The Fa Jin in karate...

[Himokiri Karate]

Been a while since I posted. My dojo venture was a flop which led me to a loss of interest and back in to boxing and I stared implementing Kung Fu training. The styles that are compatible with Korean Karate/tsd/tkd.

Now one thing I recently experienced has been Fa Jin. As a yogi, I decided to follow the old school original version which is to stick to one pose and find yourself in a trance. With it I noticed various sensations and deep relaxation before explosion.

Its still bit of a work to balance it out with boxing rhythm since its rapid punches but when I move in and out, I can explode which leads us to gyaku zuki. I am kind of curios if Karatekas studied the idea of Fa Jin?

I discovered it by accident while I have heard it before but it sounds too much like fantasy martial arts and naturally, there are different levels of fajin. Curios to know what your thoughts are about fajin?

[Zaine]

Yes, karate uses fa jin. The idea, for those not in the know, is that the practitioner is relaxed and then suddenly throws a technique with explosive power. Think of the one-inch punch as an example of this. You suddenly focus all the kinetic energy you can create from the ground up to, and out of, the fist.

I would say that a lot of two person work deals with fa jin. In my experience, the receiver of the attack remains relaxed and ready. Once the attacker throws the technique, the receiver then moves with explosive power to parry, block, or dodge that technique and issue a counter. We teach students to be relaxed because it allows them to move faster and maintains their endurance. Even in sparring, the idea is that the combatants should remain relaxed until they attack or receive. This also helps the student spar for longer periods of time, while alleviating chance of injuries.

[sensei8]

Yes, the fa jin ideology is alive and well in Karate. Being relaxed before reaching said target is vitally important. Why? if any part of the body is already tensed, then any said technique(s) is already arrested before it even begins.

Being tensed permits any telegraphic movement as well.

"Not being tense but ready. Not thinking but not dreaming. Not being set but flexible. Liberation from the uneasy sense of confinement. It is being wholly and quietly alive, aware and alert, ready for whatever may come." ~Bruce Lee

"Everything you do, if not in a relaxed state will be done at a lesser level than you are proficient. Thus, the tensed expert marksman will aim at a level less than his/her student." ~Bruce Lee

If we ignore the properties of fa jin in any MA, then the other Bruce Lee quote can't happen...

"'I' do not hit, 'it' hits all by itself." ~ Bruce Lee