Antidotes

陰陽接而變化起

The Feminine and Masculine joins, initiating changes*

是故誌意隨天地，緩急仿陰陽**

It is keeping intentionally in mind that intention shall follow Heaven and Earth, in priority imitating the Feminine and the Masculine 

所以必因射助陽選士者，所以扶助微弱而抑其強，和調陰陽，戒不虞也***

Then certainly because the best and brightest shoot to reinforce the Masculine, then helping the feeble while containing its strength, harmonising the Feminine and the Masculine, thus preventing the unexpected.

Any exercice, even if done perfectly, an anyway impossible feat, will still bear some armful effects on one's body, spirit...

炁, Taoist Propaganda

董仲君者，臨淮人也。服炁煉形，二百余歲不老。

Mr. Dong Zhong, someone from the Huai river surroundings. Taking vapours and refining his body, still young when more than two hundred years old.*

炁 is a synonym of 氣(气) sometimes used by taoists and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Back to the Centre

磨轉千遭臍不動

The millstone turns a thousand times, its pivot remains still

練藝不練腰終究藝不高

Training the art without training the waist, in the end it's a waste*

三盤一軸

One axle for three plates

The waist moves first.

Style

把勢、把勢，全憑架式。没有架式，不算把勢

Martial arts, martial arts, it is all a question of posture. No posture, no real training.

把勢 is an old way to say training martial arts.

Short Heartless Steel

肘不離肋，手不離心，起如鋼銼，落如鋼竿

The elbows do not leave the ribs, the hands do not leave the heart, raising like a steel file, dropping like an steel pole

Training long, using short.

A Connected Neck

龜縮頸，耕牛之力

The tortoise pull back its neck, the power of the ploughing ox

頂要懸

The crown of the head is suspended

A connected neck improves direction and balance.

Flexible Lower Back

坐胯，轉腰，圈襠步

Sitting the hips, twisting the waist, rounded crotch step

襠胯宜提緊，須玩兑澤之情*
Crotch and hips shall lift and keep tight, having to play in the swamp of passions 

Wiggling one's bum is the flexibility needed in one's lower backbone.

Greenish Black And Blackish Green

劍走青，刀走黑

The sword goes green, the sabre black.

Green because of the homophony with the character for light.

Sticky and Nimble Hands

手為先鋒*

Hands are the vanguard

手以心把, 心以手把**

Hands are held by the heart, the heart by the hand.

One trains the grip, not the fist.