Wayne, Lately I've been focusing on lightly tucking my tailbone when doing Song gong and rooting, the form. That means my stomach and other abdominal muscles get a little more exercise. And I think... That helps connect the upper and lower body. Anyway in class while doing ankle rooting I noticed what seemed an increase in the flow of peng energy. I suspect, focusing on the energy increase would be wrong and that it's probably better to keep working on keeping the tailbone lightly tucked. I was a little surprised by the increase in the flow of peng energy. And since I was so out of shape I'm wondering is that a more normal energy level? Of course the first taste of that energy level was stronger than subsequent levels but there is an increase.
chatgpt:
Key Takeaways
1. The useful change is improved alignment, not a stronger muscular tuck
有益的是結構改善，不是用力收尾閭
A very light release of the tailbone downward（尾閭微鬆下沉）can reduce excessive arching in the lower back and improve the relationship among the pelvis（骨盆）, spine（脊柱）and legs（下肢）. This may make the upper and lower body feel more connected（上下相隨）.
However, “tucking” should not become a forceful contraction of the abdominal or buttock muscles. A hard pelvic tuck can stiffen the kua（胯）, restrict breathing and weaken movement.
A better instruction is:
Let the tailbone sink naturally rather than forcibly tucking it forward.
尾閭自然下沉，不要用力前捲。
2. Mild abdominal activity is normal
腹部輕微參與是正常的
When the pelvis becomes more neutral and the spine more organized, the deep abdominal muscles（深層腹肌）may engage gently to stabilize the trunk. This is helpful if the abdomen remains elastic and breathing stays natural（呼吸自然）.
The aim is not to tighten the stomach continuously. In Song Gong（鬆功）, support and relaxation must coexist:
Supported but not rigid; relaxed but not collapsed.
有支撐而不僵，能放鬆而不塌。
3. The increased Peng feeling probably comes from better whole-body connection
掤勁增加可能來自整體連結改善
What felt like an increased “flow of Peng energy”（掤勁流動增加）may reflect several physical changes:
Better skeletal alignment（骨架排列）
Clearer transmission of ground force（地面反作用力傳遞）
Less collapse in the waist and kua（腰胯不塌）
More coordinated abdominal and spinal support（核心與脊柱協調）
Less unnecessary tension interrupting the force path（勁路較少阻塞）
Thus, the power may not actually be “more energy.” It may be the same force travelling through the body with less leakage（少漏勁）.
Peng becomes clearer when the structure connects and unnecessary tension decreases.
結構貫串、拙力減少，掤勁自然顯現。
4. Do not chase the sensation
不要追求感覺
Your suspicion is correct: concentrating on reproducing or increasing the energetic sensation can create tension and interfere with natural coordination.
Continue attending to the basic conditions:
Upright alignment（立身中正）
Tailbone released downward（尾閭鬆下）
Waist relaxed（鬆腰）
Kua open and settled（鬆胯、落胯）
Feet connected to the ground（腳底有根）
Natural breathing（呼吸自然）
Whole-body expansion（全身掤圓）
Treat the stronger Peng sensation as feedback（回饋）, not as the goal（目標）.
5. The first experience often feels unusually strong
初次體會往往特別明顯
The first clear experience of improved connection may feel powerful because it contrasts sharply with your previous movement pattern. Once the nervous system becomes familiar with it, the same level of connection may no longer feel extraordinary.
Therefore, a weaker subjective sensation does not necessarily mean the skill has disappeared. The body may simply be adapting（身體適應）.
Progress should be judged by whether:
You remain more stable under light pressure.
Force travels to the feet without local stiffness.
The arms feel supported by the body.
You can turn or step without losing Peng.
Breathing remains free.
You can repeat the result consistently.
6. It may be closer to your natural potential, but not necessarily a “normal energy level”
可能較接近自然狀態，但不宜稱為固定的正常能量
There is no universal “normal Peng-energy level.” Peng varies with alignment, relaxation, fatigue, attention, breathing and training experience.
Since you mentioned being out of shape, improved posture may have revealed strength that was already available but poorly coordinated. This is better described as recovering efficient whole-body support（恢復有效的整體支撐） rather than acquiring a mysterious new source of energy.
7. Ankle rooting must involve the whole foot and leg
踝部扎根須連結全腳與全腿
During ankle-rooting practice（腳踝扎根）, do not press rigidly into the heels or lock the ankles. The force should be distributed through the sole—heel, ball of the big toe and ball of the little toe（足底三點）—while the knees and kua remain responsive.
Rooting（扎根）does not mean becoming immovable. It means that force can pass through the body into the ground while you remain capable of changing（能沉亦能變）.
Central Conclusion
The increased Peng sensation was probably a sign of better alignment and force transmission. Continue refining the gentle downward release of the tailbone, but avoid deliberately squeezing the abdomen or forcing the pelvis into a tuck. Do not chase the sensation; cultivate the conditions that produced it.
Do not seek more Peng. Remove the tension and misalignment that prevent Peng from appearing.
不必追求更多掤勁，只須減少阻礙掤勁的僵力與錯位。
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