Hello Everyone,
Many of us seem to have different opinions here....
In push hands and combat, some of us would say that it is ok to use a lot of force, as long as internal skill is applied. Some of us would say that it is critical that we use minimum force.
Drawing from my own experience in dealing with other Tai Chi, Wing Chun, Bagua, Karate, Aikido and Jujitsu guys varying from 50kg to 90kg plus, I find that if I use only just enough force to sustain my posture with plenty of free-flowing and internal redirection of forces, I become more effective. Especially if I have to deal with someone much bigger or someone using a lot of joint lock and pinning.
Speed wise, as long as I can dominate the pace right from the beginning I do not find I need to be extra fast, but just fast enough.
What would be your experiences here?
What level of force and strategies do you find useful in dealing with other martial art styles? Do you think it is necessary to use a fair lot of force, or should we stick to the 4 ounces? Do we need to learn to kick/punch hard/fast?
Cheers,
John