Yezhang Drills, Setting Stake
1. In a mabu , yezhang to one side, with an upper block (jia). Turn the leading palm up, bring the rear hand to slide under it, then turn the rear arm to jia and rotate the leading palm to yezhang.
Note that the upper framing block, jia, of the yezhang can be done with a high pull up to the rear or a curved block over the head.
2. In a mabu , yezhang to alternating sides. Turn the leading palm up, bring the rear hand to slide under it, then turn the rear arm to jia and rotate the leading palm to yezhang.
3. Low yezhang rocking. In a mabu , yezhang to one side repeatedly, keeping both hands low. The front hand does the yezhang, the rear hand looks the same, but is balancing and supporting the power. This may be done with a small shifting step forward.
4. Low yazhang rocking alternating sides. In a mabu , yezhang to alternating sides. The front hand does the yezhang, the rear hand looks the same, but is balancing and supporting the power. This may be done with a small shifting step forward. Find the power deep in the lower back. This should be done casually, just letting the hands stay low.
Yezhang Drills, Moving
1. Yezhang combined with chuanzhang. Koubu, baibu, step through to chuanzhang. Turn around to the rear with a baibu, rolling through the chuan arm to settle into a mabu, turning to a high block and yezhang. You almost roll under the chuanzhang arm, so it stays up in the high extended block. In this drill, the jia is well behind the head, not in front.
2. Yezhang combined with chuanzhang. Do the same drill, but with a more random stepping pattern. Go back and forth, around, and change directions.
