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Old 01-21-2013, 06:33 AM   #6
Kevin Leavitt
 
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Dojo: Team Combat USA
Location: Olympia, Washington
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,376
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Re: "Internal" and "External"

I never really got the distinction. For example, I was always told Karate was external and Aikido was internal. However, in 20 years of training no one has been able to definitively show me examples of internal and external. Of course, I understand that there are better ways to move than others. That is, I can try and rip my wrist out of someone's grip and I might be successful for any number of reasons based on strength, timing, etc. Then again, maybe not. I can use what is referred to as "internal" where I use various thing that cause me to not trigger proprioceptions, use a more efficient part of my body for strength (center) etc.

However, is it internal or external? for me it is simply using different structures, mechanics, physics etc. sure for simplicity we call it internal so we all know what we are talking about right? lol!

I think it would be best to call it what it is training and then focus on the physical structures of what we are trying to isolate, train, and use. If it is an exercise designed to help you use your fascia, psoas, etc..then that is what it is...an exercise to do that. Is it internal or external??? not sure if you can clearly and with any degree of accuracy say that.

I think we can say that some people have trained better and we can even demonstrate and show how they are using various structures and mechanics that allow for greater power. however, for me to arbitrarily throw it into a category of "I" or "E" is oversimplistic and I fail to see where it has benefited anyone.

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