HOW DOES EXTERNAL FORCE BECOME INTERNAL?
Even without internal methods, a karate exponent can build some internal force from routinely punching into air. Do you know why?
Question
How does a Choy Li Fatt master's external force become internal? Is it therefore possible for modern external martial artists (i.e Boxers, Kickboxers) to develop internal force at some stage?
-- Ish
Answer
When a master practices an external force training method long enough, the force will naturally become internal, though the method remains external.
For example, punching a sand-bag is an external method. It will develop muscular strength. But if you continuously punch a sand-bag over a long period of time, when your knuckles have develop callous to prevent you feeling any pain on contact, and your muscular strength sends the sand-bag flying away readily, the repeated movements of your arms will generate energy flow that develops into internal force.
Actually, although the techniques may be different, the principles in internal force training are similar. The difference is that internal practitioners do not have an obstacle (like a sand-bag) to block their physical movements, and do not tense their muscles to block their energy flow in repeated actions.
I remember years ago I read about Karate masters saying that students could develop more force punching into the air than onto a sand-bag. I guessed the Karate masters did not know the underlying reasons, though I knew they were correct.
I also did not know the reasons then. It was only years later that I discovered the secret while teaching chi kung. And I applied the secret successfully to kungfu teaching, with the result that our students could develop internal force in days when it normally took other people months or years.
Yes, external martial artists, like Boxers and Kick-Boxers, can develop internal force if they practice their external methods for a long time. In fact some advanced external martial artists have internal force in this way, though they may not realize it. A tell-tale sign is that these advanced external martial artists are relaxed. If they tense their muscles, they will block their chi flow and negate their internal force.
-- Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit
An essential aspect of internal force traioing is chi flow
The above is reproduced from the thread 20 Questions for Grandmaster: Choy-Li-Fatt and Kungfu against Other Styles in the Shaolin Wahnam Discussion Forum.
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