Waveforms, Ballistic hand movements, Russell Stutely...

[ps1]

What do you mean when you say "straining the muscles?" Are you talking about being too tense when striking?

Yes, I am talking about being too tense. most external styles as are taught to move around while being soft and to tense up when striking back at the opponent. Breathing is taught a certain way too when practising external martial arts.

This is just a plain misconception. While I'll agree that breathing is taught differently from system to system, being tense while striking is not. If someone is tense while striking, they are just not a very skilled practitioner. Even in Shotokan, which is among the more linear of karate systems, relaxation is stressed. The only point of tension should be at impact, at which time just enough tension to maintain your strike/prevent injury to the wrist/elbow/shoulder ect... should be maintained. This is the same as in chuan fa. A huge difference in chaun fa striking is that we depended more on number of strikes at various angles as opposed to one or two definitive blows. Don't let people fool you into thinking that one martial art is super tense while others are not. People who tell you that are usually either inexperienced at the other martial arts or just trying to get into your pocket book.

I will say I do like how you describe the meditative state. You speak more toward a type of moving zen as opposed to a strict mediatation. I do agree with that. It's kinda like being "in the zone" in sports. You reach a point where you don't really think of your actions, they just happen. That's always an awesome feeling. Of course, I usually don't realize it's happening at the time...I usually realize afterward. I think mediation is supposed to help you control these moments and make them more frequent however. Like I said before though, I don't do much mediation though. So I can't speak to its effectiveness beyond a relaxation tool.

[TigerDude]

Well, I found a video where Stutely uses his hips to throw a good punch. Not very revolutionary.

Maybe I'm missing something?

[Kajukenbopr]

What do you mean when you say "straining the muscles?" Are you talking about being too tense when striking?

Yes, I am talking about being too tense. most external styles as are taught to move around while being soft and to tense up when striking back at the opponent. Breathing is taught a certain way too when practising external martial arts.

This is just a plain misconception. While I'll agree that breathing is taught differently from system to system, being tense while striking is not. If someone is tense while striking, they are just not a very skilled practitioner. Even in Shotokan, which is among the more linear of karate systems, relaxation is stressed. The only point of tension should be at impact, at which time just enough tension to maintain your strike/prevent injury to the wrist/elbow/shoulder ect... should be maintained. This is the same as in chuan fa. A huge difference in chaun fa striking is that we depended more on number of strikes at various angles as opposed to one or two definitive blows. Don't let people fool you into thinking that one martial art is super tense while others are not. People who tell you that are usually either inexperienced at the other martial arts or just trying to get into your pocket book.

I will say I do like how you describe the meditative state. You speak more toward a type of moving zen as opposed to a strict mediatation. I do agree with that. It's kinda like being "in the zone" in sports. You reach a point where you don't really think of your actions, they just happen. That's always an awesome feeling. Of course, I usually don't realize it's happening at the time...I usually realize afterward. I think mediation is supposed to help you control these moments and make them more frequent however. Like I said before though, I don't do much mediation though. So I can't speak to its effectiveness beyond a relaxation tool.

the mechanics are still different- take for example a bagua strike- the muscles in the arms are secondary, and they do not tense. the legs are rooted but loose, the torso muscles do not tense up with a strike, nor does a hard exhalation come with striking or kicking.

I Study Kajukenbo full time- I know what Chuan Fa is, and the way it is taught, your arm mucles should be tense while striking, you push out your breathing with strikes forcibly, the leg positions train the legs to be in tension throughout the technique to ensure explosiveness and resistance against strikes.

I'm not saying one is definitely better than the other. I think a happy medium is better.

As for meditation, it is helpful to meditate once in a while so the mind can take a rest, even better when you are into ur martial arts- you learn to be in the moment, but your mind doesnt suffer from nervous shocks as much.

It is specially easy if you can take some time to think about areas in your body or thoughts that are affecting you: sore mucles- body / sadness or stress- mind. what you do is you dont just linger in these thoughts, but you find a way to alleviate the symptoms- you relax the muscles, you let go of your worries.

[Kajukenbopr]

Even a thrust can be circular though, same as a slash be linear.

At this point, you are splitting hairs, and negating the points of your own arguement as to internal/external/hard/soft.

However, I don't think your statement holds to be true. The thrust would liken to the hard, external straight strikes of TKD, Karate, etc. The cuts would liken to the soft, linear strikes of the Kung Fu, Aikido types.

Also, I would like to say that I don't view a slash, or cut, as a "soft" style of strike. Perhaps a parry would be, but I don't think a slash would be.

you know me, anything to keep an argument going

there's always been leaks between styles. That is my very point of this discussion: a Karate guy(external) teaching Internal mechanics to his students.

Guess he got tired of trying to figure it all out for himself- decided to make it easy on his students too

[bushido_man96]

I don't think "internalness" would necessarily have to relate to a style in particular. Anyone can study Chinese medicine. Once having studied it, you could put its methods into practice in anything that you do. So, if a Karate guy studied Chinese medicine, and then taught its internal practices to his Karate students, then they get an "internal" facet of the Martial Arts.

[ps1]

the mechanics are still different- take for example a bagua strike- the muscles in the arms are secondary, and they do not tense. the legs are rooted but loose, the torso muscles do not tense up with a strike, nor does a hard exhalation come with striking or kicking.

I Study Kajukenbo full time- I know what Chuan Fa is, and the way it is taught, your arm mucles should be tense while striking, you push out your breathing with strikes forcibly, the leg positions train the legs to be in tension throughout the technique to ensure explosiveness and resistance against strikes.

Again, the "tension" of the arms in any strike should be as minimal as possible. That goes for karate, bagua, boxing, and every other style I've seen. It is, however, impossible to have no tension, as muscles are what cause movement and stability and the ONLY thing a muscle can do is contract. The lenthening of a muscle is cause by the contraction of the antagonistic muscle. Contraction or "tension" of some sort is inevitable.

As far as knowing what Chuan Fa is...that means you know the term is as generic as saying Karate, Silat, or Tae Kwon Do. Chuan Fa (aka: kung fu) just refers to that blanket of martial arts and there are literally hundreds of styles. I use that term because when I say "Poekoelan Tjimindie-Teii" no one knows what the heck I'm talking about. Your brief description of a chuan fa strike tells me you haven't had exposure to poekoelan. Perhaps your exposure has been in another system, but poekoelan is an extremely flowing system. Very soft style.

I'm not saying one is definitely better than the other. I think a happy medium is better.

Couldn't agree more:)

As far as meditation...

It is specially easy if you can take some time to think about areas in your body or thoughts that are affecting you: sore mucles- body / sadness or stress- mind. what you do is you dont just linger in these thoughts, but you find a way to alleviate the symptoms- you relax the muscles, you let go of your worries.

In atheletics we call this progressive muscle relaxation. You're right, it's extremely effective and usually enhances performance. You literally focus on relaxing each muscle of the body, one at time. It's great!