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Old 11-16-2009, 05:51 PM   #257
Toby Threadgill
Location: Evergreen, Colorado
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 166
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Re: Internal Power Development Methods

Quote:
Robert Roeser wrote: View Post
Why does teaching something called invisible jujitsu make it internal or signify internal power? I've randori'd with Judo and BJJ guys and I can't tell the difference between the two, and none of it feels internally powered.
Robert,

Have you randori'd with any of the very best BJJ guys? If you have rolled with someone like Carlos Machado or Rickson Gracie, have you asked him how he does what he does? Have you asked him to explain in his own terminology exactly what he's doing and then observed how he teaches it? If not, I'd keep an open mind and consider the opinions of those who have. The problem with defining "internal power" in a BJJ guy is that the context, terminology and manifestation are so different that you need to do some serious translation work to see the connections. At first I was stumped, but then I started to see connections I already understood. I just hadn't translated them into the newaza environment in my head.

FWIW....Others with similar experiences to mine have come to similar conclusions.

Quote:
Robert Roeser wrote: View Post
Isn't internal power/ki cultivation separate from martial arts? Traditional dance, and calligraphy uses these skills. If one looked you'd find other examples. People do Qi gongs for health.
Yes. So what's your point? If these skills can be utilized in calligraphy why would they not be found in BJJ? Keep in mind that I'm not saying BJJ depends on the inclusion of internal skills like aikido does, but that in my experience it is present in varying degrees and manners among the higher level BJJ guys. I'm convinced you can be a damn good BBJ guy without internal skills but it appears the best practitioners, especially those beyond their youth are embracing principles and skills associated with IT.

Quote:
Robert Roeser wrote: View Post
I don't see why everything at the 'highest level' now is automatically internal? You can suck and still move internally.
Absolutely. And you can be frighteningly effective and have virtually no internal skills. I used to train in Muay Thai with guys that had minimal if any internal skills and they could knock my friggin head into orbit. They were also blindingly fast. Does anyone here think Fedor Emelianenko is doing internal training? Would it matter..LOL?

I keep saying this. Internal skills are only one among many that can be used in a cohesive manner to create a well rounded and successful budoka. Internal skills are not necessarily required for someone to be an impressive and formidable martial artist unless the art you pursue technically depends on their inclusion. That's why this topic is so important to aikidoka. Aikido demands a certain level of it, as does TSYR.

I hope that clarifies things.

Toby Threadgill / TSYR

Last edited by Toby Threadgill : 11-16-2009 at 06:02 PM.
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