# Elbow energy



## bully (Sep 21, 2010)

The guy who taught me, when explaining about Gung Lik or elbow energy said that during the 3 prayers to bhudda in SLT to have the same feeling as drawing a bow string then releasing it slowly ie not firing the arrow.

Any different explanations or theories you guys have been taught?

How do you do it and how do you know how much force to use?


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## graychuan (Sep 21, 2010)

My 2 cents.....

As you meet an attack with jamming, wedging or slicing energy upon bridge contact- If the incoming force causes you to deviate from structure(segmenting of the torso, collapse of the elbows to less than a fist width from the body, loss of integrity of the motherline) then you do not have proper elbow energy in relation to that particular structure(bong, tan or fook). Remember that the energy is constantly changing(head shot, body shot, slow attack, fast attack, grab, etc.) so its an active thing that is maintained through sensitivity. This is for all of SLT.


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## mook jong man (Sep 21, 2010)

I really think its a case of whatever visualisation tool works the best for you , if it helps you to do the technique correctly it is useful.

One of the objectives of the exercise is to teach you to have a constant flow of forward force.
The problem most people have is not with the going out bit , but the coming back bit.

It can be a hard concept to wrap your head around , that is to have forward force on , even when your arm is physically moving backwards , but that is exactly what we must do.

We were taught to drive the movement forward from the elbow , bring it back from the elbow.
In the retraction phase we are still imagining the elbow going forward , intellectually we know the arm is going back , but mentally we are still trying to project it forward.

We are creating a habit and using our brain to try and trick our muscles into believing that they are always in the same state whether they are moving forward or back , ie that they will be relaxed , with some resistance against incoming pressure and ready to spring forward when there is no counterforce to hold them back.

When I practice the form I try to imagine there is a bit of resistance to my elbow movement , and when I train with a partner I imagine the exact opposite , that there is no resistance , the person is not there I am just doing a movement from the form.

It should not be done super slow or too fast  , doing either  means that you are consciously controlling the speed of your arm using muscle instead of freeing  the mind to do its own thing.

Just try to relax and let your mind mind move your arm forward and back , on the going forward phase stop when you get to the angle where you start to feel a bit of slight tension from other muscles like your bicep , this will be very close to being your optimum or ultimate angle.

You have to really relax and concentrate hard to feel this , its a feeling of OK other muscles are just about to engage now I've reached the proper angle time to start moving the elbow back.


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## Poor Uke (Sep 22, 2010)

bully said:


> The guy who taught me, when explaining about Gung Lik or elbow energy said that during the 3 prayers to bhudda in SLT to have the same feeling as drawing a bow string then releasing it slowly ie not firing the arrow.


 
That's a great metaphor, shall be using that in the future...cheers Bully


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## bully (Sep 22, 2010)

I can't take credit, the guy who taught me was told that by Kevin Chan.

Is that the type of energy you put in too?


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## KamonGuy2 (Sep 22, 2010)

bully said:


> I can't take credit, the guy who taught me was told that by Kevin Chan.
> 
> Is that the type of energy you put in too?


 
If he was told by Kevin Chan, then he was 100% spot on lol 

People do use gung lik differently, but it does come in handy when dealing with big guys (you can create space using energy from the body and structure, rather than trying to mould round it using sung lik)


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## bully (Sep 22, 2010)

Sung Lik?

Not sure what that is.
Could you explain? In simple terms....

Kevin taught Danny Paxton who taught me in recent times. When you see Kevin next say hello from us in Jersey. I am hoping after my travels to try and be admin again and get something set up here. Just need a teacher...the age old problem on our little Island.


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## KamonGuy2 (Sep 23, 2010)

bully said:


> Sung Lik?
> 
> Not sure what that is.
> Could you explain? In simple terms....
> ...


 
Not sure I remember Danny, but then he may have trained privately with Kevin or in a class far away

Sung lik is the opposite of gung lik and is a very relaxed type of energy. Instead of relying on structure (like gung lik), sung lik allows trhe practitioner to mould around a person more (not forming rigid movements etc). A lot of people practice the dummy using sung lik - Ip Chun for example does a great youtube vid using sung lik on the dummy

There is a third interim energy (I can never remember the name of it which is inbetween sung lik and gung lik).
The easiest way of explaining the interim energy is if you picture a small bottle of water inbetween two chunners who are using a hand each to hold it up. If they each press to hard, water will spurt out. If they press too little, the bottle will drop to the floor. The equilibrium point is the interim energy. Hope that clarifies it - its always easir to show in person!


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## bully (Sep 23, 2010)

Cheers KG, will ask someone to show me next time I am around a decent a decent chunner.

Danny trained with Kevin a good while ago, late 90's and early 00's. He is an excellant chunner but doesnt want to teach which is a shame, but having you own business is more than enough to do!! so I understand. I am hoping to get him training again when I return from Asia.


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## Poor Uke (Sep 24, 2010)

bully said:


> Is that the type of energy you put in too?


 
Yep, rang bells as soon as I read it.


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