Breathing and martial arts have a long history together. From the simple act of exhaling while delivering a punch, to elaborate systems of breathwork that enhance the body-mind-spirit, breathing is a critical component of any physical activity and is the foundation of all physiological processes in the body.  In this article we will explore some aspects of breathing and breathwork that are directly and indirectly associated with martial arts. It will discuss how prolonged training in breathwork can lead to some amazing results as it allows you to develop as a martial artist – and as a human being.

What is Breath?

From a physiological perspective, breath is the critical activity that catalyzes all other life-supporting functions in the human body. Without breath, the infusion of oxygen into the blood stream – which then nourishes and powers all the cells of the body – does not occur. Truly breath is one of the essential building blocks of human life, along with water and nourishment. Breathing, however, is the only critical support system of human life that we have conscious control over; we have no direct voluntary control over the beating of our heart or the function of our nervous system or digestive system.  Breath is unique in this regard.

From a metaphysical view, breathing is our direct and constant connection to the external world around us. With each breath we take, we are ingesting the environment in our immediate vicinity.  We are – literally – absorbing and melding with the invisible, subtle energies of the world in which we are blessed to exist. From a spiritual perspective, scriptures speak of the breath as coming directly from God – or representing a power of God.

Personally, I have come to learn that breathing and breathwork are a huge gift to Man. The two breath systems that I have studied in earnest are Taoist techniques (i.e. Taiji and Qi Gong) and Systema; I am aware there are many others. There are a large number of similarities and also many differences between these two phenomenal breathing practices.  I have had some deeply powerful and profound experiences as a result of doing these techniques over the years.  The question that I have been asked many times is “Which one is better?”. I cannot answer that question. And even if I could, it would only be my unique perspective about the subject. What I can say without hesitation is that they both work. As with any skill, proper practice and correct teaching are critical for a student to succeed and progress.  I know that many people dismiss Qi Gong automatically because of its esoteric and seemingly bizarre exercises (for the record, I agree that some of the exercises do seem a bit bizarre).  But I have focused most of my practice in Qi Gong on two core sets of techniques, both very simple in form and function.  And I have had some awesome “break-through” moments by practicing in this manner.

Regarding Systema breathing – where do I begin? Breathwork is so integral to Systema that you cannot truly discuss one without the other.  As a reminder, “Systema” (or CИCTEMA in Russian) means “The System”.  It is that simple and that profound. The System is much more than martial arts practices – it is a “system” for the complete evolution of a human being.  As Vladimir Vasiliev, the foremost teacher of Systema outside of Russia, sometimes says “It just so happens that Systema is a martial art.” – hinting at the multiple layers to be discovered by practicing this art.

Breath training in Systema begins with some basic physical exercises performed with proper breathing. The objective is not to do “more” of any given exercise, but to let the breath lead and power the exercise.  When practiced in this manner, you begin to become much more attuned to how your body functions and responds to certain variables.  One of the the things that most people quickly realize is how much tension is held in the body under normal circumstances.  Proper breathing helps to identify and dissipate this tension – whether you are exercising or just sitting at your desk. Relaxation is so important to Systema – and to life in general.  I never realized just how much tension – physically, emotionally, mentally – even spiritually – I was carrying around with me until I started doing the Systema breathing exercises.

As you continue with Systema breathing over time, you should experience break-through moments.  Things like being able to physically perform a movement that used to be very difficult for you; or realizing your strength or endurance have increased without any overt changes to your muscularity; or you notice you are just more relaxed and peaceful throughout the day.  As more time goes by, and the breathing becomes a part of you, this is when – in my opinion – real progress in the practice of Systema becomes possible. Coincidentally, you will also notice that this is when you find more and more things in life become easier – or you discover some things are more important to you than you realized, while others are not so important any more.  Slowly, while you weren’t really watching what was happening, the breath training has been transforming you from the inside out.

Remember, the single most important concept of Systema breathing (or any breathing system that I have seen) is to obtain a true state ofrelaxation.  Relaxation does not mean limp, or sleepy, or dazed.  True relaxation allows the human body, mind and spirit to function at its highest levels.  The hard part is to fully grasp this concept – and then apply it.  In fact, mentally understanding the idea of relaxation is actually pretty easy.  Applying it is much harder (for most of us).  And then you need to apply it when it matters most: i.e. during a high-stress situation.  As martial artists, we often jump to combat as a high-stress situation – and it is.  But Systema breathing is applicable to all areas of life where stress can be involved.

On that note, in fact, here is a personal experience with breathing that most likely saved other lives, as well as my own: Systema Breathwork Article

Once you reach the point where you don’t have to “work” for the relaxation you get from breathing, this is when your movements, your thoughts, your intentions all flow naturally and you experience a deeper meaning in almost everything you do or observe. The wonderful thing about System breathing is there is always another level or layer to explore, no matter how long you have trained or how far you have advanced.  And wherever you are at this moment is still fulfilling because you are still learning – mostly about yourself.  And that really is the end goal of training in Systema.

I am truly grateful for having found Systema and the breathing techniques that it teaches. I know it has changed my life in many ways.  The only regret I have is I wish I had discovered it sooner…

To be a complete martial artist requires the practitioner to develop skills in a number of focus areas.  This article will present those areas and discuss the important details of each.

The vital areas of knowledge for a complete martial artist include:

1. Footwork
2. Strikes
3. Rolls and Falls
4. Joint-locks
5. Nerve and Pressure points
6. Counters and Blocks
7. Blending and Yielding
8. Takedowns and Throws
9. Groundfighting
10. Body Mechanics
11. Breath Work
12. Energy Work
13. Spiritual Work

I believe this to be a comprehensive listing gathered from over 22 years of training in both internal and external martial arts.  The terminology is mine and the finer points may be arguable as far as the taxonomy is concerned; but I hope to present in the balance of this document my thoughts about each of these areas so that all are more fully understood.  As always, I make the assumption that this discussion on martial arts is in the context of actual combat and not competitive fighting – although most of this article should apply to either.

Footwork

Footwork may be the single most important tool in any martial artist’s arsenal.  There are numerous aspects of footwork for the martial artist; the most important being the ability to maintain a solid base at all times – especially when moving.  Footwork also has so much to do with the delivery of strikes and generation of true power.  Footwork should be natural and not too complex; complex footwork leads to confusion in a conflict and this is not a good thing.  Tripping over your own feet or getting them entangled will usually leave you in a very vulnerable position.

Proper usage of the feet also directly applies to your tactical strategies.  It may seem like something taken for granted, but training the legs to move in specific ways for specific situations is often neglected and very much needed. But the fundamentals are also just as important: width of stance, proper weighting of stance, orientation of stance, etc. Then there are the movements: the shuffle, slide, glide, pivot, etc. All of these elements of footwork must be mastered.  In my experience, JKD, Silat and Aikido foster outstanding absorption of offensive and defensive footwork movements; T’ai Chi and Bagua create an excellent sense of balance and overall leg conditioning as relevant to martial arts.  Also, any weapons training reinforces the significance and necessity for effective footwork – in fact, weapons training can be one of the best ways to get your footwork skills to where they need to be.  The extra distances and the vectors of attack/defense involved in weapons training makes you move those feet where they need to be with a higher degree of urgency – a stick or blade coming at your head should clearly motivate you to move. To cite a specific system: the unique movements in kenjutsu cannot be acquired with any other type of training. It is almost a disservice to single out the footwork in kenjutsu, because more so than any other system (in this author’s experience), kenjutsu strives for entire body coordination and harmonious movement.  But over time, one clearly picks up a unique method of movement of the feet, legs and hips from kenjutsu which gives the practitioner an amazingly efficient way to gather and release force in any movement with or without the sword.

Although there are some contradictions between some systems about proper footwork, there is no doubt that all systems place a heavy emphasis on moving the feet correctly. Explore these different perspectives and determine what works best for you individually.

Strikes

Strikes are any part of the body used to direct a percussive blow against the opponent.  Strikes include fists, open palms, “chops”, slaps, finger jabs, knuckles, claws, forearms, elbows, shoulders, kicks, knees, head-butts and even hip strikes – anything that uses a part of the body as a force-driven contact object.  A comprehensive striking regimen is a must for a martial artist.  Knowing the different types of strikes that can be delivered from all the various angles and using all body parts provides the practitioner a constant wealth of alternatives.  Limiting oneself to only a few types of strikes is limiting oneself as a complete martial artist, and may prove to be costly in a conflict situation.

Along with knowing the types of strikes to deliver is knowing where to deliver them.  We will discuss this more in the “Nerve and Pressure Points” section of this article.

Lastly, how the strike is delivered is very important.  Although it may seem pretty straight forward when talking about a punch or any other strike (you just hit the guy, right?) there are many nuances, both physical and mental, about striking that should be studied and absorbed.  What is the real difference between a reverse punch in karate and a very similar looking punch in tai chi chuan? There is a huge difference, by the way; not better, not worse – just different.  And the strikes in Systema are different than all other types of strikes I have come across.

Rolls and Falls

Knowing how to fall is hugely important.  And I am not talking about how to take an Aikido or Judo type of break-fall – try that on the street and see how much it hurts.  A fall must be as soft as possible.  Slapping the floor is also not a good idea – concrete and blacktop are pretty solid – you may wind up breaking your hand, wrist or elbow – or dislocating a shoulder.  Falling and rolling properly actually takes a lot of practice.  There is also the tactical aspect to consider – what if you are fortunate enough to have a weapon in your possession during a conflict – and if you take a fall you almost certainly do not want to lose possession of that weapon.  Knowing how to do this is a must.  Also – rolls can be used offensively as an element of surprise, closing the distance quickly, or other tactical purpose.  Additionally, proper rolling practice makes you more limber, relaxed, confident and versatile as a martial artist and helps remove the fear of going to the ground.  The best training for rolls and falls I have ever seen is in Systema.

Joint-locks

Joint-locks and other joint manipulations are an extremely important and sometimes overlooked area of a martial artist’s training regimen.  The argument against them is they are complex and require use of fine motor skills – fine motor skills deteriorate under stress (if the individual does not know how to operate under stress properly), so this is why many practitioners do not focus on joint-locks.  The argument for joint-locks is that they offer a large degree of control over the opponent if applied correctly and in the proper scenario.  Equally important to understand is that almost every joint-lock can easily evolve into a break, dislocation or other serious injury.  The “lock” portion is an attempt at control first – if control is not possible or even desired – then the full execution of the technique is applied to affect the more serious damage.  Diligent practice with joint locks will give you an outstanding set of weapons at your disposal.

Aikido/Aiki jujutsu, Silat and BJJ all have an excellent array of joint-locks. Of course, so do many other systems – I am listing those I have direct experience with.

Nerve and Pressure Points

Knowing how to strike and how to apply a joint-lock is a fundamental skill.  Knowing where and when to apply these tools is equally as important.  There is an entire series of nerve points, acu-points, pressure points and energy channels that a martial artist should be completely fluent with.  Delivering a strike or manipulation to these vital areas can be the difference between ending a confrontation quickly and effectively and a prolonged conflict.  Very few systems teach a comprehensive curriculum specific to these points and channels.  The wise practitioner will explore this area thoroughly.  Of course, the challenge here is actually finding a system/teacher who can pass on this material.  There are few who can and even fewer who are willing to share this knowledge. A dedicated student can learn much of this on his own, but will take many years to fully comprehend this area.

Counters and Blocks

A basic set of defensive skills is the ability to counter and/or block strikes coming at you.  A block is an obstruction of the incoming strike and a counter is usually a simultaneous or fastly-followed block and attack.  What is essential to know about blocks and counters is – obviously – how to properly use them against the proper strikes.  More important, however, is being able to use the counters and blocks as setups for your next movement of set of movements.  This is one of the areas where the “art” of martial arts takes form.

Blending and Yielding

This area is almost an exclusive domain of the so-called “internal” martial arts such as Aikido/Aiki Jujutsu, T’ai Chi and Bagua Zhang.  It can – and should – apply to any martial art practitioner.  The Russian martial art of Systema uses blending and yielding extensively.  Blending is the ability to work with your opponent’s energy vectors and either direct them back into him or intercept them at critical leverage points and instances of time.  It can have devastating affects when applied properly.  Yielding is more focused on a “rubber band” type of reaction to an attack: i.e. accept the incoming attack, but do not contest for the space of the strike – give in just enough to neutralize the attack.  Then, at the correct moment, spring back the force of the attack into the attacker.  This springing back can be as simple as a shove or as deadly as a lethal strike to a vital area.

Circular, spiraling movements are often a characteristic of these techniques and principles, but not 100% of the time.

The subtle aspects of these types of movements can manifest as purely outward or more inward focused actions; the same principles of action and reaction apply, however. This type of functionality requires exceptional sensitivity and timing.

Takedowns and Throws

This section is closely related to Joint-locks and Body Mechanics.  What makes it stand on its own is that it deals specifically with taking an opponent to the ground.  Joint-locks often lead to a takedown or a throw, but not always.  And not every throw is a joint-lock.  A solid understanding and application of the principles of Body Mechanics will make takedowns and throws easier, but one can apply the principles of Body Mechanics without actually performing a takedown.  So, knowing how to get an opponent on the ground covers a broad spectrum – from a simple trip or leg sweep to a complex hip or shoulder throw – the well-rounded martial artist will possess these skills.

Groundfighting

Grappling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Wrestling, etc.  I summarized them all into ground fighting.  In modern context, much of this area is covered within the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu styles of fighting and is very closely aligned with competitive fighting such as UFC® and Pride® FC matches.  For a more practical application of this area of combat, we consider being on the ground a “bad thing” and will utilize more severe combat-oriented tactics when considering groundwork.  Today’s competitive fights are extremely rigorous and the participants are outstanding fighters, but I believe in more of a “street” or “bush” context.  If someone goes to take me to the ground, I will go for vital points that are considered illegal in competitive fights – I want things ended asap.  This is why training in MMA is (in my humble opinion) detrimental to success in actual combat.  You fight as you train, and if you train in MMA, you will not consider these vital points.  If you are a good MMA groundfighter, you may even desire to be taken to the ground – out on the street, this is not where you want to be – your opponent may have a few friends around the corner or in the car that you didn’t count on.  Sure, you may apply an arm-bar and break his arm, but now you may be getting your head stomped in.  So, our approach to groundfighting is to go there only if you absolutely must – and then end it and get back up as quickly as you can.  Eyes, neck, nose, fingers and other areas are all fair game.  Of course, with all that I have already stated, I wholeheartedly believe in knowing how to apply an arm-bar (from many different entries) or a triangle, chokes, leg locks, etc.  What I encourage is the spirit of the training on the ground being geared towards the street, not the ring.

Body Mechanics

This is a very common sense topic area, but one that needs to be fully absorbed – through practice – to be fully understood. If there is one maxim in the martial arts that virtually every practitioner knows, it is “the body goes where the head goes”.  There are also numerous other equally effective applications of body mechanics that allow a practitioner to manipulate an opponent in a way that is advantageous to you and dangerous for him.  Using the elbows and biceps as steering wheels, detecting balance points in the opponent’s stance, destroying the center of gravity, etc. – as well as understanding the basic anatomy and kinesiology of how the body functions. These are just some of the very important topics covered within this area of study.  In my opinion, this is one of the most important areas of study for a martial artist.

One of the most practical areas of knowledge in this area is what I call the “Five Balance Points”.  Essentially there are five areas on the body where you can attain a high degree of control over your opponent – with or without applied locks or holds. Those areas are:

• Head
• Arms
• Hips
• Knees
• Ankles

Applying pressure or even strikes at the correct angles and amount of force on these body parts will allow you to pretty much move your opponent where you want.  Learn these techniques and the principles behind them and you have a huge advantage.

Another very important topic here is one that is often expressed using geometric shapes; the two most important shapes being the Triangle and the Circle.  The triangle is used to communicate both offensive and defensive concepts in many systems, including Aikido/Aiki jujuts, Kali, Silat. A quick example of one of these concepts that relates to body mechanics is the triangle and the weak-point-base of the body.  Any stance someone takes has a weak point by making a triangle straight outward or backward using the feet as two points of the triangle. The third point is the imaginary intersecting line in front of or behind the person.  If you can direct your opponent’s balance or a significant body part towards that triangle point, you will almost always gain a tactical advantage. There are many other cases of using geometric shapes to communicate principles and techniques in body mechanics – explore them and absorb them all.

Breath Work

I cannot overemphasize how important breath-work is to martial arts practice and execution.  T’ai Chi and Systema are fundamentally built upon breath training. Karate and other Japanese budo arts employ the kiai as a major element of training and application.  In non-martial circles such as hatha yoga, breathwork (called pranayama) is a keystone of attaining higher states of consciousness.

In this author’s opinion, the breath is the doorway to phenomenon.  Exactly what and how that phenomenon manifests for each practitioner will vary according to many factors.  But the most amazing incidents I have seen have all been rooted in a concentration of the breath.  I practice a union of breathwork principles that I have learned primarily from Tai Chi/Qi Kung and Russian Systema .  Each of these systems has a very powerful system of breathing that will enhance one’s abilities.  Merging – well, not exactly merging them – but, rather, mixing the breath techniques from both of these traditions has brought an even higher level of awareness, power, connectedness (within and without) and health.  Another example of “absorbing what is useful…”.  Note – I have not picked specific things from each system and attempted to develop a new one; by mixing, I mean that I practice and teach both complete systems simultaneously, and the cumulative effect is outstanding. It’s like using the confusion and pre-exhaustion principles in weight training; both are very effective and valid on their own.  But many lifters combine both concepts into their training to attain greater achievements.  The same applies with this description of breathwork.

At the very least you should explore breathwork for recovery purposes.  Doing breath related exercises will greatly enhance your body’s recovery from strenuous workouts and keep your body loose, limber and resilient over time.  At the other extreme, breathwork can lead to another plane of functionality that borders on the fantastic.

Energy Work

This is an interesting topic. Energy means different things to different people – it is also true in martial arts circles. The definition of energy in the context of this article will be centered on what is known as “chi”.  Chi is also called ki, qi and prana. Chi is often regarded as a mystical phenomenon, and is often discounted by many martial artists and non-martial artists as being impractical or even nonexistent. I can say with complete confidence that chi is real and it can be developed and utilized just like you can develop and utilize your physical attributes such as muscular strength, endurance and flexibility.  All it takes is proper training and practice – the hard part is finding a qualified teacher; there are many supposedly qualified T’ai Chi and Chi Kung instructors available today – many do not have the skill, talent and ability to teach this subtle topic. But enough on this – we will assume chi is a real phenomenon and it can be developed.

So, what are the reasons for developing chi? There are many, but we will discuss a few of them here.  First, increased health is perhaps the primary reason for developing your chi. Most chi developing exercises have a beneficial supplementary feedback loop contained within them, so that as you are performing the exercises to circulate the chi, you are also simultaneously amplifying it – even if just a little. The exercises help develop outward physical characteristics that are important, and the chi is also stimulated – both leading to a more healthy overall state of being.  Training the chi also creates a deep mind-body connection, since development of the chi is dependent upon proper use of mind and body.  The practitioner truly becomes intimate with his/her own internal body functions, rhythms and structure.  Having this type of fluency with one’s own system allows the practitioner to detect subtle inconsistencies and potential negative points within the body – often called “blockages”.

A strongly developed chi can have major martial applications, including enhanced perception, more powerful strikes, the ability to “root” (i.e. become very difficult to move and/or draw strength from the ground) and – at advanced levels – to release energy within your strikes (often called fajin in Taijiquan).

In Tai Chi/Taiji practice there is a phrase: ” Yi Qi Shen”. “Yi” signifies the will or intention.  Yi will direct the Qi appropriately throughout the body through correct practice over time.  As the Qi is developed, stored, amplified and refined – it will eventually evolve into pure spirit – Shen – which is the highest goal of a Taiji practitioner. Now – spirit in the Chinese context has many meanings; the point here is that at some point in time, after diligent practice of Taiji, the stored and refined Qi will take the practitioner to another level of consciousness.

And this is a nice segue into our next topic…

Spiritual Work

To be a complete martial artist requires development of the spirit.  A true warrior must possess the skills and character traits of reason, honor, integrity and right-action as well as compassion and loyalty.  This is acquired through development of the spirit.  Also, authentic spiritual practices will aid all other aspects of a practitioner’s skills – especially the Energy Work area.  By spiritual practices, I am referring to meditation, spiritual rituals (of whatever form the practitioner chooses – we are not talking religion here), and a fundamental awareness of, and a dedication towards development/evolution of, the Soul.  The Soul is our gift from God and we owe it to ourselves and to God to develop our spirit and become as close to God as we can in this life.  If I offend anyone with the term God, so be it. I do not wish to be false – I believe strongly in God and that is part of who I am.  I will not impose my beliefs on anyone at anytime, however.  I am merely stating that to be a truly complete martial artist – or human being for that matter – requires work in this area.

The benefits can be astounding, both in the most practical applications as well as the most mystical and phenomenal aspects of our lives.  I will not elaborate in great detail on this topic, because it is often highly personal and specific to each individual. But I have had enough of my own experiences to say that my spiritual beliefs and practices have made me a better, happier and more fulfilled person, and I am grateful to say so.

A New Paradigm for Internal and External Martial Arts

Internal vs. External – The Rift

I became acutely aware of the rift between the internal and external martial arts about four years ago (2004) – I am certain it has existed long before my meager powers of observation detected it. It appears to still be in full effect today.

Over the last 22 years, I have studied both so-called “internal” and “external” systems of many flavors. I have long subscribed to the philosophy that Bruce Lee made famous – i.e. the “Absorb what is useful…” philosophy. But one day it just hit me: no one – at least in my searching – had used this philosophy to overtly embrace both the internal and external martial arts. It seems that internal martial artists stick to the internal systems and external martial artists do the same with external systems. (Exactly what makes a system internal or external, we will discuss shortly.) Each side of this rift wants to experience many different systems and incorporate them into their overall repertoire. An external practitioner may train in three, four, five or more systems – but they will all be clearly external. The same condition exists for internal practitioners – most begin with T’ai Chi, and if they then wish to explore the full martial path of the internal arts, they branch out to Hsing-I and perhaps Ba Gua; in rare situations, some will include Aikido. Clearly the choices on the internal side are limited. The reasons for this apparent prejudice are mostly based on perceptions, motivations, expectations, and – within the limited martial arts community – cultural bias. By cultural bias, I am not referring to any specific nationality, ethnicity, race, etc. – I am speaking about the behavior and attitudes of martial arts practitioners. In this article we will explore these topics and the background information necessary to fully understand them. This article will also propose some new and interesting ideas that will hopefully add to the creative evolution of the martial arts.

This article will discuss the following topics:

• Definition and description of internal and external
• The current landscape of martial arts training philosophies
• Some of the reasons for the rift between internal and external systems
• A more correct definition of the terms “internal” and “external”: i.e. principle-based and technique-based, respectively
• Why a martial artist should explore both principle-based and technique-based systems

Historical Significance of Internal and External

Let’s break this down into two parts: 1) the historical origins of the labels “internal” and “external” martial art – and 2) what these systems really are – regardless of the historical origins of the label – in a modern context. Here we go:

Historical context of the labels internal and external martial art: The terms “internal” and “external” as applicable to martial arts originated in China. In China’s vast panoply of martial arts systems, there are two major categories: Shaolin gong fu (and all its descendants) and Wudang martial arts. Out of all the Chinese martial arts systems, there are only three martial arts that are considered original internal arts: Taijiquan (T’ai Chi Ch’uan), Pa Kua (Ba Gua) and Xingyi (Hsing-I). [Note: The names of the martial arts systems used in this sentence that appear in parentheses use the Wade-Giles version of Romanized Chinese words. Those not in parentheses are in the Pinyin version of Romanized words.] The reason they are considered internal is because these arts originated from within native Chinese Taoist temples in Wudang. I.e. – they are internal to China. All other Chinese gong fu systems can trace their origins to the Shaolin Temple. Tracing the history of the Shaolin Temple and the martial arts that evolved from this Buddhist temple reveals the fact that an Indian monk – Bodhidharma (Da Mo in Chinese) – came to the Shaolin Temple and brought with him the exercises he learned as a member of the Indian Kshatriya warrior class, which he then taught to the Buddhist monks at Shaolin. These original exercises, I am sure, bare little resemblance to what became known as Shaolin gong fu – but this is where and how they originated. “So what?” you may ask. Here’s the point: since Bodhidharma was a non-Chinese – he was Indian – the martial arts from Shaolin, and all of its descendants, are considered to be external. So the original meanings of external and internal had nothing to do with “hard” or “soft” types of martial arts.

What internal martial arts really are: In modern context – given the misuse of the label “internal” martial arts to be associated with “soft” martial arts (how can any martial art be soft?) – a different usage of the phrase “internal martial arts” is necessary vs. the historically accurate definition. So, today we can label internal martial arts as those systems/styles that focus on developing inner strength and power. What is inner strength? It is commonly referred to as “ch’i”, “ki”, “qi”, “prana”. But there is much more to it than this. Breathwork, sensitivity, tendon-strength vs. muscle strength, body mechanics and nerve functions. Blending and shaping with an attacker’s energy and using it against him, subtle forms of movement to produce great power, etc. From a practical applications perspective, internal martial arts are based upon universal principles. Principles are by definition absolute. Application of these principles in a combat environment is what the internal martial artist strives for. Examples of this type of martial art include: Taijiquan, Pa Kua, Xingyi, as well as Aikido/Aiki-based arts, Systema, and any martial art – even those considered external – that follows a principle-based framework. You are probably wondering what, exactly, are these “principles”; we will get there soon.

What external martial arts really are: Again – in today’s context – external martial arts are the “hard” martial arts. External martial arts are those systems that develop direct responses to specific scenarios, foster the growth of physical attributes such as strength, speed, endurance, etc. and seek to provide the practitioner with a wide array of techniques that can be applied against the opponent. External systems are typically linear in attack and defense (although not always), and often apply a “force vs. force” attitude. Raw aggression is often encouraged and/or produced from extensive training in external systems. External practitioners seek to overwhelm their opponents by sheer physical prowess. Examples of external martial arts include: Karate, Tae Kwon Do, any kung fu system, Muay Thai and Krav Maga (this is not an exhaustive list).

If someone asked me to give the briefest possible one-line statement to describe the difference between internal and external martial arts, I would probably give this: “External martial arts contest for space; Internal martial arts do not.” One can extrapolate a great deal from this one sentence if it is analyzed thoroughly – which I leave for you to contemplate on your own.

What’s more effective?

That’s the big question, isn’t it? And this is where the rift that I spoke of in the opening lines of this article becomes apparent. Although many martial arts practitioners strive to branch out and learn as much as possible, most will only explore one side of this rift. In today’s world, the large majority of practitioners follows the MMA philosophy and therefore – obviously – studies external systems exclusively. (This touches on another subject that I feel strongly about – i.e. – fighting vs. combat. I have an article published on this subject also.) And most internal practitioners have jumped on the health-and-wellness bandwagon. This creates polar opposites in philosophy and practice and further widens the existing rift between internal and external systems. Practicality must be accounted for and the external practitioners perceive no real-world value within the internal martial arts because they only have the health and wellness practitioners as examples.

Would I use T’ai Chi push-hands against a MMA opponent? Of course not. But – I would absolutely use push-hands principles against any combatant or fighter – as the situation dictated. Sensitivity, reception/blending of energy with a proper response, relaxation, moving from your center – all of these are principles that would enhance any martial artist’s performance.

In my opinion, and from my personal experiences, here are my observations on this topic:

• The MMA mindset is too focused on competition and fighting, as well as fostering an attitude of unnecessary violence and aggression. I say “too focused” because this type of training can actually work against you in combat
• The current internal mindset is too focused on health benefits alone and is ignoring the efficacy of the internal arts as martial systems. By this I am referring to the touchy-feely new age fluff that has surrounded T’ai Chi and Chi Kung in particular.
• The perception exists that internal martial arts are ineffective as actual fighting and self-defense systems
• Both internal and external systems offer huge benefits to the practitioner who is willing to explore them. The “Absorb what is useful…” philosophy should extend to all potential systems, not just the ones Bruce Lee explored himself. (It is a little known fact that the first martial art that Bruce Lee studied was Wu style T’ai Chi. This author believes it contributed in a significant manner to the foundation of Bruce’s amazing internal power – i.e. his “one-inch punch” and other feats of power he demonstrated). Examples of these benefits:
  • T’ai Chi push-hands develops exceptional sensitivity and the ability to blend with an attack. I have found this to be an amazing complement to Wing Chun trapping and sticky hands, as well as Kali hubud drills
  • Ch’i is real and it can be developed. Just as it takes time to develop musculature and endurance by proper training, so too can one foster ch’i and use it in actual conflict scenarios (and I don’t mean tossing someone across the room without touching them – there are very practical applications of ch’i)
  • The Breathwork exercises in the internal systems are outstanding and help develop endurance, flexibility, power and the ability to maintain a calm demeanor under duress
  • The footwork developed in external systems is essential to any serious martial artist. Combine this with the balance and movement principles of internal systems and you have a potent overall mobility package
  • Having a core set of techniques for strikes, counters, locks, etc. at your immediate disposal is a must; external systems are known for these types of drills
  • The physical conditioning of external training is invaluable and should be included in any martial artist’s regimen. I don’t buy the adage that musculature blocks the flow of ch’i – I think I am living proof that it does not. On the other side of the coin, however, we don’t want to be excessively muscled, either. Form and function are the key factors.
  • I don’t want to completely disregard the health benefits of internal systems. There are amazing examples of increased and sustained health as a result of training in T’ai Chi or some other internal system. But the health benefits should not be the driving factor of training. If you practice any internal martial art faithfully and correctly, the health benefits will become manifest of their own accord. In fact, I offer the argument that one cannot obtain the fullest level of health possible from the internal systems unless one trains in the internal system as a full martial art – complete with fighting applications, sparring, weapons, etc. Plus, the physical recovery aspect provided by the internal arts – T’ai Chi in particular – are something every external practitioner should consider. I have found that I recover so much faster and more completely if I keep up with my internal practices after a hard workout; a Chi Kung session or a slow, easy Yang short form always does the trick. If I don’t do it, I am much sorer and slower the next day. Those martial artists over 30 should really think about this – although any age group will benefit from this.

Ultimately, any martial art system – internal or external – can be very effective. It often comes down to the skills and talents of the individual, his/her teacher and the methodology of training. Personally, I feel that I have expanded my horizons considerably by training in both internal and external systems and drawing on the best of each philosophy.

Although lifelong training in internal systems can cause amazing capabilities to become manifest in the practitioner, usually in the manipulation of ch’i or whatever term you want to give to intrinsic energy, this end-state should not be the focus of one’s training. These skills are real. The problem is, those who publicly profess to have them are usually bogus. I have met two masters who truly possess these internal skills – they do not boast, or overtly advertise having these capabilities. Often, once a practitioner attains this level of skill, he/she has transcended so much of the mundane they have no desire to overtly broadcast these skills. And they realize that sharing this knowledge is only meant for a select few. That said, from the very first day of training in the internal arts, there are practical applications that can be applied to any conflict scenario.

Even Pavel Tsatsouline, the Russian kettlebell and physical performance master, who is well-known for his “hard-living comrades” philosophy, pays much respect to the internal principles, so long as they are applied correctly and practically. Check out his web site (www.dragondoor.com) and especially his book The Naked Warrior.

Internal or External?

Let’s take Hsing-I as an example. If a practitioner learns all of the physical components of Hsing-I and applies them correctly in a combat scenario – is this practitioner performing internal or external martial arts? From a physical observation perspective, it is almost impossible to identify. For Hsing-I to be used as it should be (i.e. an internal combat system) it requires the practitioner to directly apply the internal principles that make Hsing-I so effective. Hsing-I techniques by themselves are still very effective as far as technique is concerned, but what makes Hsing-I truly powerful is its internal features. I deliberately chose Hsing-I as an example, because to the untrained eye, Hsing-I looks very much like an external system – and again, it is essentially just an external system if one applies only the physical techniques of this art. For Hsing-I to be truly internal requires the application of internal principles. Modern Aikido suffers from a similar situation; it attempts to communicate the strong internal principles upon which Aikido is dependent, yet it mostly teaches Aikidoka a limited set of joint-locks, throws and pins. These techniques are very effective, to be sure, but in my experience, very few Aikido practitioners have come close to the real internal principles that are necessary for Aikido – even at the advanced Dan ranks. This is why I like to say there are no internal martial arts, only internal martial artists. I would like to extend this conversation to include some personal experiences regarding internal arts:

1. I had trained in Aikido for some time at a few different dojo and had attained brown belt rank at one of them. I considered myself an above average aikido student and felt I understood the true principles of Aikido. Eventually I decided to branch out and examine other Aiki-based arts, especially aiki-jujutsu and kenjutsu. During my first night in class at the aikijujutsu dojo I realized how little I grasped these principles. The class was doing an ikkyo/nikkyo-like movement (to give it an Aikido label). I thought “I know how to do this”. But when I tried to apply the technique as I understood it, my partner barely budged. My move was mechanically correct, but it was flawed in principle (this could also be a commentary on some of the training practices at many Aikido schools – i.e. your partner not keeping you honest). Once it was explained to me how to apply the principle to the technique I was astounded at the difference. I know there will be some Aikidoka that will say I was never taught the correct movements originally, but I will disagree. I studied Aikido at some very respectable and very traditional schools and what was taught at the aikijujutsu dojo was very different (with the exception of my very first Aikido dojo). The movements look the same, but are fundamentally different. Eventually – after practicing at this dojo for a while – I came to understand the absolute correlation between the sword and the empty hands techniques in Aiki-based arts. Real aiki-jujutsu is a direct off-shoot of real kenjutsu. The word “real” in the previous sentence cannot be overemphasized and has multiple facets, which we cannot get into here. Once a practitioner absorbs the fundamental and harmonious aspects of training with the sword (not bokken, but the sword), the aiki jujutsu principles become self-evident. In our kenjutsu dojo it is said “The mind makes the cut” – a truer statement cannot be given in the world of internal martial arts.

2. At the core of most internal systems is the concept of relaxation. This almost seems like a contradiction to fighting and combat. But I have come to believe this is what makes the real difference in combat: the ability to be relaxed (i.e. as relaxed as is possible) under stress. Internal arts often talk about being and staying relaxed, but few of them build drills and exercises where it can be learned and applied. Breathwork is the cornerstone of this concept and must be trained correctly to realize results. Also – for one who has trained for a long time in, or exclusively in, external systems – learning how to relax during combat drills is very difficult. But the rewards of this type of training are tremendous. I had a lot of “un-learning” to do in this area when I started doing internal arts seriously. But once the breathwork becomes automatic and the principles of energy movement are enforced, the results speak for themselves. It is often an epiphany moment for practitioners when they fully grasp the power of this type of training. Just a simple thing like delivering a strike becomes completely different and much more powerful; it really must be experienced to comprehend.

On the converse side of this discussion is the external martial artist who cultivates internal principles without directly attempting to. Here are two examples:

1. To my knowledge, Guro Dan Inosanto has not studied any of the classical internal arts (T’ai Chi, Bagua, Hsing-I, Aiki-based arts) yet he has clearly developed amazing internal power. He once demonstrated a Silat move on me (he was 71 at the time, btw) and he moved me with such ease and lack of physical effort – I was quite surprised (for the record, I weigh about 215, and Guro Dan weighs about 160). It felt exactly like movements I had received from my T’ai Chi teacher or my Aiki jujutsu sensei on countless occasions. The move that Guro Dan executed would clearly be categorized as external; but he executed it with an internal power that made the external technique flow so much more effectively. I believe this is why so much of what Guro Dan does looks to be so fluid and effortless. Yes, he has studied and mastered several external systems over several decades so the physical execution of the techniques is completely burned into his neural pathways – but in my opinion, he has also acquired a high degree of internal power resultant from those decades of training. The conclusion is this – principles will always become apparent and incorporated into the practitioner’s skill set if they earnestly train in martial arts – internal or external – for a considerable length of time. From the external practitioner’s viewpoint, the countless repetitions of techniques over time eventually opens doorways of awareness into what makes the techniques work so effectively. These doorways put the student on the path of understanding the underlying principles of Universal Law and the Harmony of Nature. Internal martial artists begin the study of these principles from the beginning and over time they apply these principles to many different techniques. Eventually they come to understand that the principles themselves are useless unless they can be applied to techniques and movement without thought or focused mental effort.

2. Sifu Francis Fong. Sifu Fong is a renowned Wing Chun master. I think everyone will agree with me that Wing Chun is an external martial art. But Sifu Fong has developed an astounding level of internal power. I would list in this article some of the things I have seen Sifu Fong perform with my own two eyes, but it would sound ludicrous when you read it. Suffice it to say that Sifu Fong’s internal energy is legendary. Go to one of his seminars and perhaps you will be fortunate enough to experience it. This is another example of an external practitioner developing outstanding internal power.

I hope the point is made clear: it really doesn’t matter if you train in internal or external systems – or, in my vocabulary – principle-based or technique-based systems – so long as you practice diligently and honestly, from a desire to become the best martial artist and best human being you can become. Then the deep, underlying principles of Universal Law will become apparent to you and you can taste those moments when you are in complete harmony with this Universal Law and understand why you walk the Warrior Path.

A Proposed Paradigm

I know the terms “internal” and “external” martial arts will probably never go away. But I am proposing a new paradigm, a new nomenclature for describing them in a more accurate manner. Let’s lay a foundation first:

Definition of Terms

Principle

(Merriam Webster’s definition): 1. a comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or assumption 2. a primary source

(Dictionary.com definition): 1. an accepted or professed rule of action or conduct 2. a fundamental, primary, or general law or truth from which others are derived 3. a fundamental doctrine or tenet; a distinctive ruling opinion

Technique

(Merriam Webster’s definition): the manner in which technical details are treated (as by a writer) or basic physical movements are used (as by a dancer); also : ability to treat such details or use such movements <good piano technique>

(Dictionary.com definition): 1. the manner and ability with which an artist, writer, dancer, athlete, or the like employs the technical skills of a particular art or field of endeavor. 2. the body of specialized procedures and methods used in any specific field, esp. in an area of applied science. 3. method of performance; way of accomplishing. 4. technical skill; ability to apply procedures or methods so as to effect a desired result.

I give definitions not to insult anyone’s intelligence, but, firstly, to ground myself in exactly what I am attempting to communicate, and secondly, to ensure we all have the same understanding of the material being discussed.

So, with these definitions in mind, let us continue. One topic that I wrestle with is the philosophical approach to blending principle and technique. Are they two separate entities that must be independently utilized in training, or is there an intersection of these entities that must be accounted for? I suspect it is both and neither.

What do we call the intersection point of Principle and Technique? Does it even exist? Or does each reside in its own sphere unaffected by and not influencing the other?

Let’s continue to elaborate on what principles and techniques are:

• Techniques must adhere to principles – if we accept that principles represent universal laws
• If techniques are performed with full knowledge of the underlying principles, they should be more powerful. Techniques performed as conditioned responses (although still adhering to nature’s laws) will never be as potentially powerful as those done by an adept who fully understands the underlying principles
• Techniques are specific in application
• Principles alone accomplish little – application and enforcement of principles is the key; this is where techniques are essential

In a nutshell, principles are abstract concepts that must be applied physically to observe empirically. This physical application of principles is the techniques themselves. The most effective techniques are the ones that most closely adhere to the universal principles.

Principles

We have spoken much about principles, but what principles are we actually talking about? Here we will discuss the most important principles (in this author’s opinion) in the martial arts:

• Internal Energy cultivation – what is known as ch’i, qi, ki or prana. Developing your internal energy stores is a must.
• Movement of energy – understanding how energy itself moves, and then how to move it directly, and how to move with it.
• Acceptance – at a spiritual, mental and physical level. Acceptance is the first step towards relaxation and not contesting for space.
• Yield, Blend and Flow – very much related to – but still separate from – movement of energy. These principles are most closely related to techniques and are the driving force behind performing techniques in a better way.
• Breath – this is probably the single biggest principle. Proper breathing and breath-related training is essential to developing a thorough understanding of principles – and techniques.
• Relaxation – all true power comes from relaxation and the balancing and relaxation and tension within the body. And to be clear – when we say “relaxed” we do not mean being limp or sleepy or docile. Relaxation brings the highest state of awareness and allows the maximum amount of power to be delivered when needed.
• Body mechanics – having a fundamental understanding of how the body operates and where critical mechanical and energetic nexus points are located.

Techniques

Now that we have listed the principles that are the foundation of the internal systems, let’s examine the techniques that are the pillars of the external systems.

• Counters and blocks – the various ways of intercepting and responding to an attack in a force vs. force paradigm.
• Strikes – any of the ballistic hits from the hands, feet, elbows, knees, etc.
• Joint-locks, pins, takedowns, throws – how to use the body’s structure against itself; and knowing the weak points of the body’s structure.
• Combinations – putting together different series of strikes –
• Footwork – perhaps the most important aspect of external training. Footwork is the key to so many areas in both external and internal training, but is mostly evident in external techniques.
• Speed, strength, endurance and flexibility – although not specific to external systems, these physical attributes are most evident in the training of external martial artists.

Blending

A comprehensive, effective training regimen must focus on the development and blending of both Principles and Techniques. Unless both of these areas are studied, understood and absorbed, the practitioner will not advance as far as possible in their martial studies.  A magnificent side-effect of studying the martial arts in this unique manner is a deeper understanding of life itself, allowing the practitioner to excel as a human being as well as a martial artist. .

Summary

In this article a re-thinking of the traditionally-labeled Internal and External martial arts was proposed; that what have been called internal martial arts be labeled as principle-based martial arts, and external martial arts be labeled as technique-based martial arts. The one stipulation that comes with this proposition is the internal systems must be practiced as martial arts and not as an alternative health method. As we have already said – if the internal martial art is practiced as a combat art, the health benefits will become manifest of their own accord, and to their fullest extent.

My personal experiences in the arts have shown that my external techniques have been greatly enhanced by knowledge of internal principles. And my understanding of the underlying principles has become more deeply entrenched by studying and absorbing many different types of techniques. If it appears that I have favored the internal systems in this article, it is only because I believe there is great potential latent in the internal systems that could elevate many external practitioners’ skill sets. I also hope to keep the “martial” in the internal martial arts, because it seems to be slipping away.

A Final Comment – Is there a martial art that combines both Principle and Technique?

In my opinion – yes. That martial art is Systema – Russian martial art. I will not go into a lengthy discourse on Systema, but I can tell you it has opened new doors for me in many ways. If you want to explore some of the internal principles that we have discussed here in a directly applicable manner that is 100% geared towards combat and fighting, I recommend looking into Systema. Here is the web site for Systema: http://russianmartialart.com

In any combat situation, there are five key elements that must be understood and utilized correctly to succeed. They are:

1. Distance
2. Timing
3. Relationship
4. Intent
5. Intuition

Of course, there is a sixth: Luck. But you have no control over it, so we won’t bother discussing it. Chances are, however, if you fully understand and can implement the five topics we will discuss here, luck will somehow be on your side. The first three of these – Distance, Timing, and Relationship – are finite and bound to the physical arena. The last two – Intent and Intuition – are abstract and even metaphysical topics that deal with the mind and spirit of the practitioner.

It is understood that specific techniques and principles must be applied within the scope of a combative situation – and these elements discussed here are universal in their applicability to whatever technique or principle is used.

Distance

Knowing what you can and cannot do – and what your opponent can and cannot do – given the various ranges of combat is extremely important. Bruce Lee taught the “ranges of combat” as a key component of his JKD. Any martial art training must include this element within its curriculum and teaching methodology.

Weapons are a great training mechanism for understanding distance. Let’s face it – very few of us will ever have to use weapons in a self-defense situation. But the use of weapons in training is invaluable for many reasons – understanding body mechanics, proper use of internal force, overall body-mind coordination, footwork – and of course, knowing how to use distance in any confrontation. The extra distances involved, and the heightened awareness of the situation that a weapon introduces are excellent training tools. Prolonged training with weapons builds increased mobility, perception and sensitivity. It also has the psychological advantage of bolstering confidence and reducing fear.

If someone is coming at you with a stick, blade, etc. – you need to know where the safe distances are. In the case of a stick, you want to be either a) outside the arc range of the swing of the stick, or b) out of the linear path of the swing of the stick or, c) in tight to the arc swing of the stick. Being in tight means you will receive a much less forceful strike from the stick (assuming you do get hit) based on physics, centrifugal force and velocity. Being in tight also allows you to neutralize and disarm the weapon, as well as using the opponent’s force against him. The only way to build this type of understanding is to train with weapons.

At the extreme edge of this element is projectile weapons. The concept of distance applies equally well in these scenarios. Different weapons have different ranges and application of this knowledge can be the determining factor in life-or-death situations. With weapons, however, the elements of relationship and intent are perhaps more important. The one comment on distance and weapons that is important to understand is close-distance; in this context close-distance means within arm’s length. At this distance with a projectile weapon (i.e. a gun), if a committed move is made against the aggressor with the gun, the aggressor will not have time to react quickly enough to counter. This has been demonstrated many times. Not saying this is a situation you would want to be in, but if you ever are, it would be good to have trained in this scenario so you have the option available to you – if necessary.

From an empty hands perspective and taking a simplistic view of things, if you are locked up with someone in a grappling situation, you obviously cannot land a decent punch and certainly not a kick – unless you change your distance to your opponent. (Yes, I know there are always exceptions).

And knowing what range works best for you – or works best against your opponent – is equally important. If your opponent is a big, muscular bear – unless you are bigger and stronger – you probably don’t want to get locked up with him at very close range; you want to maintain your distance and use your speed or gain a tactical advantage (that’s where relationship becomes important). Again – a simple example to express in words – but maybe not so easy to apply in real life. Which is why you train and train and train. The point is to train until you have an instinctual awareness of your distance relationships and can flow from one range to another effectively as each scenario dictates.

Timing

Timing deals with speed – but not always as a measure of raw speed from point A to B. I have seen many martial artists who are very fast, but their timing is not good. Timing requires speed in the form of reaction and initiative. Correct timing means knowing exactly when and where the optimal point of intersection should be when you are under attack and when you launch your counterattack. Having very fast hands and feet is good – but having exceptional timing in the placement of your strikes and other maneuvers is better. Timing can also be about patience and choosing the proper time for a proper technique. And this “choosing” is not so much a cognitive process as it is an instinctive reaction – this instinctive reaction being the result of prolonged training and heightened awareness.

To use an analogy from competitive sports: there is a reason that most of the young and talented players in sports such as basketball and football take several years to develop into real star athletes. In many cases their raw speed may be a hair slower when compared to their rookie year, but they have developed outstanding timing. This is why raw speed in and of itself is not the only factor when discussing timing. To continue the analogy – it is also why older veterans who have clearly slowed down compared to their earlier years are still extremely effective players – i.e. they have mastered the application of timing in their position. Yes, there are other ingredients that go into this equation besides timing, but timing is a huge one. I hope the analogy works.

Timing also applies to rhythm. A smooth flowing rhythm can be either desired or not desired depending on each unique situation. As a general rule, when in a defensive maneuver, a smooth rhythm is often desired – in an offensive or attack maneuver a broken rhythm is often desired. This is, of course, just a generalization to illustrate a point. The converse of these statements can be equally true for each unique individual and situation.

In summary, proper use of timing and rhythm is a huge asset to any martial artist. Study and practice this topic thoroughly.

Relationship

This is perhaps the most important element of the five, from a physical/tactical perspective. When I say relationship, I am referring to the relationship between you and your opponent: stance, attitude, relative positioning, etc. It also refers to the optimal relationship you want to attain to neutralize the opponent. If the opponent does “X” – what is your response to give you the best tactical advantage – i.e. gaining a superior relationship to your opponent. How do you maintain or shift your relationship if you cannot obtain the initial tactical advantage – or if you gain the initial advantage, how to ensure you don’t lose it? While this sounds basic and simple it is anything but. Most martial arts teach a toe-to-toe attitude that doesn’t make sense to me. I would much rather find myself at my opponent’s shoulder at a perpendicular aspect to him, or even behind him. That’s good for me, and not good for him. Gaining the superior tactical position is what it’s all about. The longer you keep in front of your opponent, the more opportunity you give him to cause you damage.

Intent

This is a much more abstract element compared to the first three, but is no less important. In fact, it is probably more important. You must be mentally, emotionally and spiritually capable of engaging an opponent with the correct amount of force to keep yourself or your loved ones safe. We have often heard the phrase “Do only what is necessary to defend yourself” – implying one should not use excessive force when defending yourself or ensuring that the response equals the threat. But the flip side of this is equally important: “Do not do less than what is necessary”. There must be a balance between what is excessive and what is sufficient for each encounter. Focusing too much on only doing “what is enough” can foster an attitude of defeat and hesitancy when a real-life encounter is manifest. Training must include extreme examples of defending ourselves, all the way up to severe injury or even death of our attacker. If he is trying to kill you or a loved one, you must respond correctly when “what is enough” isn’t. This is not a pleasant topic to discuss, but it would be much less pleasant than the feeling you would carry with you if you did not respond with correct measure in a confrontation you could have prevented. And please do not confuse Intent with Aggression. They are very different topics and I whole-heartedly reject aggression as a tool to be used in conflict scenarios. Aggression leads to poor decision-making, lack of focus, loss of control, and an inability to endure a stressful situation over time. Those schools that encourage a heightening of aggression are doing their students a huge disservice as well as potentially injuring their psyche and giving them a false sense of security.

Intent also applies to actual delivery of techniques. It is the manifest form of your will and spirit when applying a particular technique. If your will is strong and clear, your intent will be pure and the technique performed as best it can be in the situation at hand. If your will is weak or clouded, so too will the technique.

Intuition

Clearly, this is the most abstract of the five. Intuition can only be attained through a refining of the spirit. Most often this is the result of intense and honest training over years. Some have a natural intuition, however, because they have a pure spirit or they have a gift. Advanced internal martial artists say intuition is the manifest (if un-seeable) ability to feel and read your opponent’s energy field (aura, etheric body, etc.) so that you know what he will do before, or as he is doing it – allowing you to respond correctly. The Japanese call thisharagei. This may seem like hocus-pocus to many martial artists, but it is a truth. It takes time and effort to develop this level of skill, however – as well as access to a teacher who is able and willing to teach you. But it does exist, at least in this author’s opinion. The reason there is such little exposure of this type of skill is manifold: a) those adepts who attain this level of skill are usually quite advanced spiritual beings and are not concerned with matters of the ego and may not desire to teach these skills. b) It usually takes a significant amount of time and dedication to develop intuition to a high degree of skill, and the practitioner will encounter many failures along the way. It takes a robust and dedicated student to attain mastery of this skill. c) Lastly – not everyone has the ability to develop this type of skill. Just as in genetics of the physical body – some are more gifted than others in areas of strength, flexibility, endurance, etc. Sure, a dedicated student can vastly improve his strength, flexibility, etc. with rigorous training, but he/she will only be able to go to the limits of his/her genetic capabilities. Example: I could train as hard as I possibly could for years and years and I would never equal Bruce Lee’s speed, or Arnorld’s strength, or or or… I think you get the point. The same condition applies to the intuition. Not everyone can develop intuition to an exceptionally high level – but that doesn’t mean one should not develop it as far as possible. This is also the reason many people doubt true intuition – if they cannot experience it, it must not exist. Well, for this author, I can clearly say intuition is a real thing and it works – and you can train and enhance it to your personal maximum potential.

Summary

Any written description of a training philosophy is difficult to fully absorb. Martial arts training must be experiential. However, the intent of discussing these topics in a written format is to introduce or further refine the methodology of training by presenting new ideas and perspectives that the practitioner can add to his/her studies.

Acknowledgements

The discussion on “Distance, Timing and Relationship” is inspired by James Williams, Sensei as well as borrowing from what Bruce Lee taught concerning ranges and rhythm as I learned it through Sifu Dan Inosanto and Sifu Jeff Jones. The topic of “Intent” was born after attending numerous seminars with Sifu Francis Fong.  The topic of “Intuition” is my own unique addition – based on my own personal experiences in martial arts training and real-life conflict scenarios.