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Internal / External What's the
Difference?
Though there are many schools of thoughts on what makes a martial
arts system internal or external, I believe that there are a few key
points that divide them. I have heard such things that one who
practices internal arts will know the external, but those who
practice external will not know internal. I do not believe this is
so. After over 25 years of study I have seen many pure internalists
and externalists, neither would be sufficient at the other.
In the Chinese arts internal usually refers to arts that are
"internal" to China, arts that were developed in China, and
"external arts" are arts that were developed outside of China and
brought in by foreigners.
The large majority of Chinese external styles turn internal in their
higher levels, but this is not true for internal styles, they are
just internal. Tai chi would be the perfect example of a style that
is just internal and Hung gar would be the perfect example of an
external system that turns internal at its upper levels. Fu Jow Pai
would be the best example for an external style that stays external.
Many claim that body alignment, rooting, and the use of "body
energy" is what makes a system internal, this certainly could not be
true. Many systems use correct body alignment, such as Shorin Ryu,
the waist, legs, and arms all work together to create alignment.
Body energy, ki, chi, or whatever you prefer to call it is in many
external systems as well. Styles such as Choy Li Fut and many others
use this energy in their art. Xing Yi on the other hand would be a
perfect example of an internal system that appears external in
movements.
Even styles that are supposed to be internal are not. I have seen
many styles of Bagua that I certainly would not classify as
internal; walking in a circle does not make something internal.
Now to the key points I strongly believe divide the external from
the internal.
1) Energy: both internal and external use the natural energy created
by nature (chi, ki, qi) but the true internal styles use soft,
relaxed energy, and external uses a more direct energy force. When
seeing a true internal stylist use their art you will never see
force or strength, rather through yielding and redirecting, their
energy seems soft and evasive. An external stylist will use both
direct and indirect energies, sometimes vary obvious to the observer
and sometimes not.
2) Intent: external stylists intent can be strong and opposing. This
is seen in many tiger styles of gung fu. Facial expression and body
language can be very obvious in nature and their intent can be seen
clearly. Internal stylists intent is hidden and only known to them,
they will always appear the same in attitude whether they practice
Tai Chi, Xing Yi, or Pa Kua. The art is always blending and
changing, there are no set forms, only foundations.
3) Body and Breath Use:
In external systems the body can use muscle force, and often does.
The use of "external" strength is quite apparent, and the breath is
often forced during movements. The techniques are often generated
from muscle. Internal systems used relaxed movements in there
techniques, not sloppy or weak, but relaxed and using the whole self
to begin and end a move. The moves are generated from the mind and
require the whole body to perform, for example a punch is generated
from the intent and grows from the ground through the body, and ends
the same. The feet, legs, hips, shoulders and so on, work separately
yet together to create the desired outcome.
Jay C Shrewsbury
Oberlin, OH
martialarts@oberlin.net |
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