health – Intuitive Martial Arts

Posture and Energy Transfer in Martial Arts

Posted on 22nd December 2024 Last updated on 12th January 2025 by joeharman8 | 6 min read | 114 views

The Back as a Spring: Energy Storage and Posture in Martial Arts

The back muscles are fundamental to maintaining upright posture and enabling efficient transfer of energy throughout the body. They counteract gravity’s natural tendency to compress us, allowing us to stand tall and balanced. So there is an upward extension of the posture against gravity. This frees us from becoming too pressurised. At the same time, without the downward pull of gravity there would be no me or you.

Understanding how the back functions as an energy reservoir is essential for mastering martial arts and cultivating both physical and emotional resilience.

Energy Storage and Posture

The back muscles play a key role in storing potential energy, which can be transferred dynamically during movement. This storage and release mechanism ensures that the body can perform powerful, coordinated actions. For the back to function optimally in this way, it must work effectively to hold the body in a relatively straight line. If the back fails to maintain alignment, slumping occurs, leading to postural imbalances and reduced energy transmission and efficiency.

Maintaining an upright posture ensures that the back muscles remain engaged, creating a stable energy line for movement. This alignment is not just a structural necessity but also an energy-saving strategy, allowing the body to respond fluidly to physical demands.

Posture and Striking in Martial Arts

In martial arts, striking requires a balance between forward motion and energy transfer. When extending a punch, there is a natural tendency to lean forward, compressing the chest muscles and abdomen. This compression relaxes the back and legs, facilitating the forward motion and transfer of energy. However, to prevent loss of balance and energy dissipation, martial artists counteract this motion by drawing the opposite shoulder back. This is one way to become more balanced.

For example, when punching with the left arm, the right shoulder extends backward. This creates a relatively straight line between the front and back shoulder, as one draws back and the other goes in. This coordinated action maintains structural integrity and ensures the efficient transfer of energy from the back to the striking limb. This concept of balanced motion reflects the broader principle of energy dynamics in martial arts.

Posture and Emotional Balance

Posture does more than support physical activity; it also influences emotional well-being. An excessive forward lean or slouched posture compresses the chest and abdomen, often heightening feelings of fear and vulnerability. Fear naturally encourages a closed, protective posture—a survival mechanism that can hinder both movement and emotional stability. At the same time, when the time is right one must be ready to fight for survival when necessary. What is not necessary is to make a way of life out of this need.

Actively maintaining upright posture counteracts this survival reaction, promoting a sense of calm and readiness. Martial arts has long emphasized the importance of balanced posture to mitigate the effects of fear. By aligning the body, practitioners align their minds, reducing emotional imbalance and fostering inner resilience.

The Spiral Motion in Martial Arts

An effective martial arts strike incorporates a spiraling motion through the body’s natural curves. When standing upright, the spine’s “S” shape facilitates this twist. For instance, striking involves a coordinated motion where one side of the body contracts while the other extends. This creates a dynamic, whole-body movement that channels energy efficiently.

This spiral motion can be compared to the actions of a javelin thrower, who loads their weight onto the leg opposite the throwing shoulder. By arching the back and extending the throwing shoulder behind them, the thrower stores potential energy, which is then transferred explosively during the throw. Similarly, in martial arts, this stored energy enables powerful, precise movements.

In martial arts, it is essential to maintain the right posture so that you are not unnecessarily aggressive and fearful. If you spend too much time in a reactive state of stress and aggression, you run this risk of shortening and disturbing the energy pathways which enhances one’s health and vitality. These energy pathways have to do with the connective tissues and fascia around the body, which works as an integrated whole for energy movement.

The Back as a Spring

The back and legs function as a spring, storing kinetic energy that can be transferred throughout the body. This principle is evident in both martial arts and biomechanics. While the back itself does not deliver the primary force—as in the case of a javelin throw, where the waist and core initiate the motion—it plays a pivotal role in energy storage and transfer. To counteract the any excessive arching of the back, martial artists often maintain a certain pressure within the abdomen, which becomes distended as they extend the back.

This energy dynamics concept applies in live martial arts practice, where rapid movements rely on this stored energy, and in meditative or stretching exercises. These practices allow practitioners to generate and store energy within the back and spine, which can then be distributed to other areas of the body, including the brain and internal organs, for enhanced vitality and health. Of course, energy is also stored elsewhere too, but proper stretching and extension of the spine greatly enhances this quality of energy transfer.

Yang and Yin: The Back and Front in Martial Arts

In martial arts philosophy, the back is considered yang, representing strength, tension, and outward energy, while the front is considered yin, symbolizing softness, receptivity, and inward energy. This balance is critical for maintaining harmony within the body.

Do not think that the front of the body cannot be yang. As I said earlier, there is a certain pressure held in the abdomen which prevents the front of the body becoming overly relaxed. This spot is known as the Hara Centre, which stores a lot of the body’s energy. So by enhancing the posture, the martial artists also enhances the energy generation and storage capability of the abdomen and Hara Centre.

Because the back is associated with yang energy, it has a natural tendency to become overly tense if energy is not properly released. This is why martial arts training emphasizes not only strengthening the back but also stretching it. Stretching helps release excess tension, restoring balance and preventing stiffness or energy stagnation. By keeping the back flexible and strong, practitioners ensure that energy can flow freely, supporting both physical performance and overall well-being.

Balancing Posture and Energy

The goal of martial arts has always been to bring balance—both physical and emotional—to the practitioner. By focusing on upright posture, martial artists can reduce the impact of fear and create a stable foundation for movement and energy transfer. The back, acting as a spring, not only supports the body but also ensures that energy is stored and released efficiently via the waist and abdomen, allowing for powerful, fluid motion.

Understanding and applying these principles in daily practice can transform martial arts from mere physical training into a holistic discipline that enhances overall well-being.

Snake form Martial Arts: Flow and Alignment of the Neck and Head

Posted on 14th December 2024 by joeharman8 | 4 min read | 119 views

The forward rotation of the cervical spine, such as when punching or reaching forward, is a smooth and continuous motion enabled by the spine’s natural curvature and structure. This motion, centered around the cervical spine, allows the head to pivot forward naturally without abruptness, whilst maintaining proper alignment and balance.

To ensure fluidity and reduce strain, the head should lift subtly during this forward rotation, with the crown extending upward as if drawn by an invisible string. This symbolism of the string has been used in Tai Chi practices, as well as in Yoga. In Yogic tradition, this energy strand is referred to as Brahmarandhra, which describes a passage that is both an emitter and receiver of vertical energy. Physiologically, this upward lift of the head counteracts compressive forces, promoting a graceful motion that protects the spine and supports posture during activities like martial arts practice.

The curvature and the natural S-shape of a human spine, permits smooth and continuous motion by evenly distributing mechanical stress and allowing flexibility. For instance, when a person walks, the curved spine acts as a spring, absorbing impact and facilitating a flowing, rhythmic gait. Similarly, in martial arts, the flexibility of the spine enables the warrior to move gracefully and adapt quickly to changes in direction, enhancing their agility and smoothness of motion.

In nature, as well as in engineering, we see how structures are formed according to certain curvature rules. A tube or the flow of air and water naturally creates or forms a curve shape, flowing smoothly and continuously. Like the gentle arc of a river meandering through a valley or the streamlined shape of a wind tunnel, there is a tendency to avoid abrupt bends that would disrupt harmonious movement.

A water pipe with smooth, gentle curves resembles a snake standing upright, maintaining a flowing, uninterrupted path of ascent. Sharp bends would disrupt the flow of the water pipe, causing turbulence and dissipation of water pressure, much like a snake’s movement would falter if forced into abrupt angles. Similarly in martial arts, if you rush to abrupt conclusions unnecessarily, this apparent short cut can diminish one’s energies.

When you read a step by step guide on how to do a punch, it is as if there are only two or three stages to it. A step-by-step process is characterized by distinct, incremental stages, where each step represents a deliberate transition from one stage to the next. It involves pauses or plateaus between steps, allowing time for adjustment, assessment, or realignment. This is often necessary in the short term in order to learn certain rules. In a real life situation, you often do not have this kind of luxury to stop and pause. In contrast, a curvature is a continuous flow, marked by seamless, unbroken change that transitions fluidly without sharp stops or abrupt shifts. This is how the warrior trains in order to become infinitely adaptable and absolutely focused.

Curvature represents a dynamic process where each point is influenced by the momentum and trajectory of the preceding points, creating a smooth and uninterrupted evolution. This is in fact how one evolves, not in a step by step linear way. While the step-by-step approach emphasizes clarity and order, the curvature embodies fluidity and adaptability, often reflecting processes that evolve naturally rather than being consciously segmented.

Because much of the practice of martial arts involves conscious expression of subconscious energies, there is need to bring conscious awareness to this quality of continuous and adaptable expression of energy. The body can become a vehicle for this expression, or it can impede it. It is for this reasons that the symbolism of the snake, as well as the flow of water, is used in certain styles of martial arts to emphasis the quality of flexibility and continuity in spite of obstacles..

The hissing sound of a snake is produced by the steady, controlled release of air through its glottis, creating a smooth and continuous flow of sound. This is analogous to the snake’s movement, where its muscles contract and relax in a wave-like pattern, allowing it to glide effortlessly and without abrupt stops. The consistency of the hiss reflects the same principle of fluid motion, where unbroken flow ensures efficiency and minimal resistance.

Sound and Form [Part 1]

Just as a snake’s body seamlessly adapts to its surroundings while moving, the martial artists also learns to use the breath and body to create an energy form analogous to that of a snake.

Unlock Peak Performance Through Focused Effort

Posted on 30th November 2024 by joeharman8 | 4 min read | 104 views

The Power of Full Engagement: Mastering Effort for Peak Performance

In a world filled with distractions, it’s easy for one’s mind to wander and focus to slip. One often finds themselves overthinking, second-guessing, or drifting from one task to the next without full commitment. But what if the key to unlocking peak performance lies not in multitasking or trying to balance everything, but in one simple principle: putting in maximum effort and engaging fully in what you’re doing?

The Power of Focused Effort

The first step to mastery is learning how to fully engage in the task at hand. When one consciously directs their focus and puts all their energy into one thing, they eliminate the mental noise that often slows them down. Whether working, training, or pursuing a personal goal, giving full attention allows one to tap into their potential and push beyond what they thought possible.

This focus creates a unique kind of rhythm: as the mind and body work in unison, both will naturally begin to tire. But this tiredness is not a negative—it’s a sign that effort is being exerted, that progress is being made, and that results are on the horizon.

Effort is the Key to Progress

True progress happens when one stops measuring effort by comfort or by how much they can avoid exertion. Growth happens when one pushes themselves to the point of fatigue, breaking through mental and physical barriers. The key is to make effort habitual, not something reserved for special occasions or challenges.

By committing fully to one’s work, hesitation and self-doubt are removed from the equation. Whether training alone, working on a project, or practicing a skill, one should act decisively and without second-guessing. Let the body tire, but keep the mind focused on the task. The mind will naturally tire and become still when the need to exert yourself is over. The goal is to make effort a constant pre occupation so that pushing oneself becomes second nature. This does not mean constant physical effort, but a conscious effort to become aware of this process.

Push Beyond Your Limits

The more one engages in focused effort, the more both body and mind will adapt. Over time, they will find that they no longer need to calculate the next move or deliberate over every action. This is why it is important to become more consciously aware of what you are doing, so that the mind and body follow suit. One then will act instinctively, responding to challenges without hesitation rather than reacting stupidly. This shift from automatic action to conscious effort is where real growth happens. Effort becomes part of who one is, and with that, the limits that once seemed rigid begin to fade away.

Effort Creates Results, Not Comfort

In the pursuit of mastery, there’s no room for complacency. One must continue to exert effort, even when tired or when things get tough. It’s not about avoiding discomfort—it’s about learning to work through it. When your back is against the wall, you act. When it is time to sleep you fully commit to that as a conscious action. Do as needed. Every time one pushes their limits, they increase their capacity for more. As the body tires, the resolve grows stronger. With every drop of effort, one moves closer to their desired results.

This approach requires discipline and consistency. It’s about showing up every day, putting in the work, and doing whatever it takes to push past obstacles. At the same time, if you are new to something this need not be a barrier. The satisfaction that comes from effort is secondary to the fulfillment of knowing progress is being made goal you are aiming to achieve. The effort is happening now, the goal is only an imagined goal, which may or may not even be sensible. With full awareness of this process and conscious effort, you eventually unfold you full potential.

Conclusion: The Relentless Pursuit of Effort

In any endeavor, the most powerful tool one has is effort. When one commits fully to their work and exerts every ounce of energy into what they do, they unlock their true potential. Through consistent, focused effort, one pushes themselves to new heights and continually grows. You will then see the importance of rest when it is necessary. Otherwise there is just a kind of malaise and boredom which puts you to sleep prematurely and restlessly.

So, stop waiting for the perfect moment or the ideal conditions. Engage fully in the task at hand, give your best effort, and make pushing yourself the cornerstone of growth. Over time, effort will become part of who one is, and the results will speak for themselves.

Rest and Sleep

Posted on 22nd September 2024 by joeharman8 | 4 min read | 111 views

There is a tendency in Martial Arts for practitioners to never wind down. This is a big weakness if it isn’t sorted out with appropriate strategies. The biggest strength of martial artists is the energy they bring. To compliment this, learn to develop the opposite complimentary aspect of yourself during rest.

Historically, during times of war soldiers could easily get to sleep because they would be so exhausted. At the same time, they could be kept up at night with anxiety because of bombs going off around them. When people experience prolonged states of anxiety and restlessness, it is as if they are possessed by an external event. This can be a thought, a noise, or even stormy weather for instance. If it is raining outside, you can become possessed by the rain in your experience of it in a certain way. The same goes with ideas and thoughts if they become too empowered with energy at the wrong time. So the goal is not to eliminate these things. Instead, you lessen the impact that they have on your system by become more effective at winding down for the evening, or after a training session. Then you don’t hype them up to the extent that they bother you much.

It is important to get enough rest so that you are prepared for the next days tasks. It is a question of quality of sleep and rest rather than just quantity. The more you get into the habit of planning and preparing for sleep and rest properly, the more it becomes a habit like muscle memory. So the more you consciously aware of it, the more natural it is for you to become restful subconsciously. At first it may seem difficult, but after some time you find that on top of your efforts you also have subconscious habits and forces moving with you rather than against you. Then, a habit becomes a subconscious choice.

It is not a case of making restfulness and sleep a habit and then switching off your attention from such things. It is a case of increasing the likelihood that you succeed by making it your choice willingly. If you are swimming with the tide, rather than floundering against it, then this is a choice. You become willing to engage in this choice. It is not a choice to have no tide at all and just float around meaninglessly without any prevailing conditions. No one in their right mind would be willing to choose inertia, it is a fools paradise. The only real choice is to become a willing vehicle for the ebb and flow of energy to function at its best. In this way, what you are willing to do and what choose become one and the same.

You prepare for sleep as you would prepare for an exam, or even a competitive match. If you try to do everything at the last minute when all this should have been done earlier, this just causes regret and anxiety. If a blacksmith tries to heat up the metal when it’s time to cool it down, there won’t be enough time for it to set. And if the metal does not set, then the blade become weak and dull. This highlight the importance and timeliness of effective activity and recuperation. This requires organisation. Similarly, if the blacksmith tries to heat up the blade again when it is setting, they risk ruining the finish by interrupting the cooling process. Sleep is very much like that, you heat yourself up with activity in the day, and set into the mould at night as you take on a new form which is ready the following morning. Once again, this can become a willing process, or an unwilling process. It is a question of whether or not your a clear in your mind about the choice available to you.

The Rise of Turbulence and Narcissism

Posted on 5th May 2024 Last updated on 5th May 2024 by joeharman8 | 16 min read | 118 views

“Let’s say you are in a boat that continuously changes direction. This leaves a trail of broken energy lines in its wake. If you sail another boat across this region, this is felt as turbulence. This is the way the human system works. Energy expression leaves a certain pattern in its wake. These patterns can be smooth and continuous, or broken and fractured, lacking coherent direction.”

Narcissistic attitudes towards winning have always predominated sport, and nowhere is this more true than in martial arts. Today, it is increasingly common for competitors talk about how if they lose a match, they sink into a depression. This is not a normal attitude, even if it is a prevalent one in certain circles. How did this come about?

In the past, there were more tournament formats, which you entered whether you were ranked or not. If you didn’t win you just turned up next time and tried again. Obviously there were also ranked tournaments, but I’m just reconstructing the thinking of the time. This was even so in Mixed martial arts around 25-30 years ago. During those times, you were obviously promoted if you won, but it was a long battle over time. This required continuous one pointed focus. At the same time you had to to get through a broad array of challenges. For instance, you prepared for multiple fights on the same night, not just one.

So in the past, you needed to be ready in general, not just specifically according to one particular type of opponent. This required a general flexibility, rather than almost weekly or monthly changes in fight preparation towards specific goals. This obviously extends outside of martial arts. For example, at work each office has a daily requirement and tasks to do. These change almost daily. In the past, the office demands was mostly unchanging. This meant that any personal shifts in mood or temperament were happening on a constant steady environment. This is no longer the case in many environments. So now, depending on the type of work you are in, you are likely to need a level of flexibility not seen in any other time in history.

Turbulence and Chaos as a Foundation

When you have to be well rounded, this makes it difficult to outwardly express energy in one direction. The need for well rounded lack of friction is needed today like never before. To be well rounded means you have a stable centre. When you move from this toward the edge, naturally you start to move away from the centre. This is one aspect. As a consequence of moving away from the centre and staying there, it is natural to develop a skewed personality which becomes increasingly empowered. It becomes increasingly difficult to navigate turbulent terrain if your inner compass is pointing the wrong way.

It is like if you sail a boat across the sea. This creates energy waves, or choppy waters. These are experienced by other boats long after your you have sailed by. Let’s say you are in a boat that continuously changes direction. This is the modern experience for not only athletes, but other people too today. This constant change of direction leaves a trail of broken energy lines in its wake. If you sail another boat across this region, this is felt as turbulence. This is the way the human system works. Each action within you creates a line or thread of energy. This weaves an internal garment. This can create turbulence within you if it becomes incongruent, as well as in your relationships with others.

Energy expression leaves a certain pattern in its wake. Let’s say you practice a punch. Various transmissions of neurological energy are imbedded. These become muscle memory. At first there is a jolt as the muscle fibres are stimulated. This helps with movement and energy. There is an initial explosiveness as the engine starts. These patterns can be smooth and continuous, or broken and fractured, lacking coherent direction. This is one simple example. So what you want is a coherent line of expressed energy so that the right kind of template for action is created for now and in the future. You then don’t happen in fits and starts but function optimally. This can happen in terms of activity of the mind, as well as the body.

On the other hand, energy expressed in different directions never gets a change to grow as a platform. It becomes a shifting landscape that changes before anything gets established on it. Energy just happens in fits a starts. This is useful for specific purposes, but in general you are teaching cells and your neurological system to function in a chaotic way if this becomes a habit. If the direction of energy is changing all of the time, it is difficult to establish a coherent pattern. So, the pattern that becomes established is chaotic due to severe fluctuations and turbulence that become normal in your experience.

Engineering the Power Generator

Today, many competitors get all out of sorts if they lose one match. Why does this happen? In one sense, they burn excessive energy on stressful and goal specific activity, rather than establishing inner balance. In another sense, the hyper developed ego has been deflated. Anything which you think about obsessively generally becomes an enslavement. This becomes an energy drain. Eventually after a few flashes of motivation, you are left empty. In other words, the light has gone out, and there’s no auxiliary, or power generator, to keep the power going. So this is why traditionally, the power generator was developed rather than the superficial light, so to speak.

As we have seen, for the modern athlete, superficial goals are considered the landscape. These goals change all the time. As we have seen, this was not so in the past, because there were more long term pursuits and less regular changes. Because of the shifting landscape and ceaseless changes, many people have made their own personality the rigid and unchanging element. In other words, their own personality has become institutionalised, rather than just the body. So many people develop rigid and tenacious personalities, rather than work ethics, to compensate for lack of balance in these shifting landscapes.

I do not mean to say that people are not hard working anymore. They are. It’s just that they work hard in an insistent and determined way that eventually erodes their energy system if they are not careful. But that is their choice. On the other hand, let’s say you just train all the time so that you are in a competitive condition, but not in any specialised sense. You develop a good generator but don’t waste it on emitting light all day long. You just use it when necessary, rather than all of the time. Lets look at what I mean by this in some more detail.

Goal Orientation Gone Wrong

Todays athletes are expected to change what they are doing all the time depending on who they are fighting. They have one very specific goal. This is sometimes done so that over a period of time this goal changes in different phases of the overall plan. However, the goal is predetermined so that the past is brought into the projected future. Anything which deviates is considered a distraction. This means that one minute you are building muscle, the next you are cutting weight, and then you do some specific exercises according to a periodic plan. This is different to in the past when people did everything at once but built up more slowly, a strategy which I think is more ordinary but better overall. But, this will of course vary according to individual needs.

So changing the direction of you energies all the time creates a certain turbulence in the system the more you do it. This is the up and down side to side nature of modern competitive sport. It all depends on someone else rather than your actual energetic and experiential needs in terms of action. This may be necessary sometimes but when it becomes a way of life this can be disastrous. One minute you are with the family, the next you are doing some media promotion. Each demand, training related or otherwise, is factored into a schedule of organisation. So the aim is to orientate oneself towards a goal, but the results are often the opposite to the intended outcome in the long term.

Because the energies are pulled in several directions, the only stable platform becomes the personality, which sits on top of a changing landscape. This becomes the investment, rather than the process of self transformation or development. In self development and transformation, nothing of the old remains in the end. You have moved beyond it. When you invest heavily in the personality in its current state, then this can become an enslaving process. This is because in order to evolve, you need a reason to move beyond limitations and obliterate them, rather than to empower them.

The Rise of Narcissism

So when this personality gets blown out of proportion and arrogant we call this narcissism. When you move beyond arrogance, this is called inclusion because something else a part of yourself. The problem is that when you fear the changes happening around you in modern living, you cling to what you do know, or create a rigid form. The larger than life superficial personality is the only constant thing, and you become a kind of parody of yourself. This is the other way round when you compare it to traditional martial arts, which sought to create a stable landscape and a flexible personality which was not hyper developed. This lead to more acceptance of others and a more flexible nature.

That is not to say narcissism is a trait associated with sport or martial arts, but it is reaching epidemic proportions within the industry. What do I mean by narcissism? I mean the kind of superficial arrogance which sometimes passes as confidence or self assurance. It is the loudest voice in the room, which represents the weakest person there. When one is in a constant state of stress, they become very loud. This is because when an organism is in decline, they generally become quite explosive as a survival mechanism. Rather than life becoming enhanced, this is understood in martial arts to mean life exiting the body in a dramatic way, often in instalments.

If you take a normal person, working on their trade and experiencing a generally happy life, there is a fairly steady cultivation of energy throughout the day. There is little in the way of excess or distraction (Yes, this is what I’m taking as a normal person). On the other hand, there is no real need to separate oneself from what they are doing in such a situation. This is because the day is steady and you go on autopilot. It is like if you fly a plane in the clear skies. You just guide it where it needs to go. In turbulent storms, you start to do backflips and god knows what else. You then think of yourself as special. When you identify as special, you naturally seek turbulence.

There is no need to dazzle an audience in order to gain attention for oneself. In martial arts this means there is little difference between what you are doing whether you win or lose, you just get on with it because it is a daily cycle of activity. Traditionally, it was about the battle. This was the daily cycle. It was not necessary to brag about how much you won, because the reality of training was a daily battle and this was accepted. Modern living has escaped this cycle, however this doesn’t mean there is no work to be done. In reality the work is only just beginning.

In the Shaolin Monasteries, it was common to undergo severe training which took everything out of you. This was not to train you for a one off fight, although the thought of doing so may have been used as a tool to focus the minds of disciples initially. So this level of back breaking work required that you didn’t look beyond what the task was in front of you. This was a way to focus the mind. This is a way of viewing martial arts as a means to an end, rather than some distant contest as a goal in itself. When you can focus on this task long enough, you eventually blend into it rather than stick out. You identify with the process rather than the goal.

Social Media

Today it is about social media exposure. These are the models which are being widely emulated, or we could say that these are the lights people see on the stage. However, in the past it was not about being lit up all the time. It was about cultivating and experiencing a certain level of vibrant energy to live a good life. So the energy level was higher, but the expression or emission of that energy was lower. Just think how much more work was able to be done by people in the past. Whereas today, the emission of energy is higher but the cultivation of anything is often lower.

Building the Energy Base

Let’s say you shine a light. Light is a projection of energy to illuminate the room. At the same time, certain other energy forms become less visible. Due to fixation on this artificial light, your surroundings, and the energy about them, becomes less obvious. In fact when people look at artificial light too much, for example LED light, this blocks out certain other frequencies of colour. This gives everything you subsequently look at a white or blow glow, which blocks out the horizon. In other words, you closer you look at the details, the more you can miss the big picture.

The nature of light is like that, on and off. Energy, on the other hand, is a platform to build on. So if you have a solid platform to build on, you don’t need to express the light so desperately. This is the whole problem today, people are too busy expending energy in the form of fancy light displays. On the other hand, when you have a strong energy base, the light will work anyway. You don’t need to directly work with the light up aspect. The sun works the same way. It is a big ball of energy, but when it’s cloudy, you can’t see the light. It doesn’t bother to shine any brighter, its just not as visible, but that’s fine. There is still warmth, and it is still there, but the light goes out in our visual perception. So appearances don’t really matter overall.

So the dazzling array of narcissistic personalities is like that. It blocks out everything else. This is so for the narcissist as well as the others they influence. This is precisely the danger with certain social media influencers. So we are incapable of seeing martial arts the way people traditionally did. Traditionally, martial arts was all about building energy. When the need to fight arose, the energy level was there so that it was possible when needed. But they didn’t go looking for it because there was no need.

Once you build up the energy bas and you want to turn on the lights, it’s not a problem for you. If you live off the energy consuming lights, then after some time the energy burns out. So they looked very ordinary, but building up a dazzling light display was not a concern for the martial artists of old. They just wanted the powerhouse to be built. There are many benefits to this, such as health, well being, and liberation. This inner powerhouse structure is known as the energy body1, or the aura in western spiritual tradition.

Let’s say the Earths Centre was to decrease in size. Then the gravity holding the elements in place would be reduced. In other words, the energy base would have decreased, and therefore the attractive force would diminish. This means that the subtler elements within the Earths atmosphere, the feminine dimension of energy2, would move away. In the human system, this means that if you don’t manage to maintain the centre within you3, then you end up burning out, or in a state of on and off. You are unable to extend yourself without being on and off. So to make the body more stable, this requires a certain amount of work. Anybody who lacks a substantial energy can generate a dazzling short lived light. However, with such a person, the moment the situation is over, they just go down again. This is the reason for so many short lived superstars today. So martial arts traditionally was about sustainability of that energy and making it more substantial and sustainable.

Martial arts and industry must be separated, because martial arts is not some commodity to appeal only to market winners. At the same time, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to market yourself just because you are not a big time industry winner. Marketability is about promotion, but in its extreme state it becomes about showing off. As I have tried to explain, this drive for self promotion causes a neglect of other factors, such as a stabilising influence. But this is only for certain narcissistic people who have to be competitive with everyone else superficially.

You can never build a solid foundation on the back of self promotion. So don’t bother trying to do that. It’s just a consequence of some activity. You are not working with the causes of success if you are focusing on just the outcome. When you work with the causes of success, it takes long but it last forever. When you work with the energy building up, it builds up in its own way, not according to what people want to see, or what you want to see. Every flower is different. If you try to manage how you look to others, then this shows nothing in terms of the expression of energy.

Energy expression is only an indicator of energy at some moment in time. If you are doing specific activities, then you might need to force the energies in some way. If you just manage your energies, or Prana, you can gain a certain security against natures dangers. One advantage is that you become insulated from such things due to the the protection your own internal energy offers. If you don’t have enough security against various dangers and worldly situations, then you will end up avoiding them due to a lack of energy for them. This is why you store it within yourself as a dynamic moving force. You are not really storing it, because so much energy is needed for just maintenance of the integrity of the energy base. So this insulation from the elements of the world and its dangers, is a security against such dangers which at the same time builds a strong base.

References

1 https://intuitivemartialarts.com/2021/04/12/the-dual-nervous-system-and-the-chi-body/ The Dual Nervous System and the Chi Body

2 https://intuitivemartialarts.com/2023/08/12/feminine-energy-and-intuition-part-2/ Feminine energy and intuition part 2

3 https://intuitivemartialarts.com/2024/02/13/hara-centre-seat-of-creation/ Hara Centre Seat of Creation

Hara Centre: Seat of Creation

Posted on 13th February 2024 by joeharman8 | 16 min read | 108 views

“The earths atmosphere, which is electromagnetic, would not be possible without the earths core being the way it is. The Earths core is hot and high pressure, like our own physical centre. The surround electromagnetic atmosphere of the Earth can be likened to the nervous system. So the core directly affects the nervous system, and the nervous system is not possible without the core. So you can transform you energy and situation by working with this core in ways that are not possible otherwise. “

When you perform an action from the core, it radiates outwardly to the periphery. This is the case for any martial arts movement. In fact, it takes a lot more competence to do this than to perform the move superficially. So the idea is to move the core, the abdomen, and then extend out from there. It does not happen the other way around, that you start with the limb first, and hope that this creates a whole body motion.

It is like how the Earths rotation begins at the core, and this moves the mantle and the plates. The plates and the surface do not move the core. In the same way, the chemical receptors on a plants do not make its roots grow. If pesticide is used too much, then this just impedes the plants overall development of certain internal processes which produce these things naturally. The same thing goes on in the human body. In terms of movements, the internal signals which are related to the core, function much better if the core is the initiator of the movements. This helps you memorise and imbed certain movements more deeply. Even on a superficial level, it is better to perform core movements because the core leads all basic movements. In this way the only things that changes is the particular limb you are using when driving from the seat of the abdominal core. So your kicking and punching becomes very similar.

Knowing the Unknown

When you do a punch, it is only a punch from the core if it starts at the core. This is why in martial arts they say “Hit from the core”. This core is the abdomen or Hara Centre as it is known. “Ha” means Sun in Chinese. According to the Indian Sutras, “Ha” means the same thing too, and “Ra” refers to a radiant sun, the centre of the Universe. So together, “Ha-ra” can be taken to mean the earths centre, or the universal centre. It is from the centre that the rest of creation happens. You can only illuminate the vastness of the unknown from the high pressure centre which eventually creates light. In the Solar System, energy starts as non visible. This energy only becomes visible light after some time when it extends out from the Sun and certain particles react at a certain distance from the source as the pressure drops. This is the case with Martial Arts.

The Hara Centre, the physical centre of the body, is the only energy centre which can transmit itself anywhere in the body directly. It manifests differently depending on the action. In terms of technique, it can go to the arms, legs, or elsewhere physically. This is why it is universal in nature. In others words, it is not just located in the abdomen, the energy can be transported anywhere. The lower abdomen is the source. For example, if you drive a nail into a block of wood, you do so from the core, just as you do with say, a golf swing. This applies to everything. It starts one place and ends up somewhere else. All these things are driven from the core. It is impossible to start from the end, because this isn’t yet in your experience. This is why in the traditional arts they never rushed learning, nor were they given to over analysis.

It is just because you don’t know how to do a movement before you have learnt it that we say “drive from the core”. You cannot do a complex kick before you have learnt to do this. So you practice something you don’t know by doing something you do already know. This is why I always say “drive from the core” first. Personally I don’t bother with explaining all the details of a particular move because this becomes obvious over time with the right fundamental platform. This platform is a strong core. It is not necessarily an athletic strength, but the right energy and maneuverability.

So develop the Hara Centre first. It is only possible from there to know the unknown. It is only when this unknown comes into your direct experience that you learn the mysteries of martial arts. The core functions much better in children. this is why they learn everything naturally. The adult core usually becomes lazy from excessive sitting and poor lifestyle habits which we develop in society. The point is that we can switch on this source to learn anything like a child does, even as an adult. So this core is like the little white dot in the Dark space of the Yin Yang symbol. This is called mastering technique, so that it manifests properly.

Drugs and Chemicals

The expression Energy takes can vary dramatically depending on a number of factors. But when it originates in the Hara Centre and finds expressions elsewhere, then there is some discretion and volition as to where it ends up. Otherwise, if it starts elsewhere, it is often an unconscious act, or simply accidental. Conscious acts are always intentional and consciousness is always a choice. Let’s say that the energy is taken in from external sources, such as some sort of chemical supplement. Such chemicals tend to inebriate the system so that it acts purely from a chemicals basis, or dampens other energy sources in the body. This is the problem with drugs and chemical supplements1.

So chemical energy is itself a manifestation of pressure and heat. These are naturally occurring when things begin in the gut. For instance, many chemicals can be created internally which people are now ingesting more and more because their system has gone taken a kind of backwards step. This takes a bit more time and particularly a mediative digestion, so that the body can rest and regenerate properly2. But people are “Go, go, go” all the time. It is for this reason that Excessive physical training can happen at the surface level, because the chemicals are just being replaced by supplements. It is like with plants. The soil quality is going down, so fertiliser and chemical sprays are needed just to get some fruit and ward off disease. None of this is necessary until you exceed the natural capabilities of the earth. The Hara Centre is like the Earth.

So chemicals come in, then they will run their course over a certain period of time and then dissipate at some level. Often, these chemicals are being abused, so the natural production goes down and a kind of external dependance happens. Of course, the biggest intoxication from outside occurs when greed and corruption take over in the mind. It is for this reason that in the traditional arts, they urged against competition and prestige. Competition is fine once you have develop the necessary mental fortitude. In my experience, there are so many life lessons which I have absorbed that it almost derailed me completely. So if I didn’t have the necessary inner tools of development, I would have been broken by certain experiences. This is why I stress “Meditation, meditation, meditation”, or some kind of meditative dimension and development of this.

Overcoming Self Deception

The biggest deception if from the intoxication of conquest. The lust for conquest brings about the same disorders as actual chemical abuse in many cases. This is a false high. This is referred to as Maya in the Indian systems, or simply self deception. This is because when you overcome the need for these things, it is as if they never happened and the events become meaningless. This is not so with any reality which is learnt from the core of truth, which is the Hara Centre. There is nothing wrong with chemical supplements, they can be taken if needed. But the very same things can be created internally, setting in process and lasting mechanism. The results are often the same but more sustainable. But what a difference it makes if you can produce these things internally.

Inter Transformation

We have looked at how the Hara Centre can transmit itself anywhere in the body. With the other centres of the body, such as the chest or head, these act as relay points, so the energy takes a more roundabout route. There are exceptions to this, such as Martial Arts masters whose physical body’s have failed them but they have developed the proper energy channels. These are exceptions however. With the Hara Centre, it can reach anywhere. It is like how you can create a heater with the use of electricity, there are transformers involved in that kind of technical process to convert energy. If you want to create heat, movements is needed for example. Movements is a kind of transformer in the human body. There is all sorts of mind work that goes into it, such as knowledge and motivation to move. This is why in many ways, reality begins in the mind. Importantly, the mind is linked to the gut, not just the brain.

The earth itself transforms heat into water, and then water into steam. All of these processes are only possible because of the earths core dynamo, which is molten iron largely. This is like the Hara Centre. The earths atmosphere, which is electromagnetic, would not be possible without the earths core being the way it is. The Earths core is hot and high pressure, like our own physical centre. The surround electromagnetic atmosphere of the Earth can be likened to the nervous system. So the core directly affects the nervous system, and the nervous system is not possible without the core. So you can transform you energy and situation by working with this core in ways that are not possible otherwise.

Let’s look at technique. If the punch begins at the shoulder, then you are not punching from the core. You can still do it, but a lot of additional steps are taken, often unconsciously. So the idea behind “using the core” or the abdomen, comes from this idea that from this centre of mass everything spreads outwardly. There is an inner intelligence that grasps this intuitively. So if you get this, then you are 90% of the way there. Why 90%? because the microorganisms of the body account for 90% of the body’s make up. And these guys are largely in the core and work according to the gut primarily. From the core, the rest radiates outwardly. In terms of cognition and learning, if the brain and nervous system attempt to perform a particular movement without the cores involvement, the results are limited. This can produce many problems, such as over use injury and a whole host of physical ailments, particularly later on in life.

From Gross to subtle

If you point a finger, this can be performed from the core, or you can simply wave the arm out and point the finger. If the action is led from the core, then the finger pointing is just the final expression at the end of the movement. In other words, it is the end phase of a core movement. You might say, that everyone can point a finger, what’s so special about that? However, anyone who doesn’t pay attention and concern towards these things on the path of martial arts is setting themselves up for problems. This is why in the traditional systems, the master would look at how you conducted yourself in every aspect. So to take care of the large, you can pay attention to the small things, which is required if you wish to transform these initial steps into greater possibilities. The idea that you can do something carelessly but repeatedly and yield good results is completely wrong. You go from basic to complex, from gross to subtle expertise.

So one initial movement sets up the possibilities for the next. It is the same with a punch. You rotate the core into the punch and there is a lot more power and transmission of energy as a result. This is because it began from the centre of mass and transformed into a punch as part of a complex process. It’s not like you get each phase technically correct separately and then it works. No, instead you have to transform one phase into another. It is like the pressure of the earth gradually dissipates as you move away from the core. This creates the complex physical reality around us. Due to this pressure release, other forms of energy, such as gravitational energy and electromagnetic energy, gradually express themselves. These act upon the physical word we experience. This is a complex process, but it is an intuitive one. Gravity can then act upon larger masses, whereas it is weaker the closer you get to the centre. This is because other more powerful forces of Chi energy, or radiation in Scientific terms are happening closer to the centre. This is also known as dark matter1.

So in the human being, when you perform a punch, it is only possible because of a release of energy which gradually takes another form. This is how you create something from nothing. This nothing actually contains the whole possibility, it just that this has not been Brough to bare in your experience yet. But it will the more you work with it. This is why there are no set traditions other than oral transmission in most traditional systems. You have to work for it internally.

Self Creation

If you just swing the arm at the opponent, then there is an entirely different effect even if it looks the same as a punch from the core. This is why there is so much emphasis on breathing from the core, digesting properly from the core, and moving from there in the traditional systems of martial arts. The diamonds are produced there. In the Earths core, Molten Iron erupts out of the surface from the core. It is only when the atmosphere changes that we see the diamond formation of this same heat energy, which has now solidified. These diamond are what we create in martial arts, expressions of high pressure which have materialised. The Earth doesn’t think about it, it is an energy intelligence. These diamonds can absorb electromagnetic waves from the earths atmosphere. So the Earth itself generates an electromagnetic fields which sustains the outer surface. The same thing happens in us, and this is entirely intuitive when you develop the right perceptions through practice. When you rely too much on physical strength of the limbs, you can easily forget about using the core properly. This leads to various injuries, which although inevitable sometimes, become chronic and excessive. It is just like if you exploit the nutrients of the earth more quickly than they are created, you will likely have issues.

Let’s take the example of digestion. If you eat whole foods, or healthy foods generally, then these have to be digested in the stomach properly. The thing about sugar is that it goes straight out of the stomach and into the blood stream. It doesn’t go into deep nourishment, such as bone and deep tissue regeneration. This is why it is linked with so many internal problems, even if it gives you a sugar hit. Healthy whole food on the other hand, goes into reproducing the cells and creating an entire person. Over the course of around seven years, Science has show the the entire organisms cells are likely to be replaced. This isn’t so if degeneration is happening too much at the same time as replenishment. So when anything is done at the surface level, whether that is learning or nutrition, there is a certain level of nourishment which gets neglected and undermined..

When blood sugar builds up too much, you can get a range of health complications, such as nerve damage, and inability to produce enough insulin. We have also looked at how osteoporosis may happen too, because the bones need nourishment, not just the muscles and blood. So when a person exists at the surface level, what you end up with is an irritable or excitable mood with a kind of frantic and compulsive disposition. This undermines health obviously. This can in itself lead many of types of mental health conditions, as well as physical ailments. The variety of these are countless, and exploding across the world. From this, we can see that a physiological problem can become a psychological one quite easily, once certain patterns of behaviour become habitual. So certain patterns of behaviour are thought replenish or undermine ones pre birth energy, or chi.

The point is that what appears to be a mental health issue, often has its origins in the physiological or energy realm. So by taking care of the physiology, you end up taking care of the mental side. This is the same with martial arts. It is often the case that people train with all sorts of gels and sugary liquids, just to keep certain chemicals active in the blood stream. From a performance perspective this has some benefits, such as making one more aggressive and reactive. This comes at a heavy price, because it intoxicates your system just like a drug. Drug and chemicals are just a different part of the cycle. You take them in and perform some activity. It is possible to take in various supplements properly, but that is something else. It requires a level of self restraint and awareness to perform certain activities properly. From a health perspective, over supplementation is not only stupid but disastrous. So when the body eventually breaks down with age and wear and tear, the solution for many is to take a cocktail of supplements to keep the game going. But this only hastens decline or fails to get at the source of the problem to change things.

References

https://wordpress.com/post/intuitivemartialarts.com/2227 Conquest at all costs: Drugs in Martial Arts.
https://intuitivemartialarts.com/2024/02/02/how-to-use-stress-for-your-own-health-and-the-importance-of-the-hara-centre/ How to Use stress for your own Health, and the importance of the Hara Centre.

Hara Centre: Centre of Creation

Posted on 2nd February 2024 Last updated on 13th February 2024 by joeharman8 | 16 min read | 110 views

“The earths atmosphere, which is electromagnetic, would not be possible without the earths core being the way it is. The Earths core is hot and high pressure, like our own physical centre. The surround electromagnetic atmosphere of the Earth can be likened to the nervous system. So the core directly affects the nervous system, and the nervous system is not possible without the core. So you can transform you energy and situation by working with this core in ways that are not possible otherwise. “

Knowing the Unknown

Drugs and Chemicals

Overcoming Self Deception

Inter Transformation

From Gross to subtle

Self Creation

References

https://wordpress.com/post/intuitivemartialarts.com/2227 Conquest at all costs: Drugs in Martial Arts.
https://intuitivemartialarts.com/2024/02/02/how-to-use-stress-for-your-own-health-and-the-importance-of-the-hara-centre/ How to Use stress for your own Health, and the importance of the Hara Centre.

Sound and Form [Part 3]

Posted on 21st December 2023 by joeharman8 | 9 min read | 106 views

When you laugh you might make the “Ha” sound with the breathe. If you laugh very loudly you will hyper ventilate unless you set yourself properly. This requires internal and external aspects. For example, you want to feel comfortable and open enough to stretch your body to create the necessary space for the sound to loudly roar out. There are many everyday examples of sounds which happen naturally. This is what working with the sound in martial arts aims to achieve, a natural expression of the sound with added awareness and control over the body

The Moving Sound

With the help of certain sounds, we can express various sentiments and feelings. There are various techniques for this contained in martial arts to this end. For example, the physical forms in Taekwondo, called Poomsae, are used to express proper breathing and flow. I use this Taekwondo example because this is what I’m trained in formally, but the similarities hold true across the various martial arts. To do the forms properly, one needs to develop mastery over the breathing as well as the movements. Some forms of martial arts don’t do much in the way of movement and focus more on the sound. Other arts focus on slow and controlled breathing, which is also useful for different reasons. In this way you aim to become one with the movements by synchronising with the breath.

According to the mood of the form, or Poomsae, that is how it is performed. Some are faster, some are slower. I won’t go into the details, it will take too long, but you can look all this up online. You will see how some are slower, and others are faster. Others will go from fast to slow in moments. This is all common sense but there is a science to it. So you would move differently to enhance well being than you would to secure survival. and once you have attacked, it is useful to reset. You would however want to work at both levels, of attack and resetting, according to what needs to be done at different times.

When you look closely, it is not just speed and pace, but different qualities that are expressed. Some movements have a certain swing in them, just like music does. This cannot be demonstrated on the music sheet or in a book. If you try to perform a swinging motion or sound in a step by step way it just doesn’t work. This is why physical demonstrations are needed, rather than step by step instructions alone. Because a form can be broken down into beginning, middle, and end, doesn’t mean it is performed that way mechanically.

The main thing to remember is to control the volume of expression, which brings about all kinds of different effects. If you create a huge volume of sound in the movements, and you create a lot of noise, you obviously want to spread this across a big space. This is the reason for stretching the body whilst remaining rooted. You are fixed and stable, yet able to contain a large volume by extending the body.

The Twelve notes

Before you do any of the forms, you first learn the techniques individually. There are said to be 14 different movements in the Korean System of Taekwondo. Actually there are twelve, but more were added in, such as flying kicks and twisting kicks. So it is likely that various adaptions have been made for various reasons over the years. However these are really just variations of the twelve techniques. The number twelve is significant because there are twelve colours and twelve notes, so there are also corresponding movements. Of course there are many more movements than twelve, but the relevance of the number twelve is that there are twelve notes, and an infinite variety of combinations.

In the classical forms on Indian music there are twelve ways to perform a sound. This is the case for sound more generally too. For instance, we will take the example of the “Aa” sound. You can perform it rapidly, as in when doing a punch. As noted in the previous post, the “ah” sound is for engaging the abdomen or Hara Centre in martial arts. You can perform it in a circular fashion, as when performing certain circular blocking techniques. This means it goes up and down, such as when parrying an attack and blocking in a circular fashion. This would make it more drawn out and up and down a certain scale of volume and tone. These variations although subtle, create huge power and output.

There are also twelve colours, all represented in different ways. In Martial Arts, there are normally seven belts, just as in Western music there are seven main notes. Each colour represents a particular quality, so they are not just arbitrarily chosen. At the same time, the different colours are given different meaning in the different arts. This does not matter about the different interpretations, because one who is fearless as a blackbelt, should also aim to be as cautious of danger as a red belt. So you want to encompass all the qualities in one. Where you start just depends on what is being emphasised in what system.

So each system represents itself differently according to what it wants to promote. Some are hard styles, such as Karate, others are soft styles, such as Tai Chi. Obviously they will have different representing qualities. You wouldn’t put a competitive athlete on the Tai Chi notice board, not would you put a mediator on the Karate competition flyer. However, both qualities of meditativeness and movement are contained within each system.

There are also around twenty five forms to display these movements in Taekwondo, which is roughly double the number of twelve. This is because the later half of the forms are reserved for blackbelts, so you effectively start again learning a different set once you reach black belt level. The reason I’m mentioning this is that the numbers are related to the sounds and colours on a spectrum, which is itself all blended together, even though distinctions can be made. So these sounds and colours feature all over martial arts, and go back to ancient tradition and knowledge. So the number twelve is defiantly relevant.

Today, they focus only on the movements and try to make them look flamboyant and flashy. This is not the way, but it’s a cultural thing that has developed in terms of technical appearance. Actually, the real centres which preserve the arts are still alive and kicking. It’s just that they have taken on some back of shop role because they don’t do the whole Pr thing well. This is certainly true in Taekwondo. There is nothing wrong or right about this, it’s just that there are other measurements as to what is the correct form other that the visual aspect, which is kept in tradition.

So finally now we will look at some more applications.This is impossible to explain fully here, but essentially whatever you do with the hand supports what you are doing vocally. This is the case with anything. So the hands are used to follow the sound and create a form out of it. this is the case with the other limbs too. If there is a rapid up and down sound, then the hand follows this. In meditation, the hands go up and down with the breathe in some forms. When you make a more audible vocalised sound, rather than the so called “unstuck sound” of the breathe, the hands play a role in further emphasising this.

So you might punch rapidly and powerfully in a shaking kind of way, or you might push outwardly and then swing back before doing something else. This is obviously too detailed to cover extensively, which is why there was so much emphasis on practice and experience rather than book learning. The above video goes some way to demonstrating what I am saying. It appears as though you learn quite quickly with a book, but you want to bring these qualities to the practice within. This is the main purpose behind the more traditional training forms which emphasise actual experience rather than theory.

There are many different techniques to produce the various sounds. Some of them use the diaphragm and chest to support movement. This has obvious benefits to the cardiovascular and postural system, which directly affects health and physical capability. When one is performing such movements, you make a rapid up and down ascending and descending noise with the mouth and hands. This draws the sound and therefor the energy up and down. So the “Ah” sound links the abdomen to the movement, and the ascending pitch brings it up. The descending one bring sit back down. One example is that you tend to descend down when kicking, because the kick is directly related to the hips or lower body. The opposite is true of punching, which tends to draw the energy up in a more rapid way. This all requires experience and practice to get to know all this.

Much of this would have been originally improvised according to certain rules as the situation requires. Later these forms were to be handed down rather than spontaneously realised on the individual level. This is the problem with the written tradition, it is taken literally as it is written. At the same time, it helps to persevere the physical visual aspect, so on balance there are strengths and weaknesses here. The problem is today that we are to obsessed with the visual aspect often at the expense of the inner dimension of sound. The previous generation were not so lopsided in their development, because what they could see was so limited. So they needed these methods.

Once again, this is difficult to put into words, and has to be experienced directly. At the same time it is common sense and accessible to anyone. When you look at the snake like waving movements of the Chinese forms, these faster forms represent this idea of rapid escalation and deescalation. The snake symbol is actually used because its form best demonstrates this quality, rather than the human body. So to demonstrate the waving movements which go up and down, the snake was used to clearly make this obvious in such a way that words could not. The snake is used because its being is closely related to the human beings energy form, not because the human wants to physically mimic the snake.

Sound and Form [Part 1]

Posted on 20th December 2023 by joeharman8 | 5 min read | 101 views

The Yogic culture has a form of practice known as the Yoga of sound, or Nada Yoga. In martial Arts, the sound is used to support the various movements. This involves knowing about proper breathing and how to do it. Just as the painter knows which brush stroke to use on the paper, so too does the martial artists know which sound form to use. Both do it as it needs to happen. The painter strokes up and down in a descending or ascending order. The breathe works the same. So even if you are breathing rapidly in and out, it is even possible to follow a certain ebb and flow, which is actually going on outside of you. So these are universal laws rather than artificial ones. Otherwise you end up cacophonous and out of sync.

In martial arts the sound form can be audible or inaudible, that is, it can be silent or external. When you are meditating, it tends to become silent. You can even get to a point where the breathe becomes still, although there is still an in and out happening. This is because there is a flow which happens externally too, which has to do with the atmosphere and the subtle universal influence. So generally speaking, the slower breathing is less taxing on the body and lowers stress. The more rapid breathing create a certain inner pressure, which also creates lower pressure elsewhere. In this way, the Hara Centre, which is in the abdomen, creates a sustained pressure through martial arts practice. This naturally creates a lower pressure in the upper aspects of the body such as the chest and brain.

So even if you are doing heavy work, you will benefit from a lower base level or an ability to slow down at will during certain periods. These low pressure periods also create the opposite tendency elsewhere, and one who is aware of this can use such changing weather states to their advantage. It is exactly like the changing of the weather, high pressure creates a vacuum somewhere else. This is why warriors of the past spent around half the day meditating and the other half fighting. It was understood that by creating a certain inner pressure, and then moving this upwards, you could create the very basis of growth and power. There are many aspects to this. This is known as separation of charge, which essentially means that you are both high pressure and low pressure, which creates the right kind of atmosphere for development and evolution.

When you are exerting yourself physically, the breathe becomes more externally bound. Even then however, you may want to control the breathe rather than let it all out. For example, if you want to control the breathe so the opponent doesn’t perceive you as scared, this obviously has practical benefits. In the past particularly, warriors would have to hide from deadly animals who could pick up faint breathing sounds, so they disguised their breathing in many ways.

Because of various constraints in the past, such as lack of writing tools, the sound forms were passed on from generation to generation by physical demonstration only. This is known as the oral tradition. The oral tradition was effective for demonstrating the quality of a form, so that that this would be kept. The physical details were not so important as they are today, because everybody has their own different physical expression. This is particularly so with adepts, who look to become something unique rather than what has already been produced.

In martial arts there are particular subtleties which do not lend themselves to the written form. For example, the up and down movements of a block come out and then go back in the reverse of it rapidly. This is similar to how a snake snaps out and then goes back along the same path. So the snake was used to demonstrate this particular sinuous quality, which is considered more like the human being in terms of energy. Obviously another man looks more like a human body, but the energy aspect was what counted here. It is like going up and down an ascending and descending scale, rather than a beginning, middle and end. So in the book it will look like a preparation, execution, and recovery as demonstrated by a person. This is not how it is in reality. Everybody knows what a snake looks like and how it moves, so this picture paints a thousand words.

In the next part we will look at the particular syllables and utterances used in martial arts. We will also look at how the coloured belt systems represent the twelve and seven notes of sound. There are of course also seven or twelve colours depending on the system. This is not arbitrary and played in important role in the formation of traditional martial arts. Each of these sounds and colours represents a particular quality. For example, the “Aa” sound represents the beginning, and is used to relate the breath to the physical centre of the body, the Hara Centre. The breathe is used as a thread, just like a thread holds together beads into a structure. So the “Aa” sound links the sound to the form, ensuring that you have a stable base. This is why in martial arts you shout “Ha!” or some variation of this sound in a forceful exhale.

High Intensity Work and Balance

Posted on 5th July 2020 by joeharman8 | 9 min read | 134 views

One of the reasons for training is to develop strength and power through high intensity work. However it is often the case that those engaged in high intensity work completely over do it. High intensity work, by which I mean 100% effort, is actually a kind of stress on the body. But it does you good if it is performed in short bursts over a small time period. For example, a one hundred metre sprint takes an athlete just over, say ten seconds. However they would not do this over and over again or for much longer than ten seconds. And for good reason – it is hugely taxing on the body.

Now the most important aspect of fitness is health, or harmony within the body. In other words your strength, endurance, energy levels, and all other aspects of health should all be in accord. This is all achieved by living sensibly and actively. High intensity work improves your capacity to do this. Unfortunately, many people are completely out of tune with health, and have instead bolstered some aspects of fitness at the expense of overall health. This lack of balance eventually leads to wear and tear and a decline in capabilities. And therefore health. It is therefore wise to take care of all this before injury occurs and health declines.

What I do is, whenever I train I try to reach my highest intensity of work by doing no more than a few minutes on the heavy bag. I go for intensity over duration, and in short bursts. For example, I might do a minute or so and then rest, and then go for it again. Of course I warm up a bit and practice a few concepts and skills before getting to work. I then do all sorts of things like walking, everyday activities like gardening, and breathing exercises, sport, etc., to fill the day. Once again, high intensity work, or a short duration, improves my capacity to do everything else. You might say “Only a minute? That’s nothing, professionals do twelve 3 minute rounds!”.

Yes, I admit I’m nowhere near the fitness levels of some athletes, and I tell myself the same thing daily, as I am just as concerned as anyone of still not attaining my goals This forces me to work twice, or three times as hard within a small time frame, because I have other things to do. To do huge quantities of low level work is easy, to condense this down is another matter. All those people who want to be champions of this or that are obliged to push themselves towards performing huge amounts of intense work that can’t be maintained. They may get away with it for a while, but not for long. Of course they limit themselves and stagnate eventually, by getting worn out. And yet these are the people who everyone looks to for advice!

Many people talk of having survived life threatening situations, but I wonder how many of them have any idea of how to train for the urgency required. Having been in these situations myself, I can tell you that the experience is so intense and only lasts a few seconds before things get life threatening and you are killed. So I train to condense everything down to this time frame. Yes, you must condense it all down to a smaller time frame to increase the demand for quick decisive action. However nobody does this, or thinks its beneficial. Instead they go about doing whatever every other Tom, Dick, or Harry are doing.

It is situations of extreme urgency which give you the intense desire to change and improve the mundane training practices adopted by the many. Perhaps quite a few experience this, perhaps without analysing it much, but they often abandon their new found motivation after a day or two.

If you cannot devote as much time to training as a professional athlete, or you think you’re not any good, you must try to achieve the same intensity of work. And then you will be able to achieve the same output as someone else who has more time to devote to one thing at the expense of everything else. Yes, you might not have the same capacity for repetitive work in one narrow discipline, but you will be able to work at the same intensity. Intensity is what counts. This is important because you will gain the same benefits of strength, and power.

The health benefits that come from high intensity work are numerous. Increased defence against disease, more vitality, higher energy levels, etc., but don’t over do it, because it will wear you down. It’s not enough to “leave it all in the gym” and then flop in front of the sofa. No, that just means you have stripped yourself of energy and probably lowered your immune systems defences. Instead go for quality over quantity. That way the high intensity work will increase the body’s demand for energy, which sets the ground for increased health. There will therefore be an increased supply of beneficial forces acting on the body’s capabilities, preparing it for greater work. It’s an inescapable cause and effect process.

As soon as you go beyond your limits in an attempt to go do what you’re not capable of doing, things fall apart. You pay the price, in injury or burnout. What else can be expected? Many people try to “push through” when they “hit a wall”, and at this point they’re not even interested really. Sapped of energy they lose motivation, which carries on to the next session, and the one after that. They then come to associate hard work with depletion of reserves and boredom. In that case walk away and come back to it another time revitalised. The only reason Martial arts becomes boring is because people lose motivation in this way. They practice for hours on end when they should have looked after their health and developed themselves before even attempting high intensity work. Instead they jump straight in!

And things often go from bad to worse. Training is increasingly moving away from a more balanced approach, and people are become more driven to overdo everything, whilst achieving nothing. Wherever you look people are mimicking some guru who insists they go beyond their limits. What usually happens of course is that people work at a very low intensity, because they have run out of energy. And then no amount of work can replace the energy which is not given time to replenish. They are forced to work at a slovenly pace because they haven’t put in the real work of maintaining health and balance. They are then congratulated for at least giving it a good go.

Don’t bother focusing on some magic exercise programme to do the work for you. There is no secret technique or wise sage to do this work for you. Focus on intensity, and then in one stroke you will have achieved health benefits as well as power and fitness. Sure you won’t be as big as some people in the gym, who, in any case are usually fatter than they are muscular, but you will be on the right track. And don’t bother learning loads of combinations in the hope that you can then perform them quickly with no effort. It can’t be done, and takes much too long, a whole lifetime would not be enough time to learn everything bit bit bit. You would have to pick one discipline, learn all the moves, and the other indispensable techniques would be neglected.

This is what I do: I don’t bother increasing my fitness by doing boxing combinations, and then Muay Thai drills, etc., it would be a waste of time. I’m interested only in intensity. I perform the basic skills, and sometimes I go over them more slowly and deliberately, but if my only goal is to work at one hundred percent effort, this forces me to put together any number of combinations within a very small time frame seamlessly. It happens naturally if the desire is there. This forces me to pick out the most important skills because every second counts. Just try being fast and powerful if you are exhausted and fatigued, you won’t succeed. And for no other reason than because you tried to push beyond your limits for too long.

I would leave all skills practice more or less alone. Don’t bother with the drills anymore, at least when doing high intensity work. “How can you give such bad advice”. Whilst no martial arts expert would advise this, I am a generalist, and therefore we aren’t singing from the same hymn sheet. Take a few moves here and there by all means, but son’t suppose you will perform them well without intent to work at one hundred percent effort. I cannot stress this enough, you must be intent on supply maximum effort. The technique will then take care of itself. Obviously there are people who don’t do this and still do well, but they could do better.

People often say to me “I used to do boxing”, or “I used to be good at such and such a martial art, but today I’m injured and don’t have the time”. The reason is that you devoted too much time to the wrong thing. I remember reading that Steve Morris, who is in a league of his own when it comes to martial arts, said that he thinks “intensity intensity intensity”. And that he trains for a few minutes at a time at maximum intensity. There you have it. Instead people get addicted to drudge work, which eventually erodes away their abilities, because it’s not intelligent work.

Instead you should accept that intensity boosts your bodies defences and increases its durability. This is self defence against the greater enemies of overwork, burnout and stagnation. So what I recommend is to do all the exercises you want but focus on intensity within a short time frame. High intensity effort and work is the force that will boost all your capabilities to do all the other exercises. It is as if your body collective system says “We need to up our game!”. And then the adaptation to greater challenge takes places as time goes on. That is provided it is given proper rest afterwards and isn’t pushed beyond its capabilities too far or for too long.