WHAT DOES YOUR POSTURE SAY (and cause)?

 By Phillip Starr

The next time you or your students (if you're an instructor) practice freestyle sparring, look closely at and study their fighting stances. Remember that the mind expresses itself through the body; the BODY IS AN OUTWARD REFLECTION OF THE MIND. The stance can tell you important things about the person who's standing in it. For instance;

• Are his hands held in close to his body or extended outwards towards his opponent? In the former, it's a sign of fear; he's afraid he may get hit and he's unconsciously bringing his hands inward (close to him) as protection. He doesn't really want to engage his opponent. A sudden attack may well overwhelm him because both his hands AND HIS MIND AND SPIRIT are withdrawn, focused on himself rather than on the opponent.

• Look very closely at his hips. Are they straight oe even thrust very slightly forward? Or...are they slightly pulled back? Only an experiencd, seasoned instructor will see it. If the hips are withdrawn – even a little – it's a sign of fear. It's an unconscious attempt to protect the reproductive organs. Oddly enough, it happens more frequently with women than men.

• Is her chin raised up a bit? That's a sign of fear; an attempt to pull the head and face back out of range of a sudden attack.

• Is she standing straight-legged or nearly so? This is often an indication of either fear or poor instruction. In her mind, it readies her for quick “flight.” If the knees are more bent with the hips held a bit lower, it implies a willingness to fight.

  
  
  

There several other indicators, but I think you get the picture. However, it must be borne in mind that not only are these indicators signals of the condition of the mind (fear)...they also REINFORCE AND EVEN CAUSE THE MENTAL CONDITION, which, in this case is fear. And if the opponent is fearful, he is in a condition known as “kyo” in Japanese (“ko” in Chinese); there's a chink in his armor...a flaw/weaknee that can be exploited. A sudden, explosive attack may well overwhelm him. His mind and spirit are in disarray and withdrawn.

And because his mind is withdrawn, which includes his “yi”, or intention. Because qi follows yi, his qi – his vital energy – is also withdrawn, making him that much weaker.

Just as your posture affects your mind, so also does your mind affect your posture! Remember - “body and mind are inseparably united.” Why? Because they are the same and one reflects and expresses the other.

“So”, you might ask, “If that's true, can fear be reduced by correcting the posture?” The answer is YES! Correcting the mind is largely useless if the body isn't also corrected. So, correct the body first and the mind (and spirit) will follow.