Internal versus external

Today at the I Ho Chuan open training I had one on one where I worked with Sifu Hayes on Mlong Kwoon. It was such a good class. I got a lot of valuable knowledge and I am really excited to keep working on it. It was a lot of energy related stuff, which is personally a little difficult for me to grasp. But I feel like I got a little taste of it, and I really want more. 

We talked about external versus internal power. I am generating my power externally through my body, whereas I could be doing it entirely from my core. I usually feel some core engagement. But I was working with Sifu Hayes who was trying to get me feel more. And it was really tricky for me but I really want to keep practicing it more. 

Sifu Hayes demonstrated doing it like I was, with more external power, then showed me it with internal power instead. The internal version looked more tame at a first glance, but after looking it had so much more power. It really turned a lot of wheels in my head and I am excited to work on it more now. 

We also worked on a sort of slower release of power. Its related to the external versus internal power. But instead of generating some of my power from the added acceleration and snap and tightening of my muscles, I get all of it from the internal power from my core up to my limbs. 

Again, also related, we worked on my expansion of limbs. I tend to do my strikes too low and too close to my body. When I do it this way, it lacks the expansion of power from my core. We worked on me putting my techniques higher and further out then I was doing them before, and the difference felt so drastic. By extending, it forces me to take all the power from my core. I can't rely on just my arms. It was really good and I am really excited to mess around with it more. 

And I guess thinking about these things, I've realize that its all things I've been told before. But tonight it was just in a different way that really resonated with me for some reason. I feel like everything just clicked. And it was really nice to get feedback in real time and be able to work on it together in person. I am very excited to do more.