When people hear about Chinese martial arts, most probably think of practitioners who stand on one leg and make strange noises. You can then say that it is probably due to the Chinese film industry's attempt to mystify their own cultural treasures in the form of martial arts/martial arts. In Shindenkan, we have elements of the Chinese martial arts culture integrated into our system. This is because there are several parallels between Chinese and Japanese martial arts. And through these parallels you can better understand and learn the techniques.
In the first part of the Hsingi course, the focus was on attitude, because that is what makes all the difference. This was repeatedly pointed out by Kimu Sensei. It may sound strange, but it is a fact that really makes a difference if you want to acknowledge it. One's attitude can make a huge difference in all aspects of life.
This applies from a banal argument between two colleagues to a life-threatening situation where your loved ones may be in danger. If the attitude is to behave passively or even to run away from the confrontation, then it can have disastrous consequences for others and, in the end, for oneself. So the attitude must be such that you take responsibility, act and use the knowledge you have optimally.
Hsingi is all about speed, power and precision. The three concepts can be directly transferred as an expression of how one acts as a person in general. If you deliver all three concepts, then the setting is on the right track 🙂 and when the setting is on the right track, you also have to stick your nose out once in a while and risk something - but you can learn from that, which also says something about one's attitude 🙂
Isn't it just amazing how everything fits together?
In the second part of the Hsingi course, the thread from the first part was continued in a learning spiral by Kimu Sensei. Hsing-i is made from a study of many matches, where it has been found that the most effective are speed, power and precision.
But how do you get it integrated into the body so that it becomes effective?
Setting? Yes – of course it could be something else?
The setting must be geared towards learning and seeing what is being taught.
The technique is also part of this process, but if you don't have the right attitude, you won't find the correct technique either.
Most martial arts practitioners aged from approx. 30 years and up, know about the famous movie star Bruce Lee and his very famous 1 inch punch. The fight that created a stir in the duck pond and made him famous because he could hit hard at close range. But how hard did he really hit and relative to what?
The laws of physics say that weight times speed equals force. And done with precision, it will have a certain effect.
But could you imagine a man of 2 meters and 10 cm and with a weight of approx. 150 kg of pure raw muscle create a greater effect than one that is significantly smaller?
The question here must be whether the speed can be a decisive factor and not least the setting.
How explosive can they both be?
If they have the same distance to a subject to be hit, then it must be the speed they are able to create that is decisive. How much can they accelerate and at what short distance can they do it?
If the distance to an object is not very long, then you need to be able to generate a certain speed and energy with your body in order to apply force. The generation of power is the utilization of all the functions you have with your body. Which are actually quite a lot, if you know what you're dealing with.
If the distance is short or long, it is a matter of adapting to it and getting the most out of the situation. Use what you have in the most optimal way. And this is where Hsingi comes in. It almost goes without saying – Precision – Speed – Power.
Think for a moment that through martial arts you can get the laws of physics under your skin and really get your brain going - it's fantastic 🙂 . But Kimu Sensei has also always said; "Keep it simple", and "It's not difficult at all - when you can do it :-)".
There is also a difference between hitting with one hand or the other. Or that is to say there isn't, but there can be advantages and disadvantages in which hand you use, in relation to how you stand with your legs and in the distance to a target. One of the first things you learn in karate is to hit with the same hand as the leg that is in front, also called oi-tsuki. Then you do it the other way around, i.e. strike with the opposite hand of the leg that is in front - called Gyaku-tsuki. It is no coincidence that there are two ways to strike. Because it offers many possibilities and advantages, depending on how they are used.
And thought about if they are put together – uuuhhaadaa how it moves 🙂
No matter how you look at it, everything is largely about the connection between brain and body. If one doesn't work, it affects the other. So if you think that big muscles play a role in how much power you can deliver to an opponent, then you can forget it. It is about how to take advantage of the opportunities you have in the interaction between body and mind - i.e. same setting.
If it is not optimal, you can be muscular enough without being efficient. If, on the other hand, it is in place, then you can be a normal middle-aged man and still be able to kick like a horse. It is probably what you can call "the power of attitude".
And you also like to stand on one leg and say strange sounds and get something effective out of it. Making others smile can also be an effect worth pursuing 🙂
