http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWCJK3g4g-E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaKoa-uMcRc
So here are two clips for comparison. The top one is from the mainland and shows a great version of Chen style in the xiaojia tradition. The second clip is my teacher Zhou Bao-fu who is also doing a form that is from the xiaojia tradition, or at least heavily influenced by it.
The main thing that I want to point out it the way they both stick the tailbone out. The top clip shows the tailbone out in many postures. Look at 00:43 and 00:54 specifically. The butt is very clearly out. My teacher’s form also shows this, perhaps to a higher degree because his butt is bigger. 
The point is that doing the taiji this way seems correct when some people do it but not when others do it. Kind of curious when you think about it.
6 responses so far ↓
1 Casey // Nov 5, 2007 at 1:31 pm
I’ve found that as my hips and butt have gotten more flexible (which I would say has both contributed to and been contributed to by my qigong practice), sticking your butt out and slightly arching the lower back like that just starts to feel very natural. It’s like once the tightness of that area isn’t blocking the even flow of pressure/weight distribution, raising the tailbone like that begins to feel like one of the strongest and most stable ways of connecting the upper and lower bodies. I even find that just standing around casually, i tend to arch my lower back slightly more than most people.
I think this kind of position also helps prevent forward-leaning stances from becoming over-commited. However, as you say, it looks more correct when some do it as compared to others. I think the key is that high level of flexibility. If you have that it will look and feel natural, otherwise not.
2 Lu // Nov 5, 2007 at 6:43 pm
Hi,
I think that the most foundamental thing to be observed is the alignment of the body throught the gravity field and the work done from the center of the body to the limbs (extremities).
I think your master has found his balance on his particular muscular conformation of the body.
3 wujimon // Nov 5, 2007 at 9:52 pm
In my chen instruction, I was told not to fully ‘tuck’ or force the tuck of the tailbone. The point that was emphasized was to try and elongate the tailbone portion by stretching the lower back area.
As such, I’ve some some folks in which their butt does stick out a bit, but there is no curve in the lower back.
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6 David // Dec 14, 2007 at 4:15 am
In regards to the question about your tailbone sticking out. As you release and relax the pelvis, the feeling of “sitting on a chair” becomes evident. When the lumbar spine is relaxed, your tailbone will not stick out. In addition, traditional theory talks about the tantien being somewhat like a ball within the pelvis, if your pelvis tips forward (as when your tailbone sticks out), the tantien will not sit right… your center of gravity is thrown off.
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