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| | | By Yosef
Susskind, GC 4th Degree
Among all of the external and internal martial arts systems, and all of the functional and sport-specific strength and dexterity regiments, one of the most sought-after goals held in common is the development of EFFORTLESS POWER. Much ink has been spilled on how to attain this goal, and more injuries have been sustained in its pursuit than many of man’s higher ambitions.
Some training methodologies focus on strengthening the instrument, others on perfecting technique. As for the first, getting stronger is not the same as cultivating effortless power. Being strong is a qualitative advantage, but strength is not always the same as the ability to execute fine motor movement with effortless explosivity.
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Senior
Master Al noted that Muhammad Ali’s movement looked so graceful and
effortless, it seemed he just touched his opponents and sent them to the
mat—so much so that many boxing fans asserted that his fights were
fixed. If you watch the tape on many of history’s great boxing
champions, some of their knockouts do look staged. Had the fights been
staged, the fighters certainly could have made them look good, at least
as good as untrained Hollywood actors routinely do.
Instead,
the greatest fighters often seem to touch their opponent—no windup, no
follow-through, no sound effects--and put them to sleep. This is the
ability that people are chasing when they train for effortless power.
You can lift the same weights as Ali and Tyson.
It will not grant you
the gift of effortless power.
You can do knuckle pushups until your
hands are arthritic, and sit in a horse stance until your knees run out
of cartilage.
It will not make you hit like an Okinawan warlord.
Strength training alone develops the muscles and connective tissues, but
rarely results in the neuromuscular coordination that manifests as
effortless power.
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Going beyond simple conditioning, other
schools promise effortless power through refinement of technique.
Unfortunately, their idea of refinement is to practice the same
technique for twenty years.
Supposedly, sometime around year nineteen,
you’ll become graceful, and power will flow through you like sake flows
through a sailor on shore leave. But practicing technique is only
helpful if you know the difference between correct and incorrect
movement.
To believers in the twenty-year plan, Master Al
posits this question: What is the difference between the technique that
results in the master’s effortless power and the technique practiced by
the novice?
If you can identify what makes the master’s technique
superior, then teach it to the student from day one. If you cannot
articulate a difference in their overt technique, then you must search
for some hidden principle that grants the master his power.
In
either case, practicing the same thing the same way for twenty years
will not magically lead to a qualitative change—not in martial arts, or
in other endeavors. The maxim “practice makes perfect” presumes
regular, positive changes toward a known end; it is not robotic
repetition in pursuit of a nebulous goal. Unsurprisingly, doing the
same thing the same way over a long period of time increases your chance
of doing things…the same.
Al points out that in martial
arts, as well as in professional sports, wielders of effortless power
are the individuals who value natural, creative movement above the
conventions of technique. In boxing, track, football, etc., the true
outliers are constantly labeled as unconventional in their movement, and
are even accused by “experts” of having incorrect technique.
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Effortless
power is a result of unencumbered, natural body movement. It is the
tyranny of technique itself that prevents us from exercising effortless
power. The idea that we have to work hard and execute a “correct” punch
in order to generate power prevents us from exploring natural human
motion, which in fact is the easiest movement for us to perform with
maximum power.
How can we exercise effortless power while we
are working so hard to hit forcefully?
Everyone wants to move with
effortless power, but how many have simply tried to move effortlessly?
When we free ourselves from the contrivances of fixed techniques, and
stop trying so hard to hit with power, we can begin the process of
learning natural, efficient, dynamic movement, utilizing the entire body
with graceful, SPONTANEOUS and unchoreographed explosivity.
Of course, this is easier said than done. We will delve more into the mindset for cultivating effortless power next time in Effortless Power, Part 2.
In
the meanwhile, if you are one of the throng that pays good money to a
gym or martial arts school in the hope of attaining effortless power, you can find out more at the Combative Movement Immersion Seminar from Nov 3rd
to Nov 5th at GC Headquarters in Elmsford NY.
Grandmaster John and Senior Master Al
will teach you how to develop the neuromuscular coordination to wield
your body as the weapon it was designed to be. Best of all, it doesn’t
take twenty years.
Copyright 9/29/17 Copyrighted.com NJEC-TXUN-DTPS-DWKM
[Yosef is available for private lessons. Contact us for info]
CHECK OUT OUR FREE WEBINAR FOR A PREVIEW OF OUR SEMINAR.
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| | COMBATIVE MOVEMENT
IMMERSION SEMINAR
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| NOV. 3-5, 2017 AT THE ELMSFORD, NY GC HQ
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| This three day seminar will develop in participants a deeper understanding of Guided Chaos’ unique Body Movement Dynamics, enabling you to create seamless, fluid power, where you need it--when you need it.
Topics include:
► Fighting in the "future"
► Isolation and Invisibility
► Getting and staying out of phase to confuse the enemy
► Removing stylization "traps"
► Creating Natural Movement and Becoming "Liquid"
► Integrating critical Slambag drills into your Balance, Looseness and "Natural Movement" training
...and much, much more along with intensive Contact/Combat Flow variations work.
3 Day Seminar Fee: $600
Multi-day, and LEO/Military discounts available.
SPACE IS LIMITED...ORDER EARLY
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| | | GUIDED CHAOS is the GREASE that makes
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"After experiencing Contact Flow hands-on with the experts, I consider it to be the 'piece de resistance' of martial arts."
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--Dr. Jan Bloem, one of Europe's leading authorities teaching special police and military special operation units, www.datmovement.nl |
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"Guided
Chaos should be required training for anyone interested in push hands
and the self-defense aspects of the internal arts."
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--Sifu Ken Gullette, certified as an instructor with the U.S.
Chen Family, connected directly to the
Chen Village tai chi school through Grandmaster Chen Xiaoxing. http://www.internalarts.typepad.com/ |
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