THE PRINCIPLE OF HORIZONTAL STRENGTH

 by Phillip Starr

Here's a simple experiment for you to try. Have a partner stand in the center of an imaginary “X” in a strong forward stance. He is facing North (it doesn't matter if it's really north or not – just imagine that it's north, okay?). Place on hand on his chest and try to push him backward. You'll find that he's very resistant to the force that you exert. The same thing will happen if you push directly from the rear.

“So?”, You ask. “What's this got to do with anything?” A bunch. Listen up, Spunky. Were you to strike your partner front the front or rear, he'd be fairly resistant to the force that you generate. Without going into a lot of mystical mumbo-jumbo about principles of physics, let me just say that this means that he's going to eat less of your force than if he was less stable.

When you strike someone or something, there is an exchange of force (initial force, reaction force, and so on) and at the end of it all, whichever object is least stable will soak up the majority of the force that was issued. The degree of stability (or the lack thereof, depending on how you look at it) determines just how much force is going to be absorbed. In simpler terms, this is why you should never punch a tree with full power. A tree is infinitely more stable than you are and you'll end up swallowing most of the force of your own blow! It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand this principle. However, if you still don't get it, run outside and whack the nearest tree with your best punch. You'll quickly realize the truth of this paragraph.

Now, back to you and your partner. He's facing north, right? This time, use only one or two fingers and push against him from the NE or NW. He'll topple every easily. Imagine what'd happen if you drove in a solid punch! His lack of stability would cause him to suck up the majority of the destructive force that you issued! The same would be true if you struck from the SW or SE.

This principle originated in the traditional Chinese martial arts but surprisingly, it seems to have been largely forgotten nowadays. In taijiquan, for example, we see practitioners (including many teachers) doing their level best to launch their training partners into the next county with a powerful push. They usually don't fare too well and the end result is rather embarrassing, to say the least. That's because they're pushing directly against their partner's “platform” and he's naturally resistant to the force that they generate. “That's how it's done in the form”, they argue.

Uh-huh. This statement indicates that they don't understand how form(s) should be applied or the principles involved. If they'd push against his position from an angle (as described above), they'd find that a little force goes a long, long way! THIS is how the technique was originally intended to be applied and understanding this principle can change the application and/or the effectiveness of many techniques and forms.

This is a fine example of what is meant by “horizontal strength”; it is “cutting through” an opponent's position angularly, destroying his balance and minimizing his resistance to your blow. It is particularly devastating when it is applied in conjunction with what is known as “vertical strength”, which is the subject of another essay. This idea is applicable not only to percussive techniques, but to grappling techniques as well.

For example, if your partner stands with one foot advanced (which is really a given) and you attempt something like a hip or shoulder throw, you'll often find that throwing him is more than a little difficult. If he stands with his right foot advanced (again, facing north), move in to throw him towards the NW. Unbalancing him is a breeze because he has no real resistance against your efforts to dislodge him. The same thing applies to throws that are intended to cause him to fall backwards. Enter at an angle and throw him to the SE. It's really very easy.

The difficult thing is in training to get into the proper position; a position from which you can strike at an angle. This simply can't be done if you move back and forth along a straight line. You must train to evade the opponent's attack angularly and deliver your counter-attack similarly. This sounds easy enough to do but it'll require some considerable practice. After all, you have to be able to do it without conscious effort (that's without thinking about it for you rednecks out there). Rigorous practice of one-step and freestyle one-step practice fighting should be a part of each training session. Research this principle; look for it in your forms but bear in mind that forms IMPLY much more than they show. Look between the “lines.”