IT'S A LONG STRETCH...

 by Phillip Starr

How frequently do you engage in flexibility exercises? Most of us don't really like to do them; they're uncomfortable and boring. We'd rather get into the “meat” of our training – the various punches and kicks and practice routines with a partner. And that's perfectly normal. It's the same wherever you go – whether it's in the US, England, Japan, China, or Korea. Most martial arts enthusiasts really dislike doing stretching routines but most of us understand that they're really an essential part of training; they warm up and prepare the muscles for vigorous exercise (and help prevent strained or torn muscles), they foster good circulation, which helps remove toxins and helps keep the muscles soft and pliable, and they provide other health benefits as well. The Chinese say that “long muscles mean long life” and to some degree, they're right.

I'm convinced that one of the main things that contributes to “old age” is lack of flexibility. Most senior citizens stop doing any kind of flexibility routines and their aging muscles get tight and seem to “shorten.” This can result in poor(er) circulation and contributes to balance problems and a host of other health problems. If you're fairly young, make stretching exercises a part of your daily workout. If you don't, you'll pay for it when you get older! It's more difficult to increase flexibility when you're older (and the muscles have stiffened) that when you're young. But (for you oldsters out there) it CAN be done; you just have to go slowly and don't “over-do and risk tearing a muscle. If you keep flexible from your younger years, remember that it's much easier to stay flexible than it is to get flexible.

Working to increase your strength is good (especially when you're young) but flexibility is, in my opinion, more important overall. And when you stretch, remember that your muscles are akin to rubber bands, Don't “bounce”; the rubber band will simply return to its usual length and lengthening it will take a very long time. Plus, you're running the risk of tearing it. Instead, stretch and hold the position for several seconds (a nice 8-count is good) and do it several times. If you do this with a rubber band, it will slowly (and more safely) lengthen with minimal risk of tearing.

And take your time! It's good to set a goal, but make it realistic. It's actually best to set a short-term goal that is quite reasonable and then when you achieve it, set a new one...and keep doing this until you reach your long-term goal. And never compare your progress or lack of it) to others; you are unique and you must move at your own pace.

When you practice a certain stretching routine, it should be MILDLY uncomfortable, but never very painful. And if, during your exercise, you feel a burning sensation, stop immediately! That means that the muscle(s) involved in that exercise has been over-stressed and they're about to tear...

Heavy stretching is comparable to weightlifting; you should do it only every other day. Lighter stretching can be done on a daily basis. But don't practice stretching in a hit-or-miss manner. It has to be practiced regularly. If you do it only now and then, you're guaranteed an injury.

The key to stretching is relaxation. You must learn to RELAX the muscles that you're stretching as well as the rest of your body. Tensed muscles don't stretch easily or comfortably and learning to truly relax may take some time. When you stretch a given muscle, exhale and let all tension/stress leave your body along with your breath. Relax! And your gains will slowly increase. I strongly recommend making flexibility exercises a regular part of your daily workout. Set aside as little as 15 minutes for this. You'll be thankful that you did.

FORCE VS. SHOCK

 by Phillip Starr

Nowadays, I see many (perhaps most) martial arts aficionados striving to develop more and more force (what we call “brute force”) rather than concentrating on developing and refining shock. There's a real difference between the two. Force is heavy and blunt. It doesn't necessarily penetrate very deeply into the (human) target. The depth of its penetration depends upon how strong and large you are relative to your opponent. If your opponent is much larger than you, the odds of your blow (and the force of it) acquiring minimal penetration and bouncing off are pretty good. This can be more than a little disconcerting, especially in a self-defense situation wherein your enemy is much larger and stronger than you are. It reminds me of a true story involving the great boxer, John L. Sullivan of the sport's early “bare-knuckle” years in the 19^th century.

Now, Sullivan was no runt. He was quite tall and very physically powerful. And, being the “champ” he often attracted unwanted pests who wanted to prove themselves and gain a great reputation by beating him...any way they could. One one evening, Sullivan was in a tavern in New York enjoying a beer when a rather small fellow walked up and began wailing on his abdomen with his fists.

Sullivan took another gulp of beer and putting his glass down, he grabbed hold of the little guy and warned him, “If you ever hit me and I find out about it, I'm going to beat the hell out've you.” Then he released the guy who ran for the door...

Shock is a different story. It is a great amount of force that is concentrated onto a small surface and it penetrates deeply into the target and releases its energy within it, much the same as a bullet does. And there are different types of shock, each of which has a different effect – all of them nasty – on the target, For instance, a properly executed backfist has a completely different effect on the target than, say, a punch. It doesn't matter if your opponent is much larger and stronger than you. The effect is devastating.

Any way that you move will create force to some degree. But because we're all built the same as humans, there are only 8 ways that you can move that will create shock (what I call “body shock”). These are outlined thoroughly in my book, MARTIAL MECHANICS. Each one must be studied in detail and then applied to your practice of individual techniques, combinations of techniques, and ultimately your forms. This absolutely cannot be done quickly and it's important that you don't try to hurry the process. It takes time to acquire genuine skill (after all, that's the meaning of “gong-fu”; a fine skill developed after a lot of practice over time).

As martial arts practitioners,we should be able to strike with different kinds of power (shock), depending upon the target (the head as opposed to the rib cage or abdomen) and the degree of damage we wish to inflict on it. One of the types of shock that we seek to develop is hydrostatic shock, which affects liquid. The human body is 60% water and a proper technique will send a “shock wave” through the target. This is really the objective of most training routines. To develop this fine skill doesn't require much strength but is DOES require absolute precision. If we're unable to do that and we rely instead on simple brute force we're just a kind of glorified, fancified street-fighter. What we do is an ART and it takes time to develop it.

DEMONSTRATIONS OF REAL SKILL

 by Phillip Starr

Back when I first undertook the study of gong-fu and karate, many upper-level practitioners would thrill audiences by shattering bricks and boards with their bare hands (the gong-fu people rarely engaged in this practice, however). It was certainly impressive but as time passed, I came to understand that breaking a couple of boards or even a brick is nice but it isn't necessarily indicative of real martial prowess.

Over the years, I witnessed (and subsequently sought to practice) forms of “breaking” that required a good deal more than simple brute force. I will describe a few of them here...

I once saw Masutatsu Oyama (known as the “godhand” and founder of Kyokushin karate) shatter a brick...which would seem to be no big deal, except that he had a partner holding it firmly BY ONE END! He punched the lower half of the brick and cut it in half! This is an incredible feat and a display of high skill. I was never able to duplicate it...

One feat that I'd only heard about was breaking a balloon with a punch...while it was floating gently in the air. To try it sounds easy enough...just blow up a balloon and tie it off, then toss it into the air. And punch it. Go ahead, try it. It took a while, but I was eventually able to do it. In my 50 years of teaching, I've only had about 3 students who could do it. This is largely due to the fact that very, very few students were willing to put in the required training to achieve this feat.

It requires a very high degree of speed and the blow must strike the balloon with SHOCK (as opposed to simple force) so that the skin is instantly torn before the balloon has a chance to bounce away.

Another extremely difficult breaking technique is what I call the “flush break.” A brick is placed on top of the base rather than being supported by two other bricks on either ends; it simply lays flat on the base and is struck with a sword-hand to cut it in half.

Or an “unsupported” break is also very difficult; in this case, the brick is stood up on end and then hit with a punch. This requires exceptional speed and shock.

My gong-fu teacher demonstrated his skill with the sword by hanging up a wooden ring (about 4-5” diameter) and started it swinging gently. Then beginning in a preparation (“on-guard”) stance, he'd suddenly lunge forward and thrust the sword cleanly through the center of the ring! Not only that, but he'd quickly withdraw it without touching the sides of the ring!

A demonstration of real skill needn't (and usually doesn't) require a display of strength or brute force.

DAILY HABIT

 by Phillip Starr

Most of us engage in certain daily “habits” without thinking much about them and if we consciously skip over one of them, we feel as if we've neglected to do something important. We wake up, brush our teeth, and tend to various small chores such as shaving, brushing our hair, making the bed, and so on. Such things have become a part of our lifestyles.

Daily practice of your chosen martial art must likewise become a daily habit...like brushing your teeth. It needn't use up a great deal of time. If you can put in just 20-30 minutes, that's fine. Don't have time? Stop with the excuses...everybody has 20-30 minutes of free time each day. If you're convinced that you absolutely don't have the much free time, I suggest getting up a bit earlier. It's a matter of priorities...how important is your training to you? If it's really important, you'll find a way; if not, you'll find an excuse.

You should strive to do it at least 6 days a week. If you do this for 30 days, it'll become a habit and as you continue to do it, the more ingrained the habit becomes. Practicing only once a week (or less) or Tuesdays and Thursdays just doesn't cut it IF you want to make your art your lifestyle. It mustn't be relegated to the status of a curious hobby that you do on certain days of the week; doing so will not foster the development of high skill. At all.

Daily practice will soon produce some very positive results...not just in terms of your skill level, but also in your health, productivity at work, and even relationships. It doesn't happen all at once or very quickly; it takes time. But good things come to those who practice everyday.

YOU AND YOUR YI!

 By Phillip Starr

In Chinese, the word “yi” (意) Translates roughly as “intent, idea, imagination...” and it's one of the most crucial aspects of training in and applying any martial art. From judo to karate, taekwondo, kendo, gong-fu, or any other martial discipline, yi is of paramount importance. The founders of the Chinese styles known as xingyiquan and yiquan considered it important enough that they included it in the very names of the arts they developed!

Without yi, training becomes lifeless and empty. Application can become extremely difficult and very risky at best and can result in complete failure at worst. Yi is actually what makes technique work properly! If you just practice to lob your techniques out there (without yi), it's largely just so much wasted effort. Using yi doesn't necessarily mean that you need to put more “oomph” into your technique; it simply means to extend your intention as powerfully as you can. Additional physical effort isn't required.

When you think about it, the most important thing that we train (in any martial art) isn't how to punch or kick or execute throws, takedowns, or joint twists...it's the MIND! And when your practice partner attacks you (so that you can practice your defensive maneuver), he must do so with yi as well as body...that is, he must have the INTENT of attacking you and causing damage or pain although he doesn't have to actually carry through with it...but the INTENT must be there, In time, you'll notice that you can “sense” his intention before he even begins his attack.

Qi is directed by yi. The central principle of all qigong and fajin (a sharp emission of qi in technique) is, “Where the yi goes, the qi goes.” And it happens in that order; yi must move first, then qi instantly follows. So the first stage learning fajin or applying qi for healing purposes and such is the training of the yi. This is how I'm able to teach two-person qigong routines (such as the Unbendable Arm and the Immovable Posture) to people in less than 60 seconds. I get them to focus their yi in different ways and I know qi will follow. I taught this to numerous students in China. “Go and demonstrate that to any qigong masters that you meet”, I'd tell them. “They won't be able to do it.”

In fact, the qigong “masters” that I met were certain that a minimum of 2-3 years would be required to be able to perform these simple routines. They were astounded when I told them that I could teach it to anyone in less than one minute!

Training the yi fully is a process that is developed over time. It can't be mastered in a few minutes or days. And if you look inside several of the old training exercises, you can see that the training of the yi is at their core. When applied to your forms, it makes a lot of difference; the entire set will feel and even look differently. When you practice three-step and one-step fighting, strong focus of yi by BOTH parties is essential if you have any hope of developing real skill...

THE WHY AND THE HOW

 by Phillip Starr

There are really two aspects to performing a given technique or form; one is, of course the “how” of it...how is it to be executed? Exactly how? And understanding this aspect can take some considerable time and practice.

HOW do you bow? Exactly how should you kneel down or stand up? EXACTLY how is that punch/kick to be performed? And forms offer a whole new dimension to the question(s) of HOW?

But knowing the “how” is only half of it. It's essential that you learn and thoroughly understand the “why” as well. Understanding this aspect can alter how you understand and perform the “how.”

As you move through the ranks, from white to green, brown, and finally black belt...and through the grades of black belt, your understanding (and hopefully, your practice of) the various “how's” changes. What is correct for a white belt isn't necessarily what is correct for a black belt...

At the rank of shodan, a student should have a solid grasp of the “how” as it pertains to the fundamental techniques and forms (in system that don't utilize a grading system, this should be after about 3 years of regular study and training). Understanding the “how” will be enhanced further with the passage of time and, of course, more rigorous training.

It really isn't until the level of yondan (4^th grade black belt, which can be achieved after about 12-15 years of training) that one is usually introduced to the “why” aspect(s). WHY is a given technique, body movement, form, etc., to be performed in a certain way? A qualified sensei/sifu should know this...at least up to a certain level.

These twin aspects can and should be applied to every facet of your chosen discipline. For example, WHY do you wear your uniform just so? WHY do you kneel down/stand up in a certain way? WHY do you perform your bow (and there are often several ways of bowing involved) as you do? Right down to the smallest details...why, why, why? And the tired answer of, “Because that's just the way we do it”, isn't an answer at all. It's an excuse that veils ignorance much of the time.

Of course, there are some folks who feel that knowing the “why” isn't all that important and they don't bother to pursue the questions. However, such deadheads may well be doing the technique/form/whatever incorrectly because they've never bothered to peer beneath the surface.

And learning the “why's” is much like peeling off the layers of an onion. There seems to be another “why” to the “why” that was just learned...until you arrive at the core. Therein lies the truth.

WHAT ARE THEY REALLY TEACHING YOU?

 By Phillip Starr

If I had a nickel for every prospective student or alleged martial artist who told me, “Forms are a waste of time... Nobody fights like that; they're just fancy dances that have no application in today's modern world”, I'd be a very wealthy man. Those who make such statements don't understand the “why” or even the “what” of form practice (often because they became bored and/or confused with the arduous training in what they regard as an antiquated practice) and many of them have shut their minds on the subject, refusing to reconsider.

To begin, forms are much more than just memorized movements that our forefathers found to be useful in combat. They knew, probably much better than we do, that “people don't actually fight like that.” But they also understood (also much better than we do) the real nature of hand-to-hand combat, unlike many of the current generation of “full-contact” sportsmen who wear padded gloves, are required to follow certain rules, fight in timed rounds, and – win or lose - go home at the end of the contest.

The forms that were developed by our martial arts ancestors were designed to teach principles and techniques that are essential to survival in actual combat. Different forms will provide training in various methods of weight shifting, body movement and footwork, transitioning from one type of posture or movement to another, timing, balance... And this is often performed differently, depending on the style being learned.

Karate, kung-fu, taekwondo, and other such forms of pugilism are not static postures. Our forefathers knew that. Rather, they are forms of movement. BUT they must be studied very carefully if they are to be fully understood. Real combat is very fluid and dynamic, not fixed. So are forms if you understand and are performing them correctly, as they were intended.

In a very real sense, each form teaches you to “think” in a different way. When I was young, I hated math (especially algebra) and I asked my father why we were required to learn this stuff (I knew even then that I'd never actually use algebraic formulas in my daily life and I was right). His answer was simple but very profound, “Because it teaches you to think in a different way.” I considered his answer for years and finally came to really understand just what he meant. When I mentioned this short conversation to my kung-fu teacher, Master YZ Chen, he smiled and fully agreed with my father. “Yes!”, he replied enthusiastically. “It is like that with the different sets” (forms).

In a very real sense, different forms of different styles are like different languages. If you truly want to become fluent in another language, you must learn to THINK in that language as you speak rather than first thinking of the words in English and then trying to translate them into your second language. This is something that can't be achieved overnight and it requires considerable practice on a regular basis.

Learning and practicing the individual techniques (main nouns and verbs) isn't enough. You may make yourself understood in some instances but it's a far cry from being fluent. You must master all of the other parts of the language (compare this to various forms of transitioning, body shifting, footwork, and so on). But even that isn't enough. Then you must learn the structure of the language – does the verb come before or after the noun, etc. And remember, you must practice enough that speaking this language becomes “natural” for you; you THINK in that language (and then you're truly understanding the form).

Language is fluid and dynamic. It is made up of more than just nouns and a few verbs (techniques and fixed postures) that you commit to memory. The new language isn't particularly useful at all. You can't really have a conversation that way. But if you're willing to put in the necessary study and practice, you'll eventually become fluent (fluid) enough to do so. THEN it becomes useful.