Pluck or Cai (Tsai) is one of the eight essential energies. It is said, there is no “grab” in Taiji. Instead we make use of pluck or Cai.

Think of raising your hand up to an apple on a tree branch. Your fingers wrap firmly around the apple and then you allow your hand and arm to start to return to your centre. Apply ting jin (listening jin) to gauge the power of the attachment of the apple to the branch. When that attachment is stressed only then do you twist the apple and separate it from its source of grounding. That is the energy of cai or pluck.

To practice pluck, hold your left hand up around heart height with the palm facing toward you. Then shoot the right hand up, palm facing you, inside the left wrist until the hands and arms form an X.  Sink into the right kau and the body turns. When the turn has no more energy (empty) turn the right hand over the left wrist and circle the fingers of the right hand around the left wrist and pull down and to the right on a 45 degree angle. This is one form of pluck. Notice the final position of your right hand, it is not on the "opponents" wrist. Your index finger and thumb will have stopped where the "opponents hand starts to widen and your palm will be over the back of the hand. This is a good control position.

The novice might perform the above training technique and liken it to a “just a grab” but they would be losing the lesson of the “pick the apple” analogy. The beauty of the technique is in manipulating the enemy away from the source of their root in a way that is much more subtle than just a physical grab and pull. The song of Cai says "to push or pull requires only four ounces".

To properly perform pluck one must also make use of correct timing and angles, which are technique specific.

Pick up needle at the sea bottom is often sighted as a use of Cai. There are various Chin na techniques that can be used for pick up needle at the sea bottom but it is the use of Cai, which is one of "the four corners" that completes the technique.

Typical of Taiji, the power of Cai comes from Zhen Jin (whole body power), not from just pulling with the arms and shoulders. Pay specific attention to integrating the Taiji waist when perfecting the use of Cai.

Keep training and keep smiling!

Rod