Budd

I think people are getting hung up on the sumo video as if someone's saying that's an excellent use of internal strength. I don't know anyone that's saying that - but I will say it's interesting, beyond bracing how the smaller sumo dude is able to get heavy and change weight without a lot of movement (though not unusual in grapplers of a high level, either, master class bjj guys on the ground can feel like there's nothing there, or like they are as immovable as a mountain -- there's also some clips of a more recent judo guy showing the same kinds of things from judo grips).

Obviously LCD is showing a much higher level of skill (against a much less resisting opponent, I might add - which only is to say there's a difference in how these things look against progressive levels of resistance, sparring, fighting, etc. for example, look at Chen Bing's demo, still demo, against the muscley grappler in Florida). If I had to break it down in more detail, I'd say the sumo guy has a leg up on the guys he's working against in that he's better able to manipulate the solidity of ground, weight of gravity aspects (beyond just having good structure) that are really entry level things to IS.

LCD is obviously a different animal, he's demonstrating much more sophisticated management of ground/gravity, plus better whole body connection and the ability to issue power through that connected body as driven by the middle (and some other things as well).

I find it a bit annoying how ready everyone is to go to one extreme of "Yeah, I fully understand that, we do that, too" or to the other end of "Yeah, I totally get it and that is nothing at all like what I'm doing". I think we'd be better serviced if there was a bit more education and consensus around what some of the entry-points are into the spectrum of Internal Strength skills are and how different levels of conditioning, skill and sophistication play into training, demonstrations, competitions and combat -- without the conversation denigrating quickly into "I know more because I'm in the club" or "I know more IS because I can beat you up" or "My teacher said" or .... <insert trite-ism here>.

/OffSoapbox

For the record, Dan, you already know I agree with you that this stuff is different.

Chris, I think people have been telling you to for years to go feel somebody that is acknowledged as having some skill. So, yeah, I encourage you again to go do so.