第六式:美人照鏡

(減全身脂肪,鍛煉靈活轉動)

  1. 左腳踏前一步,左手半舉至面部前約一尺,五指用力伸直,手掌似一面鏡子照向自己的面門,右手伸掌以掌背貼在尾龍骨上,五指張開,用力緊貼尾龍骨,這是預備式。
  2. 開始動作時叫「一」,貼在背後尾龍骨的右手向前伸到照向面門的左掌的手腕處,兩掌手腕交加成一斜十字形,這時雙腳同時以腳尖觸地,就像軍操的向後轉的步法,當轉身的時候,右掌隨著面門而向後移動,保持「照鏡」的形態,左掌這時以掌背向尾龍骨貼緊。然後,右掌便代替了左掌成照鏡形,但人的方向則和前式相背,這是第一個動作。
  3. 將貼著尾龍骨的左掌向前搭著伸掌作照鏡形的右手腕,口中叫「二」,同時雙腳向後轉左掌又成用鏡照面的姿勢。右手則回復第一式時那樣,用掌背貼著背後的尾龍骨,便回復第一式的起首式的原狀。
  4. 第三式將右掌從尾龍骨處向前曲伸,和左掌手腕交加,左掌隨即反向背後貼著尾龍骨,雙腳向後轉,和第一式相同,口中同時叫「三」,然後用第二式的方法做第四式,共做十次。這是用掌作鏡,眼神集中於掌心,如美人照鏡時凝望鏡子,故名「美人照鏡」。

很多拳法掌法都有類似的招式,但卻沒有用掌背貼著尾龍骨的,因為武術重視自衛搏擊,不會用掌背貼著尾龍骨。「六通拳」不是拳術,只是體操運動,運用物理治療的一些原理鍛煉體魄。此式可減全身脂肪,並鍛煉身體靈活轉動,步法穩健,屬於全身運動的簡便方法。初學時可不必太用力,純熟後,手掌、手臂,轉身時,腰、馬、步,均可加把勁。

Posture 6: The Beauty Looking at the Mirror

The sixth posture of Luk Tung Kuen, known as “The Beauty Looking at the Mirror” is an exercise for both the hands and feet.

Starting position: The left foot takes a step forward. Raise the left hand to the level of the eyes with the palm facing the face. Keep the fingers straight. Thus the left hand looks like a mirror. Raise the right hand to thee back of the body with the back of the hand touching the backbone. Keep the fingers straight.

Movement 1: When count “one”, draw the right hand to the front of the body until the right wrist touch the left wrist and form a slant cross. Meanwhile raise the heels off the floor. Stand on tiptoes and turn the body slightly in a clockwise direction, draw the left hand backward until the back of the left hand touching the backbone. The right hand replace the left hand in the shape of a mirror. The position of the person is just opposite to the starting position.

Movement 2: When count “two”, draw the left hand to the front until the wrists of both hands are in the shape of a slant cross as mentioned in movement 1.

Draw the right hand to the back of the body until the back of the hand touching the backbone. Just reverse to the starting position.

Movement 3: When count “three”, repeat the same motion as mentioned in movement 1.

Movement 4: When count “four”, repeat the same movement as mentioned in movement 2.

Repeat the procedure for ten times. This posture is to form the hand in the shape of a mirror and the eyes should concentrate on the hand.

Among the various schools of Chinese boxing and exercise, there are similar postures as mentioned in posture 6. But there is no such movement as placing the hand at the backbone. It is because the other type of exercise emphasize counterattack as the method of self-defense while Luk Tung Kuen is only a gymnastic exercise by using the theory of physiotherapy to strengthen the body. By doing this posture, one can reduce one’s fat and enhance the agility of the body.

Beginners do not need to use effort at the very beginning. By the time, he or she gets used to the exercise, he or she can increase the effort.