This move involves both your arms doing a yin circle, one going forward while the other pulls backward, and at the same time you’re stepping backwards in the cat step.

It’s best to learn the arm movements and footwork separately then you can combine them later.

The footwork

• Start in a cat stance with your weight on your right leg, left foot in front of you.
• Bring your front foot back a small way so the toes touch the floor. Don’t bring it back as far as you can or your feet will be too far apart.
• Bring your weight back and lower your heel but don’t put too much weight on it.
• Repeat twice more so you end up with your weight on your left foot, right foot forward
• Your aim is to keep your feet parallel while you step backwards. The natural tendency is to turn the foot out when you step back. You may need to look down to begin with to correct this.

The arms

Each arm is doing the yin circle. Make sure you know this before you start. You should do as it’s an integral part of ward off, roll back, brush knee etc. But on this occasion both arms are doing the same thing but at different parts of the movement.

• Start with your left palm forward and right hand palm up at your hip.
• Rotate your left elbow in to turn your hand palm up. At the same time rotate your right elbow out to turn your hand palm down at shoulder level.
• Drop your right elbow down then push your right hand forward and pull your left hand into your left hip.
• Now repeat on the other side. Rotate left elbow out and right elbow in, sink left elbow then push left hand forward and pull right hand back.
• Repeat many times until it is smooth, effortless and you no longer have to think about it.

Putting it together

• Start with your left palm forward and right hand palm up at your hip. Your weight is on your right leg, left foot forward.
• Rotate your left elbow in to turn your hand palm up. At the same time rotate your right elbow out to turn your hand palm down at shoulder level.
• Draw your left foot back and drop your right elbow down then push your right hand forward and pull your left hand into your left hip as you bring your weight back.
• Now repeat on the other side. Rotate left elbow out and right elbow in, draw right foot back, sink left elbow then push left hand forward and pull right hand back as you bring weight back.
• Repeat until it feels natural. Then keep repeating.