soft vs. hard

[BKJ1216]

I heard these terms used on a tlc special I was watching. Basicly I want to know three things.

 

1. What are the princples of them.

 

2. Which is better?

 

3. Which one is shudokan karate.

[KickChick]

It's not a matter of which one is better.

 

Martial arts styles are categorized as either a hard or soft style. Hardstyle martial arts are direct and powerful approach to the martial arts. ... focusing on powerful kicks and strikes.

 

whereas...other martial arts take a "softer" approach . This doesn't mean they are ineffective by no means. It simply implies the application of martial arts technique in a more evasive and less direct manner. T'ai Chi is an example of a soft approach to training. Many martial artists cross train in with both hard and soft styles. An Aikido stylist is a good example of this since they stress evasive movement and the re-direction of an opponent's force, however, a strike may be applied if needed. Also soft martial art tend to stress the spiritual and physical health of its practitioners

[BKJ1216]

So is shudokan karate hard or soft?

[jiu-jitsu fighter]

its hard bkwtvrurnameis, but it might have some soft

[BKJ1216]

bkwtvrurnameis?

 

what?

[monkeygirl]

He was trying to say "whatever your name is"...

[LeaF]

I believe a balence of both hard and soft lends to perfection.

 

"Be as hard as the world forces you to be and as soft as the world allows."

[BKJ1216]

Well in case anyone wonders

 

my full name is Kenneth James Brown

 

on a form that would be

 

Brown Kenneth James

 

so i shorten that down to BKJ

 

then I add my birthday december 16

 

and that makes BKJ1216

[Kensai]

Its not a matter of hard or soft its how you apply them at any given time.

[delta1]

BKJ, the use of these terms usually refers to your response to an attack. Hard styles primarily respond to force by opposing it. Soft styles primarily yield or redirect force. A hard response to a punch might be a block. A soft response would be to move and/or parry. Hard is characterized by more linear movements, though not allways the case. Soft is generally more circular.

 

Some styles teach both more or less equally (mine is one of these). Alternating hard and soft can be an efffective fighting strategy. "Where linear ends, circular begins. And where circular ends, linear begins." This concept greatly enhances flow as well as disrupting an opponents strategy of attack.

 

The two can also be combined very effectively. A soft, redirecting defense that takes advantage of an opponents own energy and momentum to position him so that he runs into a simultaneous hard blocking strike is a potent defense.