| WHAT ARE THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF MARTIAL ARTS ? |
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| The principles of the Arts are very important. They dictate how an arts technique developes and are utilized. Some use all four principles while other Martial Arts only use some..but ALL use at LEAST two of these principles. |
| HARD- A hard style is an art that utilizes force against force. Like two blocks of ice crashing into each other. Which ever is stronger will crash through the defenses of the other. So whichever is the stronger will win.... SOFT- A soft style is an art that blends/goes with force. Like a block of ice in a body of water. When ice pushes down the water gives way and accepts the energy..the power, it has when you push down on that block of ice. However when that energy is given and is accepted by the water and you stop pushing..the water redirects that energy right back. And no matter how hard you push that ice...you cant beat the water,because all the water does is accept what you give and then returns it when your done giving energy/stop pushing the ice... EXTERNAL- It refers to a kind of power. Physical or brute strength that you generate by your muscle....You tire easy..and requires one to stay in shape. If you dont use it/work out,you loose it, but its easy to gain... INTERNAL- This is also a kind of power. It refers to two kinds actually. One kind of internal energy is called CHI ( Chinese ) or KI (Korean and Japanese). CHI refers to the energy that flows with in you. Like blood flows through veins and arteries so does the chi/energy flows in you in channels called meridieins. The second form of internal energy is called JIN ( Subtle Body Power ). A chinese term where its is the proper combination of breathing, footwork, and technique. When timed properly you will be able to perform almost super humanly..just as you would with cultivating CHI. Sometimes JIN is confused with CHI. Unlike working out and going to the gym which you can get gains in a few weeks to a few months...CHI and JIN take longer to cultivate..however the gains last a lot longer. CHI is cultivated by breathing excersices...refered to as chi kung/qi gong (Universal Breathing). This will help your CHI grow. JIN will be cultivated by practice in technique and training...always applying proper footwork, breathing and technique it becomes part of you.... ADDITIONAL PRINCIPLES- |
| EXAMPLES Hard and external styles: Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Kempo, etc... Hard and internal styles: Hsing I Chuan..etc. Soft and internal styles: Aikido, Tai Chi, Bagua Chang, etc... Arts that share elements of all: Hapkido, Chen style Tai Chi, Wing Chun, etc.. |
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| -AIKIDO- |
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