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By John Bracy Copyright (c) 2008
Every practitioner of the internal martial arts who practices not only for development of chi internal energy, health and joy of experiencing an ancient art, but sincerely believes that there is something special about the internal martial arts as effective self-defense must solve this, the ultimate riddle of the internal martial arts:
"Use only four ounces of force to defeat
a thousand pounds"
This quote from Yang Tai Chi stylist Li Yi-Yu written about 1880 expresses not only ultimate puzzle, but ultimate promise of the internal martial arts. For the serious practitioner who believes there is something special about the internal martial arts that does make them useful as self-defense, he or she must strive to understand what this puzzle means and how light and effortless power can become objectively based and personally experienced reality. This approach means the person developing internal martial skill sets not only minimizes reliance on torque and brute force [why?] but strives to research and ulitimately develop an approach to training based on how aspects of mind, intention, subtle skill and advanced mechanics might be useful in self-defense.
Three aspects of training In my search to understand the mystery of how only a few ounces might be able to defeat a thousand pounds, I've identified three aspects of training that I teach my students: bio mechanics, sensitivity and mental-emotional subsets. Each of these play an important role in accessing and expressing power and potential, and the first two of these are introduced below:
How to teach and study the internal martial arts
PART I: PHYSICAL STRUCTURE & BIO MECHANICS
PART II: THE JUNCTURE BETWEEN MIND, BODY, EMOTIONAL STATES & NERVOUS SYSTEM (sorry, this part not quite ready)
PART I: PHYSICAL STRUCTURE & BIO MECHANICS
(Introduction to general principles)
1. STRUCTURE REL ATES TO POWER
The most important clues to understanding how only "a few ounces can defeat a thousand pounds" is to understand the body in terms of efficiency vs. less efficiency. Simply put, "effect" (for example, the ability to take down an opponent) which relies on size or torque is less efficient that skill based of timing, body mechanics and subtlety of advanced leverage principles.
| Alignment of the body's entire power allows access to advanced bio mechanics |
![for web fu plus deterioration].jpg](/images/stories/for%20web%20fu%20plus%20deterioration].jpg "for web fu plus deterioration].jpg")
(Web video lesson on VERTICAL POWER training almost ready.. check back soon, or send email to
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Comparison of knee angles- old and new teachers
A great loss to the internal martial arts, over the years in trips to mainland China and Taiwan, I observed increasingly less instruction of horizontal vs. vertical knee angle principles which I interpreted as sad explanation for the inability of practitioners to use internal martial skill in real self-defense situations.
[coming soon- Registered users click here to see more photos of master Fu Zhong-wen]
Aligned structure and "horizontal vs. vertical" represent two components of a larger set of instructions which address how a practitioner can achieve and master advanced bio mechanics. Other aspects include:
3. Not tucking the tailbone [Read about it here]
4. Empty full: [Read about it here- ready soon] [soon: subscribe to this video lesson here]
5. Block training to retrain unconscious bad habits that weaken power.
[soon- read about here] or subscribe to web video on this lesson (ready soon!)
6. Connective tissue matrix. The art of mastering "body connective strength"
7. The art of walking and stepping to develop more effective muscle training
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