The method of the cat step1. Relax your whole body. This is crucial; if the body is not relaxed, the mind cannot be calm, and if the mind is not calm, it is difficult to perceive oneself. (Relaxation is a level and feeling achieved after practicing Tai Chi and walking; stating relaxation as the first step seems unreasonable.)2. Shift your entire weight to the left leg, preparing to step out with the right foot. The specific process is: the weight-shifting must be slow, allowing you to feel the right side becoming increasingly empty while the left side becomes increasingly solid.3. Lift the right leg. Feel the relaxation in the muscles of the right thigh and calf, with the knee having a lifting intention, and the right hip relaxed. It is as if the knee is being pulled upwards by a string.Feel the muscles of the left supporting leg relax, the joints relax; although it is a supporting leg, it should not exert any force, with the entire weight resting on the left foot, adjusting the tailbone, allowing the left foot to feel light and airy.When lifting the right leg, it must be done with strength; the source of this strength is key to our practice. If you merely lift the leg slowly and secretly exert force, it strays far from the essence of Tai Chi, which emphasizes intention over force. At this moment, it is essential to distinguish between emptiness and solidity, yin and yang; the clearer the distinction, the more stable and even your Tai Chi step will be.4. Slightly bend the left leg, relax and expand the waist and hips, and gently lift the tailbone forward and upward to send the right leg out. This is a superficial description; in reality, it results from the relaxation and sinking of the body’s energy.5. Step down. The right leg must be relaxed, with the right foot nearly parallel to the ground. Just before the foot touches the ground, the toes should lightly flick, and the heel should gently land, followed by the entire foot firmly on the ground. At the moment of stepping down, the abdomen tends to tense up, usually due to insufficient leg strength. At this time, the center of gravity should slightly shift from the left leg to the right side with the step down, ensuring that neither advancing nor retreating feels heavy. It is not the abdomen that is tense, but the waist and hips; the waist cannot move. This is due to the waist and hips not being relaxed, which is also the reason for the indistinction of emptiness and solidity underfoot.6. Shift the center of gravity to the right leg. The right leg should be completely relaxed, as if it were someone else’s leg (relaxation should be like this; if something cannot move, it does not cause concern, and when the mind is at ease, it naturally relaxes. This is my own method, welcome to borrow it). The movement of the center of gravity relies entirely on the push from the back leg. The tailbone should be slightly lifted forward. Move until the calf is vertical to the ground or the calf forms an obtuse angle with the foot. There should be a sense of support in all directions. I disagree with using the term ‘push’; it is still the result of the relaxation of the governing meridian and waist and hips. This is what Yang-style Tai Chi teaches: whenever turning, one must sink.7. Gather the steps. The right leg is the solid leg, and the left leg is retracted, with the left knee seeming to be pulled by a string. After relaxing the hips, the left leg lightly returns. For beginners in Tai Chi, focusing on the cat step is primary, with the form as a secondary focus. Mastering the cat step will make practicing the form much more effective.
The cat step consists of three stages:
1. When first practicing, do not worry too much; just ensure that the steps can be large. As a beginner, your awareness of your body is vague; try to take large steps while remaining relaxed to loosen the tendons (do not advocate for leg pressing; if you enjoy leg pressing, do it after completing the cat step or practicing the form). During the stepping process, feel your leg muscles, gradually becoming aware of where they are and practicing relaxation. I disagree with beginners taking large steps; as a beginner, the movements are not well mastered, and this can cause bodily harm. If taking large steps, it can cause even greater damage to the knees.2. After a few months, once you have some understanding of your legs, you can take smaller steps to feel the hips and relax them during the stepping process. Specific operation: take steps half a foot long or one foot long; when stepping out, the landing should resemble a slight pause, completely empty, with the center of gravity on the supporting leg, then gradually shift the center of gravity to the stepping leg. If the strength is ten, the front leg should be zero during landing, and the back leg should be ten; as the center of gravity shifts, the back leg sends a few points, and the front leg receives a few points. The front leg should always remain relaxed, even if it is in a bow stance. Simply sinking the mind will turn the front from empty to solid, retracting the back leg. At this time, the back leg should feel as if it is useless, dragging back to feel the relaxation of the back hip. The front leg should be kept as relaxed as possible, even if it is the solid leg. How long should it take to take a step? About a minute or longer, carefully feeling the subtle changes in each muscle and joint. Initially, it requires a longer time, but as you become familiar with yourself, the time will naturally decrease. You will find that taking small steps is much more tiring than the large steps practiced over the past few months. Small steps are easier to relax, and through relaxation, one sinks.3. Once you can feel the subtle changes in the hips and leg muscles, you can then take larger steps. At this time, maintain the level of the hips, the spine should be upright, and feel the role of the tailbone during stepping and gathering. The tailbone lifts the lower dantian: it is as if there is a stool beneath you that you can sit on at any time, while you are always in a state of hovering just above it.4. Whether practicing the form or walking the cat step, only by being able to reflect inwardly can you properly examine yourself; otherwise, it is no different from doing exercises. How to achieve inward reflection? My recent experience is: relax the face, to the point where you do not even want to use the strength to lift your eyelids, resembling a half-sleep state. Truly, the eyes ask the nose, the nose asks the mouth, and the mouth asks the heart, but this is merely an external appearance; in reality, your thoughts are not on the nose or mouth, but on your own skeletal muscles and joints.
Common issues with the cat step:
1. When lifting or stepping down, it is easy to lose balance on one foot: the upper body is not relaxed, and the center of gravity is too high. Relax the abdomen, and you will naturally stand steady.2. After practicing for a while, the knees start to crack: not only will they crack while walking the cat step, but some people may also experience cracking while walking or exercising daily, but without pain, this is normal. Those who crack often generally have tighter knees; some people previously could not squat down or would lift their heels when squatting, but after this, the flexibility of the legs will improve to varying degrees.3. If you usually do not sweat, even in summer or while running, but start sweating and feeling warm after just a few steps of the cat step: while practicing the cat step, the focus is on the lower body, and the upper body is easily neglected, allowing for smoother circulation of qi and blood due to relaxation. Persisting in exercise for 2-3 months, even those with weak bodies will see improvement.4. If you usually exercise but find your legs become sore and weak after just a few steps: the leg muscles trained in Tai Chi are different from those used regularly, and when the leg strength does not keep up, other muscles and the upper body become stiff in coordination, making it difficult for the legs to exert strength. The cat step requires the muscles used to work while relaxing the unused muscles; even the used muscles should be kept as relaxed as possible while in use. When supporting on one leg, the entire weight of the body rests on that leg, which is several dozen to hundreds of pounds, of course, it will be tiring. Feeling tired indicates that the movements are basically correct; if you do not feel tired, do not be complacent about your leg strength; it is likely that the upper body is not relaxed.The Tai Chi Cat Step (Part Two)In Tai Chi, there is a saying that movement is like drawing silk, and stepping is like a cat walking. The cat step is the most basic stepping method in Tai Chi, primarily for advancing and retreating, while the cloud hands step is a lateral movement. The cat step has profound meanings and varied changes, integrating fitness and combat skills; with prolonged practice, one will naturally gain insights and find joy in it.1. Stand naturally, with feet shoulder-width apart, and the center of gravity between the two feet. At this time, the tip of the nose should align with the big toe of the right foot (Dazun point), and the left shoulder (Jing point) should find the right Yongquan point (to be found from behind). Ensure that the Baihui point is also aligned with the Yongquan point, relax the hips, and allow the body’s center of gravity to be completely on the right leg, while the left leg should feel a sense of lifting. The lifting sensation mentioned here means that the left foot seems to be leaving the ground, but in intention, it should not support any weight, at most 1/10 of the weight. The tailbone has the intention of rolling forward to find the tip of the nose. From a combat perspective, the left foot should be able to move flexibly in any direction at any time while maintaining a stable center of gravity.2. Step the left foot out at a 45-degree angle to the left front. Relax and sink the energy; the heel should touch the ground first. The movement of the left foot should follow a circular arc. When the left foot leaves the ground, the ankle should have the intention of joining, and the knees should also have the intention of joining, with the entire leg relaxed and naturally hanging down, then step out to the left front at a 45-degree angle. The distance of the step should generally be one and a half times the length of your foot. The heel should touch the ground first, and the supporting leg should be stable, while the stepping leg should be light, supporting only one-tenth of the weight and able to retract at any time. The toes should hook back towards the tip of the nose, with the direction of the hook being inward; this aims to stabilize the central qi and prevent it from dispersing. At this time, the two shoulder points should drop towards the Yongquan point, maintaining balance, with the qi sinking to the Yongquan point at the foot, and the spirit lifting. Use the hair on the top of the head at the Baihui point to lead upwards (the hair is a slight part of the blood). At this moment, the entire body should be relaxed and sinking down, with only the hair at the Baihui point leading upwards. There must be yin within the body, and there must be yang; there must be a downward force, and there must be an upward lift; where there is sinking, there must be a lifting. This posture is the basic standing practice of Tai Chi, called the Chuanzi stance (here only discussing the lower limb posture).3. Transitioning the center of gravity: Intend for the Yanglingquan point of the right leg to find the Yinlingquan point of the left leg, moving downwards in an arc, gradually shifting the center of gravity to the left foot. The left foot should gradually land from the heel to the front foot, to the big toe, to the second toe, and to the third toe, with the toes slightly turned inward (the outer side of the foot facing forward). The knee should point towards the Dazun point, and the Baihui point should align with the Yongquan point. Relax the hips, with the intention of wrapping the hips forward, allowing the lower abdomen to drop onto the thigh, concentrating the entire weight on the left leg, while the right leg should feel a sense of lifting. A crucial point here is that the front leg must serve as a pivot, with the intention sinking three feet into the ground, while the back leg lifts and pushes down but does not bear weight. Relax the hips and retract the right leg, bringing the joints below the hip joint back together, and step the right foot out at a 45-degree angle to the right front. The remaining principles are the same.The gaze should be directed forward, the body should be upright, and breathing should be natural. Once the cat step is practiced proficiently, you can add upper body movements, practicing movements like the embrace knee twist step, reverse monkey chase, and grasping the sparrow’s tail.The Tai Chi Cat Step (Part Three)What is the cat walking step?Some Tai Chi enthusiasts see the phrase “stepping like a cat” in Tai Chi books and think it is merely a metaphor, meaning that when practicing the form, one should be as light and steady as a domestic or wild cat. However, in traditional Tai Chi, there is indeed a solo practice method called the cat walking step, though detailed introductions are rarely found in books and magazines.Yang Gong Chengpu stated in “On Practicing Tai Chi” that “the two legs should distinguish between emptiness and solidity, and the rising and falling should resemble a cat’s walk”; Wu Gong Yuxiang said in “Words on Striking Hands” that “stepping is like a cat walking, and using strength is like drawing silk.” Later students referred to the Tai Chi step that resembles the flexible and steady gait of felines as the “cat walking step,” or called it the “tiger step” or “Tai Chi step.”The core of the cat walking stepIn our daily walking, the front foot goes forward, and the back foot supports; only when the back foot has strength can we easily lift the front foot. However, “stepping like a cat” cannot be done this way. Tai Chi master Hao Shaoru once said: “Do not exert force when stepping out; the front foot must be firmly grounded, and the back foot should be lifted and slowly moved forward. Moreover, when the back foot is placed in front, if the center of gravity has not shifted, it should still be able to retract effortlessly.” Teacher Lin Mogen stated that the cat walking step in Tai Chi reflects the movement of the waist and hips driving the limbs’ emptiness and solidity. Although practicing the cat walking step is laborious and challenging, it can enhance the relaxed, elastic, and stable strength of the waist and legs.In traditional Yang-style Tai Chi routines, whenever stepping, the leg must first be completely relaxed, starting from the hip joint, moving to the knee joint, then to the ankle joint, and finally lifting the heel from the ground. The important mark of the “cat walking step” is that the connection from the thigh, calf, and foot should be seamless, often with the heel leaving the ground at a considerable height, while the weight of the foot sinks, and the toes remain on the ground. When the toes leave the ground, the foot naturally drops, and the step forward should first land on the heel. This represents the entire leg’s relaxation and sinking, resembling the stealthy approach of a cheetah before pouncing on its prey; similarly, the slow steps of a tiger and a domestic cat exhibit the seamless connection of their two front paws, both flexible and powerful. The phrase “stepping like a cat” rather than “stepping like a cat running” vividly and accurately depicts the imagery of Tai Chi stepping, and it is indeed a unique and ingenious creation by our Tai Chi ancestors to enlighten future generations.When a cat walks, it lifts one leg while three legs remain supporting. Humans, however, lift one leg and are left with only one leg to support. The supporting leg must be slightly bent to bear the entire weight of the body, while also paying attention to balance and coordination, which becomes even more challenging when moving slowly. As enthusiasts pursuing the martial art of Tai Chi, if one does not practice the skills of the waist and legs well, the lack of a solid foundation will limit the improvement of martial arts skills.As the Tai Chi saying goes: “The hands advance three parts, the legs advance seven parts,” which reveals the prominent position of stepping in Tai Chi. Only those with high-quality “cat walking steps” can possess high-quality forms; to have high-quality forms, one must have high-quality “cat walking steps.” Therefore, the quality of the “cat walking step” is one of the important indicators for measuring the level of routine and active push hands skills.The practice steps of the cat walking stepThe cat walking step is divided into slow practice and fast practice; generally, one should first learn the slow practice method, and once proficient, then learn the fast practice. Below are the practice steps and key points for the slow practice method of the cat walking step:Starting from a right bow stance with the right foot forward and the left foot back, first, relax the Huiyin point (referring to stepping forward, while for stepping back, relax the Yintang point, looking forward and down) and the right waist and hips, looking forward and upward. Relax from the right hip joint to the knee joint, then to the Yongquan point at the foot, with the right heel turned out at a 45-degree angle. Once the right heel, foot, and toes are firmly grounded and coordinated with the body, slowly turn the waist and hips to the right until the left heel leaves the ground.Second, relax the left shoulder; at this time, the right foot should feel even more stable. Next, relax the left groin (referring to the left and right sides of the lower abdomen, each having a downward groove), then rotate the waist and hips to the left, with the Mingmen point leading forward and the head slightly lifting. At this time, the left hip should slightly lift forward and upward, using the right hip to support the left hip, until the left Yongquan point leaves the ground.Third, let the right hip drop down, and the left hip should slide forward a bit, with the left knee relaxing slightly; at this time, the left foot should leave the ground, with only the left toes touching the ground.Fourth, gently and lightly step out with the left foot, sequentially relaxing the left hip joint, knee joint, ankle joint, and foot, with the left heel touching the ground first.Fifth, imagine drawing the weight of the right foot up to the lower dantian and then dropping it onto the left foot, transforming the right foot from solid to empty and the left foot from empty to solid, relaxing until the left Yongquan point is stable, while slightly turning the left toes inward and relaxing the left hip, forming a left bow stance that can support in all directions.The steps and key points for practicing the cat walking step in the left bow stance are the same as those for the right bow stance, except that the relevant parts are switched. Whether in the right bow stance or left bow stance, when stepping, pay attention to keeping the tailbone upright and distinguishing between emptiness and solidity, while also focusing the spirit inward. When practicing the cat walking step, grasp the feeling that the stepping foot is led by the corresponding waist and hips.Once the slow cat step is practiced proficiently, with improved quality of relaxation, lightness, and stability, you can then learn the fast practice method of the cat walking step. The fast practice method simplifies the steps based on the slow practice method, focusing on using internal energy to drive the waist and hips, with the dantian energy needing to be vigorous, and the Mingmen point bearing more force than in the slow practice. The fast practice method feels different from the slow practice; in the fast practice, the stepping foot is led by the corresponding waist and hips, meaning that the stepping foot is propelled by the internal energy of the dantian. It is worth noting that the fast practice method of the cat walking step places greater emphasis on the distinction between emptiness and solidity than the slow practice method. As Master Hao Gongyue said, “emptiness does not mean complete lack of strength; there must be internal movement, indicating a preemptive force; it is not merely occupying space,” and it should also embody the spirit of a nimble cat pouncing on a mouse. This is the inspiration for the fast practice method of the cat walking step. One should have the spirit of “head reaching for the sky, feet stepping on the yellow springs”…