu') and 'Issuing' (發 'Fa')*] 'Pinching and Binding'; [*Like grabbing and beginning to pull the string of a bow*] 'Drilling and Overturning'; [*Still pulling back and then holding the string and arrow notched*] then 'Spiraling and Returning'. [*Is what's happening during and after the bow is releasing it's energy. This is all happening in a split-second and is like...*] 'Beng Zha' the sudden explosion when the string/tension is released; 'Jing Tan' the frightening shock of the spring releasing; and 'Dou Sou' the shaking and vibrating of the spring and string afterward.}

In Pigua Quan: 躯干开合如弓，胝胸背吞似弦，发出之力尤如离弦之无影快箭，与上下肢及躯干的起伏拧转形成调全身之力，以最快带度集中于一点的合力。 ~ {The torso opens and closes like an archer's bow. The movement of the chest and back are like the bowstring. Issuing out Power is like the arrow leaving the string. So when the four limbs moving in coordination with this up, down, twisting, and turning movements of the torso give one a whole body power which allows one to quickly produce a lot of power but focused into a single point.}