Sound Focus

Sound focus is part of our training. We all know it can focus our power, startle our opponent and force us to breathe.

But did you know it can also save your life?

When you use sound focus, just as you launch your finishing strike, you are focusing all your energy into the strike. As the name implies, you are focusing all of your intensity into that strike. Not to the previous strike. Not to the future strike. But to the one you are throwing right now.

When you are in a fight, using your sound focus just before you strike your opponent will most likely startle your opponent which will cause them not to properly defend themselves, hence you will be able to strike and make an impact.

When attacked, one of the main rules is to stay calm. Not panic. Strong exhalation of breath as you use your sound focus will force you to take in a deep breath. It is forcing the co2 out of your body and letting oxygen in, making you more calm. This will help you with whatever comes next.

Yelling (or using your sound focus) can also startle an attacker before they come after you. Someone who is attacking you typically does not want to be seen and to be caught and therefore if you are yelling there is a good chance they will walk away. And if they are not, at least you are better prepared and there is a good chance someone else heard you and will come to help you.

Now, most of us are reluctant to use our sound focus in public (and in class). But like everything else in life, if you do not practice it you will never get better at it. Practice your sound focus in front of the mirror. Use your sound focus in class. It is all part of your training as a martial artist.

Kiaaaaaaahhhhhh.

Yitzik Csillag

Or Can I . . .?

Between it floating around in the back of my mind for almost a week, reading Sifu Brinker's blog post about it today, and Sifu Rybek encouraging us to write a blog after tonight's meeting, I think all three created the mental conditions that were just right for me to have a lightbulb moment about the knifehand-long punch-open roundhouse/(dragons whip)-spinning back kick section in da mu hsing II, and I'm very excited about it, I mean, jumping up and down punching the air excited. 

My initial question about this sequence that kind of kickstarted this whole thing was that I was having trouble feeling any flow or power from that spinning back kick at the end of the sequence. When Sifu Brinker explained that the energy flows just like it does in the knifehand-punch 1) it blew my mind that the spinning back kick was meant to be connected like that!! and 2) I thought I had an answer to my question and all it would take would be to practice with that intent in mind. 

However as I was practicing it I could not feel the slightest bit of what he was describing. Intellectually I knew how they were meant to connect, but that feeling was very absent in my technique. Until tonight! When I was working on this section tonight I started having a mental conversation with myself: 

"ok so we know that it's supposed to flow the same as the knifehand-punch right? And the flow is really easy to feel in that so what's the problem?"

"The problem is that no matter how much I speed up and try to shorten the time between when the dragons whip finishes and the spinning back kick starts, they feel like two separate moves"

"ok then why does the hand sequence not feel like two separate moves?"

"because the retraction of the first strike facilitates the start of the second strike, that concept of two mittens with a string connecting them, one goes out the other must come back in"

"yea but the problem is I can't do that with my legs, unlike my arms, they're holding my weight so I can't just start to launch the next kick as the first one retracts, it's not physically possible, I'd fall over,"

"or can I?"

*cue shattering of a million mental lightbulbs!!!* 

As I played around with this idea I realized that the physical restraint of needing at least one leg on the ground was what was keeping me from seeing the flow between the kicks. But a kick does not begin in the moment you first lift your foot off the ground, it begins with your intent. I realized that if I thought about starting to throw the spinning back kick as the dragons whip was retracting starting to turn my upper body around in preparation for the kick as my right leg moved to the ground I was finally able to feel that connection of energy between both kicks!!! The whole section still needs lots of work, but at least now I can feel the flow through all 4 moves in this sequence!

Kayley Burke

Rotational Vectors, Linear Vectors, Intent, and Flow

Da Mu Hsing II, while being a very short segment in the overall form, contains some very complex sequences that, once perfected, will maximize your flow and power.

What people may not notice is that the knife hand to long punch sequence is exactly the same as the open roundhouse (dragon’s whip) to spinning back kick sequence when it comes to flow and transitioning your energy flow from a rotational vector to a linear vector. While those two sequences are quite basic physically, the flow (energy) transitions of the sequences are more complex.

The majority of people who struggle with getting power behind their techniques in Da Mu Hsing II, are struggling because they are not focusing their intent. The intent to throw a knife hand followed by a thrust punch is different than the intent to strike a significant blow to the side of the neck followed by a significant blow to front of the face. Neither intent is complete and correct for the form. One intent takes care of the physical techniques, the second intent takes care of the power of the techniques. Neither is addressing the flow of the technique.

The flow of the technique should connect the physical aspect of the technique (strength) with the power of the technique (energy).  This can only be achieved if your intent is pure and on target. If my intent is exactly correct, so is my timing.

Intent Evolution In Da Mu Hsing II:

1. Complete left knife hand to side of neck with rotational vector.

2. Connect and transition rotational energy vector to complete right hand linear vector strike to face.

3. Connect and transition linear energy vector to complete right leg rotational vector strike to ribs.

4. Connect and transition rotational energy vector to to complete left leg linear vector strike to liver.

This intent flow chart will help ensure that not only does your form have flow, but every technique is complete so that every technique has power. Every movement we make should be supporting flow or power. Ideally we want every technique, for the most part, to support both. How do you tell the difference? If you only are focusing on flow in Da Mu Hsing II, your knife hand and your open roundhouse will not have a lot of authoritative power. If you are only focusing on power, there will be no connection between the techniques in the sequence. Flow with power requires complete techniques and good timing.

You need pure intent.

Jeff Brinker

What You’re Not Changing, You’re Choosing

I read this quote recently: “Don’t speak negatively about yourself, even as a joke.  Your body doesn’t know the difference. Words are energy and cast spells, that’s why it’s called spelling.  Change the way you speak about yourself and you can change your life.  What you’re not changing, you’re also choosing.”

When I am learning something new, or working on perfecting something, my internal dialogue has an immense impact on my success. If I say, “I can’t”, then I won’t.  However, if I add the word ‘yet’, then everything changes.  I keep a door open that allows me to try again and again, therefore creating the opportunity for success.  But if I get down on myself, and say “I can’t” I am choosing to fail.

Even as I age, my body can do amazing things as long as I choose to have a positive attitude towards it.  I may be unable to do all that I could 10 years ago, but because I take care of it to the best of my ability, and I focus on what I can do, I will continue to succeed.  My physical  abilities will not stay the same, but my life has and will change for the positive as I age because I choose to speak positively about myself.

Tania Vantuil