Martial art styles can be divided roughly into two categories:
External and Internal. External styles, which are also called "hard" styles and which include such American favorites as Japanese
Karate and Korean Taekwondo, rely primarily upon muscular
strength and less of internal energies, while internal or "soft" styles, such as Japanese Aikido and few other Chinese styles, cultivate a more mysterious energy called
'Chi.'
An external style is one which relies primarily in strength and physical abilities to defeat an opponent. In contrast, an internal style is one that depends upon
ch'i and timing rather than power. Aikido (at the master's level) would be an internal style, while most karate styles are external.
Karate
is considered to be the most efficient and effective martial art, as it
has evolved over a long period of time and proved in real combat!. It
has everything that a novice student would need to get initiated into
Martial Arts and it builds the basic skills, attitude into a person. So
its better to learn Karate a the base level and then build up or change
over to other martial art styles later on.. Such students will have an
edge over others and will prove to be better martial artists.
(This
note is strictly my personal view.. As I have understood and experienced
this fact myself. In my opinion a martial artist must learn more than
one style and should be open minded. Because Martial Arts has a long
history of evolution and refinement and this should continue... All
styles have some worth in it and will make you aware of all dimensions of
the "Art of fighting" !).
When you learn more/new styles then don't forget what you had already
learned ! infact refine your old knowledge and add to the
"New". At the same time "Empty your mind to absorb the
new knowledge" (As said in Bruce Lee's philosophy).
Most students
learn martial arts to be able to beak bricks or win tournaments or get
fit and healthy. This is Not a good trend as "Martial Arts"
should be learned to defend yourself or your family/others. You
must learn this art with this attitude if you want any benefit
from it. After all its the "Art of Fighting". You get
all other abilities/skills during this learning process. So see
your goal as one.
Note By :
Jimmy George (Author/creator to this website).
The concept of a style is
a rather complicated one, and Chinese martial arts claim as many as 1500
different styles. By "style" we mean a particular school of
martial practice, with its own training methods, favored techniques, and
emphasis on attack and defense. While it is impossible to quantify
differences between most styles, it is easy to see the distinctions
between such disparate approaches to combat as practiced by Tiger,
Crane, and Monkey stylists. In choosing a style (a contemporary
privilege; traditionally, styles were assigned by the teachers), try to
find one that suits your physical attributes, interests, and sense of
utility. It does no good to study the graceful single-leg and flying
techniques of White Crane if you have the flexibility and grace of a
turtle! On the other hand, and gung fu practice will enhance your
physical skills, dexterity, and alertness, and it is not uncommon for a
beginner in one style to change to a more "appropriate" style
later. Whatever else may be said of styles, the first year basics are
almost universal--punches, kicks, and stances show little variation at
the beginner's level.
Martial Arts: Hard vs.
Soft, External vs. Internal
Internal or "soft" styles, such as Japanese Aikido and few other Chinese styles, cultivate a more mysterious energy called
'Chi.'
Although everybody has chi, few people have much of it, and fewer still know how to express it. But according to the Chinese, this precious elixir can be cultivated and controlled through the exercises of the internal martial arts styles.
Specifically, they say chi can be brewed in the tan tien, a spot about an inch below the navel. Once the tan tien is filled, the chi supposedly spills out into other parts of the body, where it is stored in the marrow of the bones. It is said that as a martial artist develops chi energy, his bones become hard, his sinews tough, is muscles supple and relaxed, which allow the chi to circulate freely through the body.
The concept of hard/soft
and external/internal martial arts is not one easily described. In terms
of styles which most people are familiar with, Karate would be an
example of a hard style and Aikido or T'ai Chi examples of soft styles.
A hard style is generally considered one where force is used against
force; a block is used to deflect an incoming strike by meeting either
head on, or at a 90 degree angle. A soft style does not use force
against force, but rather deflects the incoming blow away from its
target. There are uses for both hard and soft techniques. A practitioner
may wish to break the attacker's striking arm with the block. On the
other hand, a much smaller opponent would not be able to accomplish
this, so instead may wish to deflect the incoming attack.
An external style is one
which relies primarily in strength and physical abilities to defeat an
opponent. In contrast, an internal style is one that depends upon ch'i
and timing rather than power. Aikido (at the master's level) would be an
internal style, while most karate styles are external.
However, the concepts of
hard/soft internal/external are finding fewer proponents among senior
martial artists. Both conceptual twins are impossible to separate in
reality, and masters will generally acknowledge that any distinction is
largely only a matter of subjective interpretation. Arguments about the
reality of the concepts are often waged by novices and philosophical
dilettantes, ignorant of the inseparable nature of duality. They see yin
and yang as elements that can exist independently, while philosophical
and physical reasoning demonstrate that they cannot. Without their union
(=Tao), neither can exist. Ergo, a "hard" technique such as a
straight fist is guided by the soft power of mind and the internal
component of ch'i. Equally, the softest projection of Aikido requires
the "hard" element of physical contact and movement, coupled
with actively redirecting the opponent. In short, preoccupation with
distinguishing soft from hard is a distraction from learning martial
arts and moving towards a unifying technique and mastery.
Gung Fu Styles
Gung Fu styles may
generally be divided into three classes: Shaolin Temple styles,
temple-derived non-temple styles, and family styles, or Pai. Within the
Temple styles are those arts generally and consistently taught in the
temples, with many having their origins in pre-Shaolin history. There
are two major divisions in Shaolin Kung Fu. The southern temples are
predominantly hand technique oriented, while northern temples put more
emphasis on kicks and foot techniques.
The northern Shaolin
styles primarily consist of Northern
Praying Mantis, Black
Crane, and Black Tiger.
The southern Shaolin
styles primarily consist of White
Crane, Tiger, Dragon, Leopard, Snake,
and Southern Praying Mantis.
There were also styles
that had their roots in the Shaolin temples, such as Wing
Chun and Hung Gar.
Many of the movements were
representations of the behavior of animals. A system sometimes comprised
the maneuvers of one specific animal and no other. All the blocks,
attacks and stances were done in imitation of the bird or beast. Each
system had certain aspects peculiar to it since each of the animals was
designed differently by nature. However, most styles were not so rigid
and limited; northern praying mantis, for example, uses mantis and tiger
hand techniques, and monkey and generic northern style footwork.
Differences Between the
Styles
In general terms, the
styles followed specific training objectives (but there are always
exceptions). The dragon movements were devised to develop alertness and
concentration. These movements were executed without the application of
strength, but with emphasis on breathing in the lower abdomen along with
the coordination of mind, body and spirit. Movements are long, flowing
and continuous, and provided Shaolin practitioners with the equivalent
of t'ai chi or pakua.
The tiger movements were
formed to develop the bones, tendons and muscles. The execution of these
movements was the opposite of that of the dragon, since emphasis was
placed on strength and dynamic tension. Movements are short, snappy and
forceful.
The snake movements were
used to develop temperament and endurance. Breathing was done slowly,
deeply, softly and harmoniously. Movements are flowing and rippling with
emphasis on the fingers.
The crane movements were
used to develop control, character and spirit. Emphasis is placed on
light, rapid footwork and evasive attacking techniques. Movements in the
one-legged stance are performed with a considerable amount of
meditation.
The Shaolin systems were
developed from animal actions and were divided into low systems and high
systems. The list used below is from the temple from the Honan province
during the Ch'ing dynasty. The low systems of the Shaolin were choy li
fut, crane, cobra, and tiger. The high systems of the order were snake,
dragon, Wing Chun, and praying mantis. The primary features that
separate high from low are the fantastic economy of movement and the
differences in application of ch'i in the high systems.
The low systems were so
called because they had their basis both in physical maneuvers and in
earthly creatures. Choy li fut was based on a posture called a riding
horse stance, so called because when adopted, one appeared to be
straddling a horse. The movements are very stiff and hard, depending
primarily on muscular power to perform adequately. There are only three
kicks in the original system, although recently the style has adopted
many techniques of the Northern Shaolin system. According to legend, it
was designed for use on the house boats of the south where a stable
stance and powerful hand techniques were necessary. The certain portion
of its history is that the system was named for two Chinese boxing
masters, Choy and Li. Fut means Buddha, serving in this instance to
refer to the Shaolin temple's Buddhist influence.
The next system is crane,
one of the traditional Shaolin systems. A legend is also attached to its
birth. One day a monk stumbled on a battle between an ape and a crane.
It seemed as if the ape would rend the bird in two. However, the bird
continually stymied the ape, flapping its wings and darting in and out
with its beak; at last the animal was driven away. The graceful
movements of the bird were copied as well as its one leg stance. The
principle weapons of the system are its long range kicks and a hand
formation, the crane's beak.
The cobra system is a
strange, nearly dead system. Its basis is a stance that resembles a
cobra risen from the grass with spread hood. The maneuvers are strictly
defensive in nature, devastatingly effective and swift. Cobra is
designed for speed and tenacity for once the reptile strikes, it hangs
on and makes certain that its opponent will die. Most of its techniques
are hand maneuvers aimed at the eyes and throat. It is primarily a dim
mak style.
Tiger is another natural
system, this the opposite of crane. It is a vicious method of fighting
utilizing powerful kicks and grim clawing motions. Like the tiger, its
practitioner fights fiercely, rending, tearing and breaking any open
space of skin or limb that is left unguarded. It is highly defensive in
nature, waiting until being backed into a corner, then unleashing an
unstoppable assault. Its principle hand weapon is the tiger claw, also
useful for unarmed defense against weapons. By clasping the weapon
between the hands or enmeshing it in the crushing grip of the hand, the
enemy's advantage is lost.
Snake is an interface
between the high systems and low systems. It is one of the easiest
systems to learn and also one of the most deadly. The reason that it is
a transition system is because it has the movements of a spiritual
system and the physical applications of a low system. The spiritual
movements are all flowing and continuous, akin to the movements of a
cloud. Physical applications of such movements are seen by the stabbing
hand motions to the face, throat and genitals. Ch'i is present in the
practitioner as his body mimics a snake in its coiling, undulating
motions; for only through ch'i can the proper flow be achieved to allow
the technique to work. It is an earthly animal by nature, yet still
somewhat spiritual due to its mysterious character. The snake has thus
been appointed as the guardian of the dragons.
The basis of the dragon
systems is ch'i, the inner power of Taoism. The movements and
applications of the dragon systems are dependent on the use of ch'i. The
special flow that distinguishes it from the flow of the crane system is
due to ch'i. Also, the ch'i is substituted for muscular strength. For
example, a tiger stylist would break a rock by sheer force and physical
technique, while a dragon stylist would shatter it by ch'i projection.
The praying mantis has as
its watchwords silence and determination. Although it is a physical
system in terms of its origin, it nonetheless is classified as a high
system. Praying mantis warrants its prominence because of its extreme
efficiency. Despite the fact that it is hand oriented and lacks the
fancy leg maneuvers of dragon, it is versatile and overpowering.
Characteristic of mantis, as well as dragon and snake, is the virtual
lack of blocks. Since blocks are inefficient, the high systems follow
the advice of the ancient sages and yield in order to conquer. Also, it
combines ch'i and extreme awareness to be virtually invincible.
The systems of the Shaolin
can be arranged on the pyramid illustrated below. The best method for
this is to take the tiger family as a representative of the low systems
and the dragon family as a representative of the high systems. The
remaining Shaolin systems will be placed in the appropriate tiers
singly.
The lowest level of the
pyramid is composed entirely of basic techniques. These are common to
all martial arts and can be claimed exclusively by no one system. The
maneuvers are comprised of kicks, punches, stances and blocks. Since
they are universal to most martial arts, it is very difficult to
distinguish a student from a karate style as opposed to a choy li fut
pupil. All of this class of basics belongs to the low systems and so are
dependent on hard, muscular movements in order to carry them through
properly.
Next we progress to the
low systems. As stated earlier, this level has its basis in earthly
rather than ethereal beings. The subsystems of tiger are numerous at
this level. Tiger, eagle, leopard, hung gar, the drunken system and the
crab system all belong at this level. Tiger, leopard and hung gar are
very oriented toward physical body strength and the destruction of an
opponent by breaking his body's structural system. Eagle is a vicious
ripping system with the bulk of its work directed against the eyes and
throat. The drunken system is a lurching, seemingly unstable system that
strikes with little power and thus tries to exhaust an opponent with an
arrhythmic, oddly placed series of blows to tender, exposed areas. The
crab system concentrated on closing off blood vessels and pinching
nerves, thereby immobilizing part or all of an attacker's body.
In the category of the
higher low systems are found four different tiger subsystems: hong
tiger, s'hu tiger, imperial tiger and white tiger. They are placed above
the previous systems because ch'i and some concepts of spiritual motion
have been incorporated into them. Hong tiger was a system which evolved
from a mixture of tiger and white dragon. It was used by palace guards
especially against weapons. S'hu tiger was the weapons training that
went with the unarmed system of hong tiger. Imperial tiger is a modern
adaptation of hong tiger. The techniques are sophisticated at this
level. Also contained in the band of high low systems is monkey, placed
there because of its liberal use of parries and advanced striking
techniques, taking it out of the realm of brute strength. White tiger is
a highly sophisticated, forbidden style similar to snow tiger.
The main systems of the
Shaolin that are left are placed thus: choy li fut, white crane, and
tiger all low systems. Snake is a lower high system and may be
classified as a low or a high system. Dragon, praying mantis, and Wing
Chun are all classified as full high systems due to their efficiency of
movement and the use of ch'i to both supplement and in some cases
replace physical technique. These systems were taught to some extent to
all monks as part of their training. The complete systems were reserved
for the few, the priests that would remain in the temple after being
granted their priesthood.
There was a time in Japan of
the olden days that had originated in China but showed up there over
three-hundred years later, a strange group of men and women. They always
dressed in black. Such was the nature of their clothing that even their
faces and feet were not distinguishable. The softest of black felt
cushioned their steps to the sounds that black cats make stalking across
thick rugs. They knew many things. Walking in silence and living at
night was their way. Friends had they none. Fear and hatred by all had
they won from centuries of tales not meek. Theirs was a mystique that
few dared to seek. In such a group there were no weak. Reputations of
evil traditions of being in league with the demons of power were
described by foreign white men devils who called them magicians of Satan
and wrote of them as such in terms that have been passed down through
the centuries on pages of books that were hidden from view from ordinary
people like us.
These "black knights" of old days, who did not believe in
magic themselves but who could perform seemingly magical feats, were
known as "Ninja," or "Ninjitsu people." The word (nin)
means stealth. The word (jitsu) means abilities. Ergo, the archaic
Japanese word Ninjitsu literally translates to (the art of stealth). For
some it became a way of life. For others it becomes a religion. They
were known as professional assassins by the historians of feudal Japan.
There were only two types of Ninjas. Those who were known to be Ninjas
were pretenders. Those who were Ninjas were never ever known. real
Ninjas were artists of life with the minds of scientists, hands of a
surgeon, eyes of a hawk, emotions of a Maco shark and the morals of an
ice cube. They kept the company of no one. They could not be recognized
by their own kind. They were celibate, never married, not homosexual,
fearless, highly educated, never indulged in alcohol, drugs or sinful
human pleasures. They trusted only their own sanity.
A Ninja could never be captured or tortured. They had the power to kill
themselves at any time of the day of night and under any contingency.
They had beads of poison that could be kept in their mouths for any
length of time; only crushing down on them with their teeth would
release a poison that was so lethal, painless and swift, that it was
reserved for only themselves. They could certainly be killed, but never
questioned. It took a Ninja to know a Ninja. It took a Ninja to kill a
Ninja. They could be anyone at any time and at any place. They could be
any tree in a forest of people. To pursue them would be like attacking a
bag of quicksand in the darkness of night. They never solicited
business. They were never without money. They were very contented to
have many imitators and pretenders who would be killed by the righteous.
They were more capable of teamwork than any army. They had no superiors
or inferiors when they worked together. They could take orders and give
orders with no badges of rank, no egos to feed. They had the brains of
men with the efficiency of African red army ants. They had the courage
and mercy of a squadron of South American killer bees. To incur the
attention of a Ninja or society of Ninjas as a potential threat to them
was to nakedly bathe in a river of ravenous paranas.
The most interesting things that highly objective scholar historians
ever recorded about them was that they never attracted attention. They
were completely in capable of sadism. They would never assassinate
children or pregnant women. If they were hired to do a job, they would
always be paid in advance. No matter what the needs of a client would
be. If it were a child or a pregnant woman targeted as the assignment,
the Ninja or Ninjas would accept the money, guarantee the assignment and
then kill the client and keep the money. There was never a body to be
found in any such instance. They would always lie to a liar, as well as
kill them for the very act of lying to a Ninja. For practice and for a
general principle still not comprehensible to the finest minds, they
would kill very cruel and evil men or women for free and without being
hired to do so. This observation is mind-boggling to everyone.
Ninjas devoted their childhood to training for mastery in their peculiar
skills and thus were highly skilled in the martial arts. Raised utterly
without morals, which they referred to as "imaginary
restrictions." They were bereft of virtue as we know it or as is
commonly defined by all cultures in the world.
Since they thrived on darkness, their training halls were painted
completely black; varying lengths of nails and spikes protruded from the
walls. Upon these spikes and stone walls, they practiced jumping,
grasping, climbing, and wall-scalling techniques. Acrobatic skills were
second nature to them as well as swimming.
They were superb masters of sword-handling, archery, horsemanship,
Jiu-Jitsu, stick fighting, body balancing, and the art of throwing tiny
poisoned darts and the small, sharp-cornered coins of that era. The
latter was a particularly favorite weapon, for who would believe it
possible to put out a man's eye and kill him at a distance of more than
fifty feet by throwing a coin the size of a silver dollar? No weapon
could ever be found -- just an ordinary coin lying in the street.
Hundreds of hours were spent practicing walking across creaky wooden
floors without making a sound. This was done by unwinding their long,
black, felt waistband; rolling it across the floor; carefully, lightly,
and quickly darting down its entire length; then rolling it up and
repeating the maneuver until the desired distance was crossed. They did
everything with their own inimitable magic and called it "ninjitsu."
Disappearing was their most astoundingly developed ability.
Their training, being supremely realistic and scientific, also took into
consideration every adverse situation they could imagine. They called
their "thing", scientific magic.
They were the original practitioners of the "art of
programming." They were taught from the cradle that nothing was
impossible. Not knowing that a thing could not be done, they did it.
They had many services to sell to the lords and ladies of the great
houses of the day. Their specialty being murder and terror. Many
provincial lords, in rivalry for one reason or another, often used the
Ninja in preference to the expense of an all-out war against an enemy. A
Ninjitsu man or woman could sneak past guards, fool alert watchdogs, do
the job, and disappear with no traces of ever having been there at all.
They used black coal dust and chemically-produced smoke screens to
distort the sight of pursuers. Their visual memory and sense of
direction was so exact that, with one swift glance, they could evaluate
all means of egress from a building. This enabled them to leap from any
second or third story window, knowing in advance that a tree would be
underneath to break their fall. Rooftops were nothing but stepping
stones to be adroitly traveled upon. Using their uniquely fashioned
silken rope and grabbing hooks, they scaled - up the highest, most
forbidding cliffs and walls.
A skilled Ninjitsu man could run down a hallway, jump across the
entrance area, grasp the eaves to a doorway, and pull himself up and
over onto the roof in a matter of seconds. From the roof, where he
blended into the night, he was in a perfect position for throwing darts,
coins, or circular disks that looked like the blades of a power saw. No
wonder everyone was afraid of them. Chasing them was almost certain
death, for they would seem to disappear right in front of a pursuer's
eyes. The next thing the pursuer felt would be the sting of a poisoned
dart in the back of his neck.
Even when stripped down to nothing but their "fundoshi," or
loincloths, they almost always managed to escape without the necessity
of having to kill themselves as they always did in a hopeless situation.
When the guards led a Ninja out to be executed (a foregone conclusion),
he would completely confound his captors by running full tilt toward the
seemingly impregnable wall. Just before he did so, he had urinated into
his fundoshi. Removing the sopping wet cotton cloth, he ran up the wall
as far as he could, letting out a piercing scream and slapping the wet
cloth with all his strength against the top of the stone wall. Without
stopping his momentum for an instant, he would swing the remaining
distance to the top of the wall, using the cloth as a rope, and before
the astonished and terrified guards could move, he had disappeared.
The mystique of these historically legendary oriental professional
assassins increased as the centuries went by. Their secrets were handed
down from family to family, generation after generation. Ninjas were
never the natural children of living parents. Everyone was always an
orphan or found baby. They were never recruited. It was always said that
a Ninja was not made, they were born to be. Talent and destiny led them
to be. A Ninja with family would not be a real one. Real Ninjas were
asexual, did not need or desire any normal human ties. There could never
be such a thing as a successful undercover Ninja impostor. They could
not be fooled by anyone or anything or any situation. Real Ninjas had no
ambitions, no greed, no passions, no need for power and recognition.
They were honest unto their calling. No honest person can be conned.
They desired nothing that the earth had to offer. They could not be
bribed. The real ones were psychic and could not be lied to . Most of
all there was nothing in life that could disappoint them or influence
their thinking. They were just special people of a different ilk; born
to be what they would become. Such as the world had its Mozart's, so did
the martial arts have its Ninjas.
All that is known now is that there are a few old martial arts teachers
in southern Japan who, for the sake of tradition only, still practice
the Ninjitsu training. These old Sensei's occasionally give an
exhibition of the dead art at the more important martial arts cultural
festivals. They are always looked upon a little fearfully by the younger
participants in the exhibitions, for after all, who knows for sure about
such matters?
The portrait of a Ninja that you see in museums is of a very elite
looking middle-aged man with a scroll clenched in his mouth; enigmatic
looking with piercing eyes. Everyone tries to guess what he is holding
in his mouth. I shouldn't tell you the answer to that secret but I will.
He is not holding a diploma. He is holding a list of secrets that no
person should know. What is that? Never disclose your mistakes,
weaknesses or your superiority.
Why are so
called "super kicking skills" important, when in a real
fight, kicking above the waist would be unrealistic anyway?
First,
I believe if you can lift 100 pounds then it would be that much easier
for you to lift 50 pounds. Thus, if you can kick high, then you can also
kick lower without lack of ability.
Second,
if you only practice the Martial Science purely for self-defense and not
for self-improvement, then your chances of growth are limited.
Ask
yourself these questions before training:
1. How
would I like to improve my kicks?
2. How
will I feel if I don't improve kicks?
3. How
will I feel if I do improve kicks?
By asking
yourself these motivating questions and answering them with emotional
honesty, you can create a little more motivation. These questions can be
constantly reviewed and will outlast traditional willpower. Be sure and
ask more questions like these as you train. Below I have listed a few primary
ideas to help you improve your kicks. Though the following is for
improving kicking the same principles can be used to develop other areas
as well.
1. The
way is in training
With
anything you want to become proficient in, practice makes perfect.
Practice is consistent action towards our goals. One does not attend a
few martial arts classes, buy a black belt and say, "okay, now I
am a Total Warrior and I can defend myself." Yeah, maybe
against an untrained mouse. Seriously though, think of something you are
good at and ask yourself this question: did you become proficient in
that skill in one lesson? Odds are you only learned the basics and it
will take practice for you to become second nature and realistically
proficient.
2. Stretch, Stretch, and
Stretch
If you
don't have flexibility then you won't have the kick. As obvious as it
sounds, people just don't do enough stretching, even when they know they
should. So I will say it once again, "Stretch." Figure
out which muscles that are involved with each kick you are trying to
improve and take action by stretching. There are two specific ways of
stretching, the first is for warming up and is done before a workout to
decrease chance of injury (hold for about 9 seconds each stretch). The
other is for increasing flexibility, which is done after the workout to
improve the stretch (hold for longer periods of time).
3. Slow
motion kicking
When
practicing to develop good ground kicks, it is valuable to utilize slow
motion kicking. Slow motion kicking is the process of performing the
kick as slow as possible to focus strain on all the parts used in the
kick. It's easy to throw a side kick in one second, how about trying it
for thirty seconds? You will feel the difference. Slow motion kicking
will give you growth in four major areas: Balance, Control, Strength and
Form.
4. Power,
speed, and targeting
Aside from
the basic development of the kick, it is also important to build a
powerful fast kick that is on target. You can have nice flashy kicks,
however if they lack power or are off target, what good are they? Here
are a few key notes for developing your kicks.
A. Be careful throwing
repetitious kicks in the air. Overextending can be damaging.
B. Use a bag or pad when
kicking with full power.
C. Develop targeting by
using harder to hit targets such as focus mitts.
5. Give
and takes
This is
done with a partner, the attacker kicks to develop his or her targeting,
application, flexibility, etc. The defender or receiver takes the kicks
to develop toughness, reactions and awareness. Start by facing each
other and let the kicker begin by throwing one kick with little force,
the defender allows the kick to make contact and takes a step back. The
attacker then throws his next kick and the process continues. You can
adjust the power of the kicks so there is growth in both the attacker
and the defender. After about ten different kicks the defender then
takes his turn.
6. Coil
and recoil
This is an
optional technique of bringing the knee up before the execution of each
kick (with exceptions naturally). By doing so, you are protecting
against incoming kicks and your opponent will not be sure what kick you
are going to throw. When finishing a kick you can also come into recoil
before grounding the kick. This process is very effective in sparring.
7. Break
downs
Important
when learning or perfecting a new kick. Start by breaking the kick into
parts: positions, pivots, balance, muscles, movements and application.
Work on each development separately before combining. This helps to get
a better understanding of the mechanics in your kick.
8. Ambidexterity
A common
mistake for many martial artists is the consistent training of one leg
or one kick. Right and left kicks should be stressed equally if you are
going to become the Total Warrior. Ambidexterity is important for all
your training and keeps you from becoming right or left side dependent.
What good are you if one of your legs become unusable?
9.
Imagination
Last and
just as important is the use of your Creative Mental Training (CMT).
Visualize your skills improving, create fight scenes and scenarios in
your head and feel the abilities that you are looking for in your kicks.
Practice in your minds eye as you would in training, mentally feeling
and seeing your skill and improvement.
Constantly
ask, "How can I improve my kicks now?" Practice the
principles with consistent physical and mental action and you will soon
be on your way to having super kicks.
Please Join
MartialExpert.com Mailing List.
Please enter your email address here, select "subscribe"
radio button and press Submit. We will then
send you email whenever we add new topics or make changes to
MartialExpert.com. Your privacy and email ID will be fully protected as per internet law, guidelines and will Not be misused in any form.
