NO.1 – Willow Wave

Number 1 – Willow Wave

Stand feet together heel to heel, toe to toe. Breath in slowly, move the right foot to the right, forming a distance equal to a shoulder width apart, feet parallel pointing to the front. As you transfer the weight onto both feet breath out, at the same time adjust the arms to form a hollow in the armpits with hands in a yang position at the side of the body. All body movements from the beginning, including breathing are synchronised.

(Slow inhalation begins) During the next sequence, the knees bend as though you are about to sit on a seat, (they should not project beyond the toes) which implies the hips are involved. (Stand in front of an upright chair and practise sitting from and upright position endeavouring to keep the back straight and witness how the hips have to bend).

As you will see from the the film the arms, elbows and hand engage in a variety of movements. As the knees bend the arms raise, the hands pivot from the wrists from yang to yin and on completion at shoulder height, they are yin. This wrist movement is probably the most difficult part to maintain consistently throughout the exercises. At the half way point when the arms are level with the lowered shoulders, is the finish of the inhalation of breath.

Now to return back to the start position, begin to exhale while lowering the arms to the front of the body with hands changing from yin to finish in the yang position in front of the body to the sides, the legs synchronising with the arms have straightened but are not locket out.

The exercise is repeated but the right arm stays static while the left repeats the same action as before by itself. I’m sorry but filming myself I started with the right. When the left returns the right starts. When the right returns is the completion of the first move.

The number of repetitions are up to you, I suggest to start with six and endeavour to raise this number to 36 over time.