hard means tensing up your muscles to take a punch. soft means relaxing and evading the punch.
How does that explain “hard force” being used while the muscles are relaxed?
The relaxed part is a function of not using any more muscular energy than is necessary to accomplish a movement, it does not imply not using any muscular effort at all.
you guys argued for 7 years about what it means, so i just wanted to tell you guys.
[QUOTE=bawang;1165130]you guys argued for 7 years about what it means, so i just wanted to tell you guys.[/QUOTE]
Who are “you guys”?
black people.
[QUOTE=bawang;1165095]soft means relaxing and evading the punch.[/QUOTE]
That’s too conservative thinking. Since A + B > A, the more aggressive thinking should be:
- relaxing,
- evading the punch,
- borrow your opponent’s force,
- add your own force, and
- lead your opponent into the “emptiness”.
Greetings,
Both actions are hard.
It is the aspect of consciousness that precipates the impulse to move that is soft…and moist.
mickey
[QUOTE=YouKnowWho;1165167]That’s too conservative thinking. Since A + B > A, the more aggressive thinking should be:
- relaxing,
- evading the punch,
- borrow your opponent’s force,
- add your own force, and
- lead your opponent into the “emptiness”.[/QUOTE]
Not trying to be a jerk here, but A + B > A, only when B > 0.
A thing is only hard when it is compared to something that is relatively softer, even though that same thing may be harder than something else.
So your process of:
- relaxing,
- evading the punch,
- borrow your opponent’s force,
- add your own force, and
- lead your opponent into the “emptiness”
may actually be considered a hard “process” if your opponent does not resist your actions, goes with your force and moves himself into a harmless, or less harmful, condition. For example: go with the flow and move into a roll.
[QUOTE=bawang;1165153]black people.[/QUOTE]
Like your mother?
I thought ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ had more to do with level of arousal?
Hebrew Hammer,
If I went with that, heightened arousal would be soft.
mickey
[QUOTE=Scott R. Brown;1165213]Like your mother?[/QUOTE]
I think you mean “yo mama”…
[QUOTE=taai gihk yahn;1165225]I think you mean “yo mama”…[/QUOTE]
I am highly educated, YOU are from New York!!
or is it New Yawk?
this is not a discussion. you guys dont get to argue with me. i am expert chinese guy. this is what hard and soft/external internal means.
[QUOTE=YouKnowWho;1165167]That’s too conservative thinking. Since A + B > A, the more aggressive thinking should be:
- relaxing,
- evading the punch,
- borrow your opponent’s force,
- add your own force, and
- lead your opponent into the “emptiness”.[/QUOTE]
Or we may characterize energy or power by direct and indirect.
In mantis, we have 8 hard and 12 soft ways.
Ba gang shi er ruo.
Or direct and indirect way.
Indirect meaning some yielding and evading then issue your energy and power.
And also redirect the opponent’s energy or power against himself.
Again,
Both methods described by bawang are hard.
mickey
Wrapping mystical BS around something as simple as punching someone in the face is for people who like to talk about martial arts.
Hard and soft are topics for rumination etc.
They have no value when you are in the soup.
Concepts? no. hard is hard, soft is soft.
all fighters should be relaxed and mobile. period. If you aren’t relaxed and maintaining mobility, you’re gonna lose your fight probably.
such esoterica is losing it’s place rapidly. there are much clearer explanations and there is no need to visit a table that holds no nourishment.
Hard and soft hand are just a convenient way to group methods binominally.
The fun part is that when you mix and mesh them.
There are hard hands in your soft hands.
There are also soft hands in your hard hands.
gang zhong you ruo.
ruo zhong you gang.
In mantis
You may deliver a straight punch when there is an opening. zhi tong er ru shou. straight stab to enter your hand.
Facing that you may rotate your forearm to deflect it. or gun shou.
The first hand method is hard hand.
The second hand method is soft hand.
etc etc
In Tai Chi
To me, hard is used in offense and soft is used in defense. There is no such thing as soft offense that you can “soft” your opponent to death.