Muscle Training?

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I have been looking at different ways people look at martial arts training. My training isn’t solely focused on fighting, but I do have an interest in it (Tai Chi and Kempo). Have come across some people saying that internal training is needed but also doing more external stuff like push-ups/weights or something that is also needed. But then I read about old masters or people that I know who do not lift weights or anything like that and are very strong because of their internal training.

Wondering what other people’s thoughts are on this.

I personally love doing one of the I Chuan standing postures for an hour and would rather do that instead of lifting weights for an hour.

-David W.

[Anonymous]

Hello David, cheers- I too find the foundational concept interesting, what makes this work? — I find the context in which this is held is significant (many use the term “internal training” more vaguely- less strictly.. and it may mean different things)

..”internal training” for outer-strength utilizes “internal energy” transformed into an internal-power (force, ie vs flowing as life-force vitality), which is then utilized in a certain way: three different issues. and those being a technology
— many writers seem to imply that be calm and breath = “internal energy” want it to do something = that applies it.. and just stick your arms up like a scarecrow = ZhangZhuan type standing (vs that training requiring working and driving that power through your system- it should be felt as something that is filling you up and thus directly-concretely supports your frame…)

– of course to do that, you need to have the ‘oomph’ from basic internal-training= which can means some specific steps

In short- contrast “efficient alignments” (as relaxed as you can is a bit different than internal-relaxed.. as the first I’d call “skilled athletics”- while holding a posture using “relaxation”./sung means something different than skilled-athletics),,,, rather than using the “belly of the muscle” (whether brute-gross contraction, or even subtle-skilled muscular-coodination) vs “working the compression-hydraulically in the microcapillaries the blood (and interstial-fluids” raised to a high-lvl.. — the second one can be “Worked” as strongly, and effortfully as the first.

I find that even doing TaiJiChuan and having the sense of the four energies flowing through my system- such that they could be felt by another (even if slightly) is quite a work out (in that case, it isn’t so much a muscular feel- – but a feeling of something pushing through and over your tissues- all the resistance in between- its tiring). — contrast that to working Twisting and opening/closing -sinking down-under-the-floor alternate with pulling-lifting up from under-the-floor then switch and drop again.. is that is worked “through your system” (literally inside your tissue, and joints- and That drives your movements– not you just move your arms and legs), that can be done in a holding posture (very slight movement) and may look -on the outside- just like isometric holding…
______
I’ve just noticed how over the last many years these arts are more popular, but that doesn’t mean they are known… ‘the basics’ -the foundation of the fundamentals.
(just like cooking, or programming a computer- its precise vs a ‘sort-of-something).. how often are these blogs and forums quoting- its not that complicated, there are no secrets (even “there isn’t really an internal” everything is internal&external… “everything?”)

I always figure if you are going to do something, just be clear what you are trying to do- and if you are really going to work something (like this neigung).. then ‘actually do it’ (glass ceiling and the learning curve: it may build more slowly, and seem to do little in in the beginning- -but after you’ve built a core of neijin.. then things become possible using those skills- which if you don’t have, shortcuts/adaptations are needed if one doesn’t have that…
so in short id say yes- but there are a number of approaches, and meanings, and depends on what type (ie do you want to develop concrete power- without regard to muscular devel or not.. or one can develop literal muscular power via internal training- which is not the same as doing “some internal-calming” and “some pushed and weight-pumping-up”… even some high-intensity super heavy lifts that’s a different mode than internal training (one can do a mix- but it changes modes)…
and yet NeiGung strength development training can be just as intense and “hard” (different, not tense — if not even more of an intense workout- and proportional results.

[ yet a take-it-easy training every now and then won’t develop like lifting super-heavy – unless the training effect is as engaged- just if it is “internal” then rather than using a capacity that we have Normally.. ie “lifting things” is what everyone does, even a little kid.. just starts small.. but the angles of the skeleton and bracing- is all the same. But to have the ability to “Move yourself” based on a small bit of internal-power, you can then train and develop and expand that, but need to have a bit first to access and start with (that is often missing in the repeated “common-knowledge” out there. -if don’t have that, is why so many write, something else is needed…) — I find this is important and is being lost, and therefore mocked… as you wrote- reading about the old masters…. and what the details of ‘actually’ what they did…]

luck

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the comment. It is interesting how you mention that for many internal methods having a basic amount of internal power is required. That is part of the reason why some teachers, like my taiji teacher, would come up to me or others students and transfer some of his energy into my/their lower dan tien to help “start the fire.”

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