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Along those lines, it's said that "hard" and "soft" are analogous to "external" and "internal." It's also said that there are basically two paths up the mountain of martial mastery: internal to external and external to internal. The former could apply to taijiquan, while the latter could apply to karate or Shaolin. Nevertheless, both paths meet at the top of the mountain.Excellent article from Michael Rosenbaum. Iain Abernethy.com Hard Middle and Soft Styles of Karate
Well, that is the politically correct.It's also said that there are basically two paths up the mountain of martial mastery: internal to external and external to internal. Nevertheless, both paths meet at the top of the mountain.
Hard
Force, striking, offense, rigide, muscle, emotion, speed, initiative...
Soft
Sensitivity, grappling, defense, flexible, intelligence, peace, distance control, passive...
But of course. "External" is easier to grasp, but when the going gets tough in the harder-to-grasp internal process, some practitioners drop off ... or claim that they know all there is to know, and open a studio. And, yep, "the internal" requires lots of hard and seemingly pointless (and yes, boring) work until a breakthrough comes. Or, if not, those internal folk who get nowhere after a few years and drop out, go and open a tai-cheese studio.Well, that is the politically correct.
But I'm seeing the "external way" going fast at the beginning, then stabilizing and then dropping with age (and inevitable injuries).
And I'm seeing the "internal way" going 'nowhere' at the beginning (or first decade...) and one day it becomes magic, even with age (and less injuries in the way).
Thanks ☺In okinawan naha-te systems there is a hardness and a softness in your body at the same time. Certain muscles will have dynamic tension in them while other muscles will remain soft and pliable. Somtimes there are both attributes in the same area of the body, fluctuating between the two conditions.
Hard and soft (martial arts)
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Regardless of origins and styles "hard and soft" can be seen as simply "opposing or yielding"; each has its application and must be used in its own way, and each makes use of specific principles of timing and biomechanics.
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A hard technique meets force with force, either with a linear, head-on force-blocking technique, or by diagonally cutting the strike with one's force. It is an example of the defender using the attacker's force and momentum against him or her. Although hard techniques require greater strength for successful execution, it is the mechanics of the technique that accomplish the defense. Examples are:
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The goal of the soft technique is deflecting the attacker’s force to his or her disadvantage, with the defender exerting minimal force.[1] With a soft technique, the defender uses the attacker's force and momentum against him or her, by leading the attack(er) in a direction to where the defender will be advantageously positioned (tai sabaki) and the attacker off balance;...