From Erik Foxcroft
The article on the load-carrying ability of the Luo women and others was
fascinating
(13 January, p 38).
Another area which Norman Heglund and his colleagues might find interesting
to study is Taijiquan (T’ai Chi Ch’uan). T’ai chi exercises were
originally developed for self-defence, and include many interesting ways for the
body to store and re-release energy, although measuring these may be more
difficult than for walking and load-carrying.
Having studied T’ai chi for many years, it is quite clear to me how
inefficiently most people use their bodies. Although I now move quite
differently from the way I did when I started, my ideas about how the system
works are purely subjective. It would be nice to have a more objective basis for
understanding these techniques. Such an understanding might have benefits in
other areas, such as in designing walking robots.
I am willing to volunteer if anyone out there wants a guinea pig to
study.
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St Albans, Hertfordshire
