Hi

Over the years when training IMA I´ve read a lot about "internal" strength and heard a lot about it but almost all of it has been kinda theoretic and not that much how to really do it

Then I came across this guy´s site and found this exercise

http://www.rossboxing.com/punchingwithpower.html

Scroll down to the videodemonstrations

Is this a way to train your whole body strength the IMA way?

Opinions anyone?

Tobias

Hi Tobias

I don't doubt that the video training on this site will give you a hell of a workout, but it is not internal training as I understand it.

"Internal" strength is whole body strength. This guy looks like he is training to throw a powerful punch - just one aspect of whole body strength training. Imagine if you could pull someone off balance with all your weight and power and then push with the same intensity, but achieve both in a fraction of a second, without outwardly moving all that much - this is internal power. As for striking, it is not just the hand, but the elbow, the shoulder, the hip, the head, the knee and the foot are all trained to be used using whole body strength.

Then there is footwork speed and manoueverability are also trained using whole body power.

I would also encourage you to avoid any explanations of "Internal" power that suggest it has something to do with Qi. The simple fact is that whole body power is about mechanics and biophysics and you don't need a degree in either to be able to learn it.

These skills mentioned above have largely been forgotten and are seldom seen, yet at one time the exercises to produce internal power were the basis of, and underpinned, all Chinese martial arts. I have seen zhan zhuang and shili practiced by people who have no idea why they are doing the exercises, I've even seen world renowned masters teach the aforementioned without making any reference as to their purpose or indeed how to do the exercises correctly.

Lastly, if you find a good teacher you will have more internal power in 6 months (assuming you work hard) than many so called masters achieve in a lifetime. If someone says it will take you many years to achieve internal strength, then either they don't know how to train it or they do but they want all your maney.

in my eyes,a very vague explanation of internal strength is perfect form combined with power,
that exercise looked good, but i have never done it so i cant vouch for the effectiveness.

The guys at Ross do good work. You could learn a few things lurking through those articles.