Hi Fu Pow,
There’s two big obstacles that I see in people understanding and acceptance of IMA as unique and legitimate:
- The initial explanation of HOW they work relies on outdated, pseudo-scientific paradigms. .
Please explain to us what a “pseudo-scientific paradigm” is and how it misunderstands IMA?
IMA are a function of the mind directing the body in a different fashion than is commonly used in EMA. It is not that complicated to learn, but does take some practice to use effectively. A principle of IMA is to apply as minimal a Yang force as necessary to an opponent’s vulnerability (Yin) in order to overcome him. It is the use of strategy and tactics combined with an understanding of human biodynamics and momentum that allows one to accomplish this. This is the meaning of the dictum, “Use 4 oz. to overcome 1,000 lbs.” It does not mean an internal adept is able to lift or hit with the force of 1,000 lbs. It means that the force one uses is directed to a weakness in the opponent in a strategic manner, thus creating an effect “similar” to 1,000 lbs of force. 4 oz. of force does not actually result in a literal 1,000 lbs. of force. Because he understands the dynamics of momentum and leverage an IMA adept does not “require” excessive strength to overcome an opponent. That does not mean he MUST NOT have excessive strength, only that it is not necessary to accomplish his purpose.
One of the basic principles of Taoist thought is that energy is to be conserved and not wasted needlessly. Tai Chi in particular seeks to adhere to that principle when applying it to MA. It isn’t the avoidance of strength or force that is called for, it is that a judicious use of force and strength is used in order to preserve energy. Once one understands this desire to preserve energy within Taoist thought the principles of Tai Chi become more understandable.
- 99% of people have not encountered people that have true understanding of IMA priniciples and can demonstrate them.
So 99% don’t know what they are talking about but your “Taiji teacher who has massive internal skill and can readily demonstrate and who has never lifted a weight in his life” does? And we should take your word for it why? It is more likely you don’t understand what you are seeing and experiencing. Internal skill is a combination of mind and body unification, biomechanics and a specific type of strategy and tactics. Strength does not inherently interfere with any of this. One may fairly say that in many cases extra strength is not necessary, but to state that the strength which results from weight training is a hindrance is foolishness, completely untrue and a misunderstanding of the IMA principles.
The applications that your instructor applies all occur within a specific context. It is a controlled environment. All one need do to neutralize your instructor’s application is to change the context of the exercise without telling him. That means change your biodynamics or momentum. You will note that when engaging in push hands exercises there is a specified stance and movement prescribed. This is for the purpose of learning listening skills and applications by simplifying the movements. Limitations are place upon how one stands and moves because there at just too many variations possible when free form is allowed to occur. Free form push hand exercises are for advance students, but mostly still require a well defined context. Change the context and applications become effectively neutralized. This is a principle of strategy and tactics and applies to all forms of combat not just hand to hand, but wars as well. Any technique, application or tactic one uses works within a specific range of contexts. Once the context is changed the application becomes ineffective. The more skilled the practitioner the more likely they have the flexibility to accommodate to the change in context by transitioning to another application. Then once again the opponent must change the context to overcome that application. This is when skill and experience becomes necessary to overcome an opponent. One of the marvels of Aikido is that each technique may be easily transitioned to another technique as the context of the opponent’s biodynamics and momentum change. This is valuable since not everyone responds in an identical manner when a technique is applied.
The foundation of Internal MA is the mind, but mind directs the body to achieve a purpose. In Tai Chi this purpose is to defend oneself expending as little energy as possible, both mental energy and physical energy. Preservation of energy is a basic principle of Taoist thought. That is what cultivation and preservation of Chi is all about. “Internal” in the context of Taoism and IMA means “from the mind”. Physically manifested power does not come directly from the mind however as in the projection of Chi across distances. Internal training teaches one how the mind directs the body in a more efficacious manner reducing, not eliminating, the need for strength. The body is the tool of the mind, but the mind still requires the power generated by the body. Since Force = Mass x Acceleration, one may increase force in three ways. Increase acceleration, increase mass, or both. It is the manner in which the mind directs the body that creates power, but the power is still generated from the body.
Mass may be increased through strength training. Increased muscle mass is preferable to gaining mass by adding fat because muscle mass is a more efficient use of the gain in mass for generating power. This is because increased muscle mass also increases ones acceleration and reduces the overall amount of energy required to create the same amount of force. This is demonstrated by my example of you and me lifting 100#. Since I am conditioned to lift 100# I am able to lift that amount more easily than you while using less energy. So in your example of training in Tai Chi for 8 hours without becoming fatigued, someone better conditioned, such as myself would be able to train for perhaps 12 or 16 hours before suffering the same amount of fatigue as yourself.
People want to say “external and internal training” are the same thing, therefore they can be trained in the same way. Pro-athletes are internal, powerlifters are internal…that’s because, they, like you don’t understand how they are different.
Who wants to say they are the same thing? Who says they can be trained in the same way? How do I not understand they are different? It is more likely you don’t understand what I am saying, not that I don’t understand what I am saying.
What defines an informed weightlifter?
A well informed weightlifter is one who understands the most beneficial training protocols. Those are the ones that have been scientifically studied and determined to be the most effective manner of increasing strength for a specified purpose.
Some of the protocols have been improved over the 2-3,000 years of weight training, but the most basic principle of weight training, that of progressive resistance, goes at least as far back as Milo of Crotona, 536 BC.
I never said that it would “shorten life or reduce martial effectiveness.” What it does do is increase risk of injury and limit internal martial arts potential.
The argument is whether weightlifting will inhibit internal development. The answer is yes, it will. They are different ways of moving to develop different skill sets.
What are the definitions of “limit” and “inhibit”? A “limit” is a “boundary” and “to inhibit” is “to interfere with”. Within our context “to limit” then means there is a level of skill one cannot go beyond, while “to inhibit” means it would create greater difficulty in acquiring a certain level of skill. Both reduce martial effectiveness. So IN FACT you DID say weight training would “reduce martial effectiveness”, since both of your WRONG assertions would accomplish just that!
Once again weight training performed properly REDUCES chance of injury; it does NOT increase chance of injury other than to say that a more active life style creates greater opportunity for injury to occur. If one is afraid of the opportunity for injury to occur than one must effectively avoid doing anything, even IMA since activity increases the opportunity for injury to occur over no activity at all. So following your reasoning one should avoid all activity to avoid the chance of incurring an injury!
What actually occurs, as I have repeatedly stated, is that a well toned and strong musculature reduces the chance of injury.
While weight training does in fact require some limited coordination it is NOT performed for the purpose of developing skills, therefore it DOES NOT develop a different set of skill sets. That is NOT its purpose. While all MA training DOES develop skill sets. It is the skill sets of IMA that you are implying weight training interferes with. You have mentioned NO example where this actually occurs other than your inadequate understanding of weight training principles and your misinformation regarding the benefits/detriments of weight training.
