行走坐臥皆可練拳 Practising Taijiquan Walking, Running, Sitting and Lying Down

當太極拳進入內練階段，每天練拳都要意念專注，默識揣摩怎樣將身體放得更鬆、怎樣釋放身體的重量、怎樣引發體內的能量。如認真的練習，每練一套拳，內在功夫都會增長一點。功是一點點累積的成果，並無任何捷徑。可是現今生活迫人，每個人的空餘時間都是有限。能每天抽出三、四十分鐘練拳的人已是難能可貴。按此練拳方式進步自然慢。

As one reaches the stage of internal training, daily form practice should be done with high concentration. One should also constantly reflect on better ways to relax the body, release the body weight and generate the internal energy. Done properly, every round of training will lead to the improvement of internal gong (ability). Gong is the fruit of slow and gradual accumulation. Unfortunately, with the pressure of modern day life and the decrease of free time enjoyed by most after work, those who can spare up to 30 or 40 minutes daily to do practice are admirable. However, one will only see little progress based on this time commitment.

太極拳前輩鄭曼青曾說：「行走坐臥皆可練拳。」他說得很對，我們要將太極拳生活化才能爭取多點時間練功。我乘地鐵沒有位坐時，我就利這點時間練功，用意念放鬆身體關節或將重量交替地放到一隻腳上練偏沉則隨，20分鐘車程便練20分鐘功。打電腦覺得疲倦時便用意將肩的重量往肘放，再傳至手腕，手指，做他十來次，肩上發僵的肌肉便能鬆開，又長功又保健。每要推門時，手按在門上，腕放鬆，背往後拔，不用力，只利用身體的重量放到門上
將它推開。在辦工室工作坐得太久可以將命門以下往下放，命門以上往頭頂升，虛靈頂勁與氣沉丹田同時做，可把疲勞的腰肌放鬆。其實，只要多用點心思，日常生活中很多活動都可以用來練功，而不令外人知曉，何樂而不為呢？

Zheng Manqing, a former grand master, once said, “One can practise while walking, running, sitting and lying down.” He is so right in his view. We need to turn Taijiquan practice into a form of daily life so as to maximise the training time. When I travel on the MTR that is crowded, I will do my internal training, which means I will either use my mind to loosen up my body joints or practice weight shifting from one leg to the other to improve the technique
of pian chen ze sui (flowing towards the sinking side). A 20-minute train journey will then be turned into a practice session of that length of time. At the end of a long and tiring session on the computer, one can use yi to lower the weight of the shoulders towards the elbows, further directing it to the wrists and fingers a score of times. Such practice allows the tight shoulder muscles to loosen up at the same time improving gong and enhancing health. When it comes to pushing open a door, one places a hand on the door. With a relaxed wrist and a back that is rounded towards the back without using brute force, the body weight is naturally applied towards the door causing it to open wide. If you have been sitting at your office desk for too long, you can relax and lower the part of the body that is below the ming men while raising the part above it towards the top of the head. This way, you are
effectively practising the duo technique of loosely craning the head and sinking qi to dantian, which is good for relaxing the fatigued muscles on the lower back. There are many daily activities that can unobtrusively be turnedinto training opportunities. What a waste it is if they are let go lightly!