Nen; Ki and Chi

"Training gives us an outlet for suppressed energies created by stress and thus tones the spirit just as exercise tones the body."

-Arnold Schwarzenegger

"To truly understand the ancient martial martial ways of Okinawa you must stay here awhile. You must see and feel what is outside of the dojo in order to better know what is inside the dojo. You must know our history and our hearts."

-Shimabukuro Osensei

He can walk on something outside of himself, because of his control within himself.

I've spent a lot of time practicing the external arts; martial arts that channel energy outward. Over twenty years. I have only spent a quarter of my time as a martial artist for the last five to seven years practicing any internal, where you develop and manipulate the energy generated internally. I tend to then use that energy to channel it to augment my abilities externally. Hence my passion for Baguazhang.

By energy I am referring to kinetic energy; the same that occurs when molecules or atoms vibrate and become active. Chi, in my opinion, refers to when the molecules in your body are activated and how you use them within your system. Most do so for healing; an active cell composed of thousands of molecules, when vibrated is imparted to become more active and thus heals faster. Ki is similar, one stimulates the molecular physiology, but then impart it elsewhere. Chi in a sense is when a molecule just vibrates, and how it interacts with itself. Ki is when that same molecule vibrates, and then interacts with another molecule imparting and affecting that molecule. In that sense, Ki is external martial arts, whereas Chi is internal. I am very good at the former, but neither are mutually exclusive in any sense.

The best drill I can summarize the difference and interaction between the two is this; to increase one's energy I know of a silat drill. You extend your leg into a kicking position on a stationary object; one that 'resists'. I.e. you try to break it, and no matter how hard, it will not. Metal is the best form of such an object, but a tree works as well. From the extended position you 'push' off the target.

Once you can do so forcefully, you will find when executing the same strike it will become much more powerful than before the exercise. You are channeling internal energy to thrust off the target, but using external to impact the target with your energy output.

There's no way to actually measure this. I suppose you could hook yourself up to nodes, but what you exhibit would be much different than what I exhibit.

This is why in the argument of speed vs. power, I prioritize technique over both. Technique is what allows a proper punch to channel energy from the ground, and direct it through the body to be expressed outwardly. But the same technique can be expressed inwardly also.

Martial arts is often mistaken as purely destructive, but it can also be restorative. It depends on how you channel the force; do you do so inwardly such as in Taijiquan, or do you outwardly such as with Tae Kwon Do or Karate, or Kempo.

How you choose to cause energy to interact with yourself and others will determine who you are as a martial artist.

This is a rather esoteric conversation. But let me demonstrate in the video below. I can extinguish a flame by blowing on it; creating a forceful wind with my mouth. Or, I can use a proper technique with a punch that channels the internal energy my body generates, and expresses it in a direct line to and through the target.

Some people extinguish a flame by using the sleeves of their shirt. Not unlike a magician. There are many tricks. It is like the one inch punch- it can be a party trick or a very real and practical technique. It all depends on what technique/move you use, and whether it is combat effective. A magicians trick to extinguish a flame is not practical in a fight, whereas what I do here is very practical. At :018 you can even see the smoke from the extinguished flame and its gasses be pushed in the direction I punched from. I can do the same thing with water when in a pool.

It's weird, and complicated, but as a martial artist worth it.

"Soft as cotton on the inside, hard as steel on the outside."

-Taiji quote.