Psyphon's college paper on martial arts

Okay so here's the post I promised herointraining. This is an exerpt from a final paper I'm writing for a college final in an Asian culture class. The terminology is a bit odd (keep in mind ....college paper) so bear with it if you have the stamina for the read. I only put the first page of the first of two segments in here. The second section (I haven't started writing it yet) will be about psychological variables and control. This first segment is quite obviously geared toward higher understanding of basic terminologies, principles, and concepts universal to martial arts. Hope everyone likes it, and I hope even more that it can help someone in some way. If I get any interest I'll post the entire paper when it's done.

Enjoy,

Fundamental Principals of Martial Arts

There are many important concepts that span all known martial arts. In this paper I'll be outlining what I think are the most universal of those concepts. These concepts can be broken into tiers of relevance.

Tier 3
Circular and Linear Motion
This refers to the preferred pattern of motion of a technique or style. Many styles use a combination of both types of movements, favoring one very heavily over the other. Though finding an art that uses both motions at an exactly equivalent amount is near impossible, it's just a difficult to find a style that uses only one movement type but has absolutely no reliance on the other. Linear motions tend to generate faster successive actions from point of fire to point of completion, and have a tendency to alter depth perception. They also build upon an aligned skeletal frame to generate power and stability. Circular movements use momentum along with whipping effects, both gained through greater distance traveled, to generate power. Circular motion instills a sense of uncertainty and randomness to viewers and makes reaction prediction difficult.

Internal and External Focus
The place where a persons control over the balance subject they choose to alter or retain originates and ends can be described as either internal or external. There are arguments and discussions about this subject and what exactly it entails, and whether certain aspects of it even exist. For ease of description, and to appease all arguments, these focus's can be described as exactly what they are named. Internal focus originates inside one's body and ends inside one's body, while external focus begins and ends outside one's body. Both will be used in different amounts in every movement that is made in every style of martial art.

Nervous and Skeletal Mechanics
Nervous mechanics in martial arts refers to the intentional stimulation of specified nerve pathways, nerve bundles, or the cerebrum in oneself, or one's opponent, to cause a desired effect. This does not exclusively pertain to nerve strikes. A knockout blow to the head is primarily a nervous response triggered by a few very minor skeletal reactions, and is therefore a matter of nervous mechanics. Skeletal mechanics is the manipulation of the muscles, joints, and bones through natural, unnatural, and trained motions and conditioning. Both of these mechanics, used in tandem or individually, are basic framework for human locomotion and consciousness, and should be studied and practiced regularly to maintain their faculty.

Tier 2
Soft and Hard Energy
These terms refer to how much energy, and where that energy comes from, any given technique or style generates. The energy can come from one or all of three sources; you, your opponent, or gravity. Hard energy is generated through direct exertion of the user, and most often, opposition to other energies. Soft energy is generated through guidance and usually redirection of opposing or existing energies. Both types can be used to accomplish similar, or even identical, results through different applications, and can be used simultaneously to varying degrees. Generally speaking the combatant who uses a greater amount of either one, or even the combined value of both types of energy, is the combatant who gains superior control of the absolute balance of an interaction. Therefore a hard attack can be met by a hard or soft defense, of equal intensity, negating the attack with equal success, or met with either defense, with greater intensity, causing a disruption of absolute balance directed at the attacker. This concept can be applied to all forms of attack and defense.

Tier 1
Balance
Balance is the paramount concept that rules all aspects of every martial art. Balance does not, however refer only to one's ability to stand upright. To understand balance is to understand how to utilize all of the above discussed concepts within this paper in conjunction with each other to varying degrees determined by the necessity of the situation. The ultimate goal is to control all aspects of you, your opponent, and your environment by maintaining or disrupting the absolute balance of everything in your vicinity to create a desired effect.

This segment goes on to elaborate on each of the points from each tier in much greater depth. I've only made it through about the first 2.5 points so far.
Please be kind.

P.S. the nervous and skeletal mechanics section will also discuss glandular and neuro-chemical response.

Edited for more commas per Flora for your reading enjoyment

Another ultimate goal is to work in harmony with the environment
and
all of it's variables
to create the desired affect, ne c'pas?

THis is very good.

I'd give it an "A" even though it needs more commas
In My Humble Opinion

I'll add more commas on the final paper thanks

I was planning on adding things about harmony and even a brief plug for the environment in the subsection about balance in reference to "absolute balance" ....... now you spoiled the ending for everyone
hehehe

Thanks for the feedback Flora

I spoiled!!?!?

aw! I'm sorry!!!




Another descrition of "harmony"
is "redirection".

Or things like:
* if there is a fire, put opponant in fire.
* if there is a lake, put opponant in lake.
* if there is trash, put opponant in trash

... you know, "environment".

Well it could be argued that to put a piece of "trash" into the trash is just another form of finding absolute balance. It is going where it (or they) belongs to settle into it's natural state.