The importance of strength and power in kung foo

[YouKnowWho]

Sounds like a typical American mindset. "If I'm big and strong I can win fights." Personally, I disagree with this concept.

Not only American mindset but Chinese mindset as well. Old Chinese saying said. "Your strength can defeat 10 of your opponent's best techniques."

Old Chinese saying also said, "Chinese wrestling is a sport of strength". This kind of mindset is different from Judo, "Use the minimum effort to achieve the maximum result." The difference here is that Chinese believe when 2 person are on the same skill level, it's very difficult to borrow force. If you can't borrow force, you can't throw your opporent effortless. It's very common that 2 good wrestlers wrestled for 2 hours, nobody could throw the other.

[Shaolin]

I was referring more to the individuals (meatheads) that believe that because they are larger in stature in comparison to their opponents that they magically posses combative capabilities and are guaranteed the victory.

I agree with the idea that if skill sets are equal then the person with the better physical characteristics will more than likely prevail. But if the comparison is between skill/knowledge vs. size/strength, then I believe skill/knowledge would win.

[Drake]

False choice fallacy. If you work hard, you can have *gasp* power AND technique! Of course both are important, and you should never lean on one. If you hit like a little sissy man, sure, your proper waist torque might give you a bit of extra oomph, but it won't hurt me.

Physical fitness, on a comprehensive level, is far more important than form. ESPECIALLY if you are a small person to begin with. So get out there, do some pullups/pushups/Crossfit/P90X (or whatever)/Cardio and get rid of the beer gut. It's embarassing to see fat "sifus" who rely on their technique to somehow win in battle.

And yeah, having a gun will protect you on TEH DEADLIEZ STREETZ, but it won't lower your cholesterol, keep you from getting diabetes, or stop that impending heart attack.

[bawang]

when earth dragon said ``oh those 80 pund stone dumbells in traditional kung fu, they not for training strength, theyre training special inner strength and tendon strength.`` it made me rage and smash my keyboard to pieces.

[bawang]

chinese martial art culture has changed a lot in the past 100 years. after half the country got addicted to opium and prostitutues, it sapped all the strength and manliness out of us. its shadow can even be felt today, where chinese city culture ,is a more feminine and impotent counterfeit version of american culture.

what i dont get is why american kung fu people want to imitate that.

traditional chinese martial art DEMANDS physcial strength and power. weakness is unacceptable. purposely avoiding tough and bitter strength training, and trying to justify being weak is unforgivable.

anyone that says being weak and sickly in chinese martial arts is ok, he is an infiltrator, a cultural hijacker. he is an enemy of chinese martial arts.

[Yum Cha]

chinese martial art culture has changed a lot in the past 100 years. after half the country got addicted to opium and prostitutues, it sapped all the strength and manliness out of us. its shadow can even be felt today, where chinese city culture ,is a more feminine and impotent counterfeit version of american culture.

what i dont get is why american kung fu people want to imitate that.

traditional chinese martial art DEMANDS physcial strength and power. weakness is unacceptable. purposely avoiding tough and bitter strength training, and trying to justify being weak is unforgivable.

anyone that says being weak and sickly in chinese martial arts is ok, he is an infiltrator, a cultural hijacker. he is an enemy of chinese martial arts.

The Master has spoken. I smashed my gonads with a brick when I read this in solidarity.
...a bit of opium would be nice about now.... I'll pass on the pro....

[Yum Cha]

A fighter has three assets:
- strength and conditioning
- skill and technique
- heart and commitment

any two will beat one.
any three will beat two.
any one is defeatable.

This is pretty much conventional wisdom, and universal across any style.

gee, almost sounds like 'game theory'.

[Eric Olson]

On the street/battle field, speed is the most important factor. If you get stabbed, who cares if you're strong and powerful....just sayin'. Think about samurai sword fighters, they trained for one hit, one kill. One slash with the samurai sword and you were done.

EO

[Yum Cha]

On the street/battle field, speed is the most important factor. If you get stabbed, who cares if you're strong and powerful....just sayin'. Think about samurai sword fighters, they trained for one hit, one kill. One slash with the samurai sword and you were done.

EO

What is speed?

First attack aggression?
adept counter attack?
evasion?
combination delivery speed?
running away speed?

Combat speed is the offspring of mobility, perhaps that's what you are talking about?
Mobility is a lot harder to develop than speed for most TCMA. One of the missing links as far as my experience goes. The skill you practice in forms, but have to learn to apply dynamically. An edge many sport fighters have in spades, I'll add as a nod in that direction.

---

When you talk about sword fighting, you are spot on, its the one hit, one kill mentality.

The Hakaguri (I believe) calls it Domination and Crease, the visual engagement and evaluation of your opponent, and the crease of the brow that signals the attack.

Some TCMA call it Tiger Eyes or something like that.

This topic is near and dear to me.

Its about making a committed, aggressive and violent attack until there is no resistance - to the point of grabbing the opponents hair and banging their head against a wall until the weight of their limp body pulls it from your bloody grip. Nothing elegant about it. There is no hesitation, no retreat, no quarter and no mercy. I'm only in this place because you forced me, and I will end it, or you will end me.

You seek an advantage on the engagement (what a luxury - the bigger the better), then you commit to the attack, under an advantage, until you are expended, or your opponent is finished. The shorter the engagement, the less of an opportunity for your opponent to overthrow your advantage. You take it and you drive it home without hesitation.

Perhaps strength and power of spirit?

[bawang]

On the street/battle field, speed is the most important factor. If you get stabbed, who cares if you're strong and powerful....just sayin'. Think about samurai sword fighters, they trained for one hit, one kill. One slash with the samurai sword and you were done.

EO

RONG
in ancient times u wear something called armor. u need strength to pierce the armor

[PalmStriker]

chinese martial art culture has changed a lot in the past 100 years. after half the country got addicted to opium and prostitutues, it sapped all the strength and manliness out of us. its shadow can even be felt today, where chinese city culture ,is a more feminine and impotent counterfeit version of american culture.

what i dont get is why american kung fu people want to imitate that.

traditional chinese martial art DEMANDS physcial strength and power. weakness is unacceptable. purposely avoiding tough and bitter strength training, and trying to justify being weak is unforgivable.

anyone that says being weak and sickly in chinese martial arts is ok, he is an infiltrator, a cultural hijacker. he is an enemy of chinese martial arts.

Agree 100%.

[Drake]

My first teacher would teach me strength and technique. Once he thought I was good enough, he'd either attack me, or have someone else attack me, and I could only use what I've learned to defend myself. I was either successful or I got my ass kicked.

Pretty simple. My pain tolerance went through the roof.

[Syn7]

a little bit off topic here... but did anyone click the "***** power" video that came after the gymnastics video... fukcing hillarious... but no less true and observable in daily life...


http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1754914

[Syn7]

My apologies. I'll rephrase. How does gymnastics translate to combative skill. One can be as fast as Usain Bolt, as agile and quick as Chris Johnson (Titans) or as strong as Sawao Kato (76 Olympics), but it doesn't mean any of them could fight their way out of a wet paper bag.

a gymnast whos been training their whole life would destroy the average MA geek... no question..

[ShaolinDan]

a gymnast whos been training their whole life would destroy the average MA geek... no question..

I kind of agree. This is one of the reasons I don't believe in looking down on modern wushu. Much higher fitness level than most tma...