Some practitioners make relaxation an end in itself. However, I think relaxation is only a means to an end. Without an understanding on why or what kind of relaxation is important and without any specific goals, you will not know if you are getting closer to or further away from the desired state. Do you know if there is any danger of too-much-of-a-good-thing? Without knowing the Whats or Whys, you have no choice but to follow blindly.
In this blog, we are specifically talking about relaxation in the context of martial art training and for the handling of conflicts (or during combat). Furthermore, we are talking about both physical and mental looseness and tension.
We believe that being physically / mentally tense (or tight) have these problems:
- slows down delivery time
- slows down reaction time
- foster stubbornness
- interferes with your ability to flow and affects your autopilot mode
- create levers that your opponent can take advantage off
- affects your skills causing timing, centering, shortening of movements
- stiffness do work to a certain extent but when it fall apart, it actually crack and splatter
Having suitable ‘looseness/give’ in your body has the following advantages:
- adds to speed and acceleration just like jumping on spring floor versus on cement
- allows you to flow and adapt better
- allows better timing because you will be able to ‘stay with’ your opponent more
- you physical centering will be lower than if you are tensed up
- able to hide your intent better
- just like rubberized surface protects, having some ‘give’ in your body allows you to absorb more force
- allows you to feel direction of external forces better
- less committed and allows for easier adaptation
I hope you are not getting the impression that being strong and sturdy is bad. Suitable tension and strength at the right circumstances has its obvious advantages:
- The look of being strong and powerful intimidates some of the would-be challengers.
- Reduces the reliance on skill and can be a good fall back where skill fails or when the other person doesn’t have skill, being stronger can give you an immediate advantage
- Can be very direct and can certainly cause damages.
- Not being the most efficient is not a problem if you have an abundance of resources or when you can end it quick.
- During tumbling, you have to tighten up to maintain the shape so that you can spin / twist efficiently.
Exercise:
- How can we fully exploit the advantages of both relaxation and tension?
- If both can be correct, how do you decide when to use what?