There is an everlasting battle between so
called “internal” and “external” fighting styles. On one side we have styles
defined as “internal” which put their emphasis on neigong training , spending
much if not all of their training developing a kind of internal energy which gives
a practitioner superior fighting abilities . On the other side ,”external”
style spend much of their training in developing physical attributes for
fighting like strength ,speed , reflexes, ability to take a punch … Both groups
consider them self as superior and both have their reasons for that , whether
they are true or not .
Internal styles consider them self as more
sophisticated, more advanced, more developed, sometimes even more intellectual.
Often they back up their claims with history records where some famous ancestor
had tremendous fighting abilities ( although this is true for all Chinese
martial styles) . As a rule, these styles have very detailed and precise
theoretical basis (sometimes maybe overdeveloped and too complicated) on which
they build their techniques, training, and fighting approach.
Again, as a rule internal styles as a major
part of their practice have cultivation of internal energy for health reasons and
prolonging life. Sometimes complete practice is dedicated to this goal without martial
elements.
External styles consider them self as a
superior fighting systems and they base their claims in fact that only external
styles participate in full contact competitions and only external styles are
proved as combat efficient in real , full contact conditions. And, in most
cases, they are right about that .
The question is , what group of martial
arts is better, internal or external? Or , is there really an internal\external
dichotomy and where is its root?
I wrote before about historical root of
internal vs external divide. “Internal”, “soft”,”
Taoist” ,Wudang and “external”, ”hard”,
“Buddhist” Shaolin systems. This classification first time was used (and
invented) at Gou Shu academy by Sun Lu Tang , Li Cun Yi and their close friends
in the early 1920’s. Being practitioners of Ba Gua, Tai Chi and Xing I (main
representatives of “internal” styles) leading people of the Gou Shu academy
including Sun Lu Tang and Lu Cu Yi , for purely marketing purposes separated
their arts from all others by declaring them “wudang internal stylys” while all
the rest fell into category of external or Saholin styles . This classification
took deep roots and very soon led to a constant duels between shaolin and wudang
styles which became very serious in the beginning of 1930”s.
Today , the real problem , more on the West
than it is the case on the East ,comes from misunderstanding of weigong and
neigong training. There is actually no external\internal dichotomy . Yes ,
external training is what most people think it is , developing physical attributes
for fighting . On the other hand , internal training is largely misunderstood
,sometimes to the point that people think this kind of practice will give them
some superhuman abilities. Simply, purpose of internal training is to increase
body efficiency, efficiency of movement , speed, power …but , if there is
nothing to increase , internal training without external is for the most part
useless. Internal training, and if you want ’internal” skills are natural
evolutionary step of external practice , without external , internal has no
sense , like having a sniper rifle and bullet but without gun powder , and practicing
shooting with that weapon.
In every martial style , after a
significant time of training, practice will be slowly transformed and moved to
the area of internal .Of course this is the case if we understand internal as a
biomechanical efficiency and not some mystical , unexplainable force which
creates superhumans .
The truth is , and I have to be blunt here
, some people hate physical engagement of any kind . They don’t like to work
hard , they are afraid of pain but they want to practice martial arts ad to
feel some achievement ,therefore they will believe in ”internal” energies which
will some day transform them in tremendous fighters ,or even warriors( seems
this term is very popular among martial artists , especially among ones who
never experienced war).
On the other hand, there are people who
only believe in external training methods and they do not want and often cannot
understand internal training.
As
we can see , external and internal not only that can coexist but actually
naturally follow one another and together push martial skills on the highest
level. Separated , they can be limiting factor in training and mislead a
practitioner to a completely wrong practice path