Soft pliable effective power, 4 years later

Sifu Ralph Haenel recently asked me whether or not I had any new ideas about this previous blog entry:  http://kyklosphaira.blogspot.ca/2010/12/journey-to-soft-pliable-effective-power.html

What are my new thoughts about getting to this point?

When strong to start
When we are strong, during Wing Tsun training, we are still confident, because we are successful in gaining entry through brute strength.  As most of our partners are weaker than us, we can be falsely successful.  If neither of us is aware that the "success" was obtained through direct force rather than economy of motion, then our Wing Tsun training becomes stagnant.

The problems occur when our training partner happens to be stronger than us.  Problems can also occur, if the partner is simply better in Wing Tsun, and diffuses our strength by letting us pass, or using our stiff strength against us.

When we finally realize this, we then train to become softer, and then we are surprised when we can enter the partner's space effortlessly.  And now we apply our usual strength, which again works against most partners.  But, as before, our Wing Tsun training is at risk of becoming stagnant, if we don't realize that this usual strength doesn't work on everyone.  We might be relying upon strength that is not as powerful as we originally convinced ourselves to believe.

This combination of (somewhat) softness and strength works until we encounter someone who:  a) is more powerful who can take the punch, or b) evades the entry because they are effectively softer in a Wing Tsun way.

Our next goal then becomes:  soft, pliable, effective power

When weak to start
When we are weak, during Wing Tsun training, we can fail and lose confidence earlier.  We can't gain entry by brute strength.  We try to be soft, and we collapse and lose balance altogether.  But, through more training, if we apply some of the Wing Tsun strength and force principles, we are surprised when we can enter effortlessly.  Now, when we do finally gain access past the partner's arms, we have no power behind the strike, and are merely playing tag, brushing some lint.

The problems are there from the beginning, as most partners happen to be stronger than us.  As we slowly improve through, we can enter their space.  However, the problems worsen, because we can't affect the opponent's balance nor move them, as we have not trained the appropriate strength/power.  Consequently, we train our strength by basic weight-lifting.  Upon returning to Wing Tsun, we gain entry, we can hit, it feels stronger than before, but yet... it is not powerful.

Our next goal then becomes:  soft, pliable, effective power

Summary
I now think that there is no ideal starting point, in terms of being strong or weak to start.  But, if we don't have a good attitude and strive to improve upon our faults, it doesn't matter where we begin.  I believe that we need to train softness and power at the same time.

"Your attitude determines your altitude." - Zig Ziglar

We are all good in some ways, and have deficits in other areas.  What we should do is to maintain or improve upon our strong points, and simultaneously push ourselves to work further on our weaker areas.

There will always be someone who is better than us.  Our limits are set by ourselves.

"having no limitation as limitation" - Bruce Lee

Happy training!

P.S.  4 years later, I have not yet achieved the soft pliable effective power.  The journey continues...

Wing Tsun Kung Fu Vancouver Bart Cham Dao Seminar

What a year.  First the WT long pole exercises and form, and then...

Sifu Ralph Haenel of Wing Tsun Kung Fu Vancouver held the first Canadian seminar on the WT Bart Cham Dao (八斬刀, or Baat Jam Do I suppose), and boy oh boy, what can I say... well, nuthin'.  Still scratching my head, but that was expected.  Can't become a Master overnight.

Some believe that weapons training changes one's empty-hand methods, whereas others believe that it is a weapon form only and nothing else.  I think it does change how we move our body and limbs, both physically and mentally.  You have no choice in the matter.  If you believe in choice, then believe that with any new skill/knowledge you obtain (in WT or anything else in life), try to compare and contrast it to things you already know.

Knives in one's hands

Not everyone knows how to punch or chop with the fist or hand, parry or wedge with the forearms, etc.  When given a knife though, most people basically know what to do with it.  From fileting a fish to chopping a watermelon, I think you get the idea.  Granted, some do it more smoothly than others, of course.

Remember how even a fish can be a weapon with soft, sardine strikes?

Get to the "point" you say?

WT partner exercises with small knives/dowels

Enter the Bart Cham Dao (八斬刀).  Well, at least one idea I have about it, from training briefly with it.

We've all done other training with some type of hand-held weapon, with it or against it.
1) If you can't quite get the movement of a strike e.g. fak-sau, try doing the same motion with a small plastic knife or wooden dowel in YOUR hand.  Suddenly, the body and limb movements start to make sense; 

OR

2) If you find your legs stiffening up and not moving enough, give your PARTNER a small plastic knife.  Suddenly, you are moving much more (perhaps too much), trying to evade any strike.  Important Note:  this is different training against an actual knife, which is actually very dangerous against anyone who truly knows how to use a small knife with short cuts/slashes.  It's not that simple, and they don't attack like this.

Sorry, am I keeping you on the "edge" of your seat?  Well, it's not really that exciting.

From swords to empty hands

Going back to Bart Cham Dao, we now have one sword in each hand.  Ready to face other weapons.  There is an intensity that is different while holding that sword.  You feel more powerful.  You are going forward more.  You are holding your hands out further, rather than collapsing them putting you at risk of cutting yourself.  You are moving your 7 WT joints.  Links are made.  Neurons are firing.  Muscle memory develops.

Virtually all the movements from SNT, CK, and BT are all in the form.

Here's a thought:  try doing the Bart Cham Dao form with the swords, and then with empty-hands.  Do it as often as you do your long-pole exercises/form (cough, every day...).

Now, do your SNT, CK, and BT forms.  Also, go back to your regular training.  Are you now feeling more powerful, going forward more, with more intensity?  Do your fists/hands/forearms actually feel as though they were the swords themselves?

Did it improve your overall performance?
Whatever you are learning in life, are you improving yourself?

Are you going to be a "cut" above the rest?

Happy training!