This might be a little out of topic, but I think this experiment could be interesting to any martial artist anyway.

1. While sitting at your desk, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles with it.

2. Now, while doing this, draw the number "6" or "9" in the air with your right hand. Your foot will change direction.

****!!!!! I hate that! [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif[/IMG] Why does that happen?

I hate it too!

[QUOTE]****!!!!! I hate that! Why does that happen?[/QUOTE]

So you can look like a goof at work any time you want. Good thing i'm in the privacy of my own home, but my foot didn't change direction. It's just a matter of coordination for some people. It doesn't mean you’re uncoordinated; just some people can't do certain things. Like rub your stomach while patting your head.

Try this one.

1. Sitting in a chair lift both feet off the floor.

2. Turn the right foot clockwise and the left foot counter clockwise.

3. With both hands in front of you turn your right hand counter clockwise and your left hand clockwise.

Or you could do it the opposite, doesn't matter as long as your respective hands and feet are moving in opposite directions. That one i can't do.

My foot didn't change direction and I didn't have any difficulties (worth mentioning) with laf's one either...
...I've said it before. but it's well worth saying again: "am I good or what!?"

;o)

I figured if anyone could do this, then you guys could... but how do the messages to your foot and hand not get mixed up? Anyone else?

but how do the messages to your foot and hand not get mixed up?

mind over hand and foot ) (and slowly enough at first so you can control hand and foot separately)

As I've said a few times already -- it's between 'FROM the mind to the body, or FROM the body to the mind'

The former causes some difficulties,initially; but the moment you can do it, it becomes the latter, and so it seems easier as it now becomes a physical and not a purely mental thing.

The former (mind to body)is the buddhist's meditation method, which is more difficult as the mind is working in isolation. The Taoist reversed it (from body to mind) and so it is "easier" when chi practice got applied to MA. That is why the Taoists have lots of physical movements in their chi gung -- to go from the body to the mind.

I agree that with some focus you can eventually perform these little experiments. I worked on mine a little, going slow at first and now it's no problem. Kinda like working through that whole structure thing, just on a much smaller scale.