Solid & Mobile

The eternal question: better to be strong or fast?  The better question: how’s your skill level?  I’m being a bit coy but the idea is that while strength and speed are great characteristics, if you can’t apply them to the skill set in question, then they aren’t doing much to help you.  Now if the skill set is simply being strong then strength wins and if the skill set is simply being fast then speed wins but when it comes to martial arts, those attributes are only part of the larger picture.

Let’s zoom in on that large picture and investigate the idea of dodging a bit.  Being fast is great, because then you can get out of the way of an incoming strike.  Being efficient is better, because then you can get out of the way of an incoming strike and use less energy.  Being strong is great, because after getting out of the way you’ll be able to deliver a powerful shot.  Being aware of your structure is better because then you can get out of the way and deliver a maximally powered countershot because you’ve set yourself up to do so.  Thus skill – practice becomes the more important quality out of all three.

Of course, speed and strength matter, for sure – there’s no doubt about that.  But to progress in Kung Fu (or any martial art, for that matter) the idea is to increase a skill set.  Increases in strength and speed are simply a bonus (and perhaps something to rely on when our skill sets fail).

We looked at this idea today by concentrating on the solidity of our feet.  Are they locked into the ground so we can deliver solid strikes.  To compliment this and add to our evasive abilities, we then tried to add footwork while keeping that solid feeling – no small task.

Read student’s thoughts here.