 Tom Olson discusses the notion of achieving ultimate power through the techniques of Bak Fu Pai, the kung fu system also known as Tiger style martial arts. We all need a bit of 'power' in our lives, but do we all know how to get it? When watching a movie where the star of the movie really puts an emphasis on the amount of power he or she is going to put into a selected endeavor, the result is almost always the same. First, we see the actor curl up their brow and take a deep breath, followed by a large winding up action. Once this is complete, a loud yell ensues with a slight exhalation of breath. Finally the impact of the fist, foot, base ball bat, golf club happens or the weight is lifted. While in the movies, this shows great effort and power, the truth in it all is that our friends on the silver screen have misled us for years.
Power, an elusive result that athletes and martial artists strive for, has many different false methods of attainment that it would, in this author’s humble opinion, take up another whole article. So, to keep this article under control, we will keep to studying the correct ways of finding and attaining it.
There is a simple equation that will generate power one hundred percent of the time. That equation is power equals relaxation plus proper form plus speed. Yes, it’s just that simple, though if it is, why is it so elusive to so many people?
Movement while relaxed is attained through proper body mechanics and moving slowly. In Bak Fu Pai, students, whether they are beginners or advanced, all learn something new by doing it slowly and with conviction. Paying attention to proper form while repeating an exercise over and over will not only train the muscles as to the proper way to do something, but it will train the brain to know the correct way and expect it every time. Learning to expect proper movement with correct results must be taught early in any endeavor, and Bak Fu Pai sifu are trained to spot inconsistencies, and fallacies in movement according to each students needs and body type. As this is a very important aspect of any athlete or martial artists training, a practitioner must ultimately take responsibility and ownership of this very important faze of learning. As it’s not truly the Sifu, or coach, who can make a student or athlete perform properly, it’s the individual who is training’s responsibility to drive themselves and expect success, just as their brain will expect proper body movement with proper practice.
 So then when a person has correctly practiced a specific movement or sequence of movement repetitively, the body will move with ease and grace. This truly is an earmark of the generation of speed. Speed is generated by fluid motion with very little to no pauses in between micro changes in direction and technique. By teaching the brain to move properly, as previously discussed, the next level of development is fluidity of motion. If a boxer is able to put together combination of punches, he or she is much more apt to have a successful result of knock out or knock down as we have seen from the greats like Mohamed Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard. These gentlemen not only were able to put together strings of movement and punches, but were able to move effortlessly from one to another. People would marvel at their seemingly effortless power and their ability to maintain it over long periods of time. All of this was attained through proper training of the mind and body.
Chi Kung, or meditation with particular use of energy work, is a very good tool to use in the training of the mind/body training curriculum. The use of Chi Kung has been utilized by the practitioners of Bak Fu Pai for hundreds of years with the same result, speed and power. Several things happen when a person utilizes this awesome aspect of their training. The first is the ability to focus on a single task much more efficiently. In this TV generation, we have learned to change the channel on life, if you will, when we want to. Though it may seem like a good thing, the negative result is many projects in our lives become put off or delayed and often, just plain unfinished. Also being focused keeps us on track and disciplined in maintaining proper body movement, as previously stated. Second, a marvelous aspect of Chi Kung exercise is its ability to help the human body and mind to relax. Here is a very important aspect, as the mind and body relax together; they learn to “be” together. In other words, the mind and body move or sit as one. As previously stated, athletes learn to move with fluidity, but what they are not doing is thinking about what to do next, or having a dialogue with them selves. They have learned to put together their mind and body into one tool with the end result being the perfect golf swing or combination of punches. Where the Bak Fu Pai student has the distinct advantage lies in the use of Chi Kung to do this every time they decide to take a few minutes to “unplug”. Repetition is the mother of learning, so the saying goes, and when practicing Chi Kung regularly, the body learns to tie the mind and body into one tool or action. The human body begins to just move more efficiently as it takes less time think and react. Third, when a person is relaxed and focused mentally, a physical movement like throwing a punch becomes much, much more efficient. By calming the mind and relaxing the body, Chi Kung is one more tool to use to help the body use only the muscles needed to complete that physical movement.
Great athletes, martial artists, fighter jet pilots, and stock car drivers then really all share the same goal. That is to tie their mind and body into one focused, efficient human being. Power then, can be defined in a very broad scope of performance and life, when it comes to human beings and the performance of the mind and the body. So when we tie in relaxation, proper body mechanics, and speed into one focused point, we attain power. Power to make instant correct decisions, power to break a board, power to attain perfect form on a dance floor or on ice, and the power to live a happy and healthy life ultimately resides in all human beings. It’s up to each of us as to how we will achieve it.
Article reproduced with kind permission from Rizzo's Authentic White Tiger Kung Fu.
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