第十二式:蟹狀

(通頸部神經,擴胸,鍛鍊眼力)

這一式可以說集中西健身運動之大成而設計出來。凡對健身操和古今健身法有研究的人,不能不衷心佩服何琼師傅的創意。

  1. 預備式:雙手伸直十指向後拉直,開始動作時叫「一」,雙掌立即向前齊伸,掌心向地,手與肩齊,同時握拳,握拳法是姆指在掌心,其餘四指緊握姆指成拳,然後立即曲肘平放於胸前。這時左手在外,右手在內。
  2. 左拳在右手的手踭外面,約離右手踭一寸,右拳在左手踭之內約一寸,於是這兩隻手的手踭用力打出兩下,打出一下叫「二」,打出第二下叫「三」,打踭時頭向右,眼望右手的手踭,然後雙手放下,向後拉,雙手再伸向前握拳,如1的動作一樣,握拳時叫「一」,頭隨即向左,打兩下手踭時口中叫「二」和「三」,這樣左右輪流如法做,叫「三、二、三」、「四、二、三」,共做十次,至「十、二、三」止。

注意:在雙手從後向前伸時,雙眼的腳踭離地,用腳尖站地,到握雙拳向左右平衡打踭時,腳踭回復正常,雙腳平穩站在地上。

這一式是從西方的器械操中使用彈簧擴胸器的健體法和八段錦中的「拉弓」變化出來的。西方彈簧擴胸器是握住擴胸器的把手拉向左右,使胸部擴張,但這式不用擴胸器而達到胸部擴張的目的,「八段錦」的「拉弓射鵰」式則沒有雙掌向前握拳,同時又沒有提起腳踭和打空兩下頭向左望手踭,兩下右望手踭,因此西洋擴胸法沒有鍛煉眼力和頸力,「八段錦」的「拉弓射鵰」式又沒有伸展運動。即沒有雙手向前平伸,因此西洋擴胸只將胸擴張,而不能達到使頸的扁桃腺得到適當的運動,雙手平伸握掌向左右打踭,均可減背部的脂肪。

Posture 12: Crab Posture

The twelfth posture of Luk Tung Exercise is known as “Crab Posture”. This exercise is an innovation and its posture is an integration of the ideas of the East and the West. Those who are interested in doing exercise will appreciate this posture and its function.

Starting position: Raise the hands upward until they reach the level of the shoulder with the palm facing downward. Then clench the fists. The method of clenching is the same as described in posture 11. Cross the arms in front of the chest.

Movement 1: The right arm should be about on inch away from the chest and the left arm should be one inch away from the right arm. In simplified terms, the two arms are parallel with each other. In this way, the two arms are like two claws of a crab. Stretch the arms with effort to the sides at shoulder level. Keep the elbows straight. When stretch out the left arm, count “two”, then the right arm and count “three”. When stretching out, turn the head to the left with the eye looking at the left. When finished, return to the starting position. Repeat the same movement and when stretching out, turn the head to the right. Repeat the same procedure for ten times.

Note: When raising the two arms upward, heels should be off the ground. Stand on tiptoes. When stretching out both arms sideward, heels down.

Other exercises depend on using chest expander to do exercises. “Drawing Bow” posture of Ba Duan Jin (Eight Fine Exercises, 八段錦) has similar posture. Luk Tung Kuen is the combination of both. Other exercises usually rely on using chest expander or other apparatus to achieve the result of expanding the chest. But there is no need for us to use any apparatus in doing this exercise. In the posture of “Drawing a Bow Towards Both Sides Resembles Shooting an Eagle” in Ba Duan Jin (Eight Fine Exercise, 八段錦), there is no such movement as clenching the fists, the rising up of heels, the stretching out of both arms outward and the turning of the head. Therefore, the chest-expanding exercise has no exercise for the eyes and the neck. Ba Duan Jin has no stretching exercise. Since there is no such movement as raising up the arms forward until they reach the level of the shoulder, therefore other exercises can only strengthen the chest while this exercise can strengthen the tonsil as well. The stretching out of both arms can also reduce the fat of the lung.