Sink the Shoulders and Drop the Elbows in Taiji Quan – Chen Jian Zhui Zhou

All adherents of Yang Style Taiji Quan should be familiar with Yang Chengfu’s Shi Yao, or Ten Essentials.  The Ten Essentials serve as guideposts for building posture awareness and implementing Taiji Quan principles into your practice, which will aid in elevating your skill in the art. One of these ten essentials is Chen Jian Zhui Zhou.

I place Chen Jian Zhui Zhou or Sink the Shoulders and Drop the Elbows as second in importance in developing a student’s awareness of a proper posture. I believe this is essential not only in Taiji Quan but for all the other styles practiced at our school.

I believe that Chen Jian and Zhui Zhou should be studied separately so as to gain an understanding of the muscles and joints that are employed and affected in the execution of various Taiji Quan movements.

When discussing Chen Jian, Sink the Shoulders, we must begin with studying the construction of the shoulder joint. This joint is a Ball and Socket Joint, which is partially spherical and allows for many movements. Hence, when performing Taiji Quan movements we have to maintain awareness that the ball joint operates within the socket. Raising the shoulders hinders the natural function of the joint.

Furthermore, we have to become familiar with the many muscles involved in the operation of the shoulder. The Rotator Cuff Muscles allow us to raise and rotate the arms and offer support for the shoulder joint. The Rhomboid, Deltoids and Trapezius muscles are also important in the operation of the shoulder.

Taiji practitioners mostly focus on relaxing the Deltoid Muscles when relaxing the shoulder, but in fact attention should be placed on the Levator Scapulae Muscle (see diagram on the left), whose function is to elevate the shoulder blade. In Latin, “Levator” means to elevate. This superficial muscle originates in the Cervical 1 through Cervical 4 and inserts on the upper and middle border of the scapula.

Sinking the shoulders in Taiji Quan, Xingyi Quan, Bagua Zhang, Baji Quan, and other Chinese martial arts styles, imparts power to your strikes, aids in sinking the Qi to the Dantian, and promotes a stable root. This sinking energy is predominantly achieved through the relaxation of the Levator Scapulae Muscle.

In discussing Zhui Zhou, or Drop the Elbows, we must begin by studying the construction of the elbow joint. The elbow joint is largely viewed as a Hinge Joint that allows for the bending and straightening of the arm. Within this Hinge Joint there is also a Pivot Joint that allows for the rotation of the radius bone which also affects the turning of the hand. No Taiji Quan movement that involves the arm is possible without these two functions of the elbow joint.

Just as with the shoulder, we have to become familiar with the muscles that affect the function of the elbow joint. The Biceps consist of two muscles which are the primary muscles used for flexion. The Biceps are aided in this action by the Brachioradialis muscle. Flexion of the elbow allows us to bring the forearm toward the upper arm. The Brachioradialis muscle also aids in the rotation of the forearm. The Triceps consist of three muscles which are the primary muscles used as extensors. The Triceps are aided in this action by the Anconeus Muscle. The extension of the elbow allows us to straighten the arm.

Now that we have explored the function of each joint and the muscles, it is imperative to understand the reason that Sink the Shoulders and Drop the Elbows appear as a coupling in this Taiji Quan Essential. Obviously, Yang Chengfu, and Masters before him, understood that the elbows affect the shoulders. If the elbows rotate outward, it will cause the shoulders to tense and rise. So, the action of Sinking the Shoulders must be coupled with Dropping the Elbows so as to remain loose during the practice of Taiji Quan movements.

We must not forget that Taiji Quan is a martial art and that the explosive generation and use of force are an essential quality that must be cultivated. Chen Jian Zhui Zhou aids in bringing Jin (force) to your hands. Cultivate this during your practice.