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Whenever you begin a new undertaking you may often ask yourself, “Where do I start?” At first, the task may seem daunting and you may be tempted to give it up before the real fun of attaining skill has been realized. Self-doubt is the nagging enemy of every new beginner – no matter the activity. So, how do we effectively set ourselves onto the path of discovery with full confidence and the mindset to persevere? It’s easy: just relax
The art of Wing Chun brings an individual into a fast realization of their inherent power and creative ability by first teaching them the principle of Relaxation. It is your ability to dynamically and properly relax that releases your body’s natural abilities and frees your mind from the shackles of rigidity. By fully expressing this principle you will find the resources to fuel your ability to completely protect yourself, as well as perform well in every aspect of your life. Now, what exactly does relaxation have to do with the self-protection environment?
When you find yourself in a threatening situation, your first thought is probably not to relax, but it should be. The principle of relaxation makes you able to fully protect yourself for many reasons. One reason is that when you are relaxed you reduce the risk of being hurt when your opponent strikes you or wrenches your joints. When you match force against force you accept the full force of the blow or joint wrenching movement. But when you relax, the part of the body that is struck or being manipulated can move with the blows and the wrenching movements without accepting your opponent’s full force. Imagine dropping a large stone into a pool of water. The water just moves out of the way and then surrounds the rock. But if the water is frozen, the ice will crack and shatter. Similarly, if you are tense when your opponent strikes you or tries to wrench your limbs, the force will do much more damage to your body than if you were relaxed.
Perhaps the most important reason you should practice relaxation is that it will help you develop explosive, deadly power. An equation taken from Newton’s Second Law of Thermodynamics states that Mass times Acceleration equals Power. So, to increase your power you must increase both your body’s available mass and speed, with an eye toward developing the ability to utilize every ounce of available mass behind each movement and move with maximum explosive acceleration. But how do you gain the ability to do this?
Have you ever tried to pick up a sleeping baby? If you have, you know the baby seemed heavier than when it was awake. This is because the baby was relaxed and all of its body mass was settled. Similarly, when you relax, your muscles seem to have more mass because they are being allowed to make each movement with every cell of muscle tissue settled and available. When you tense your arm during a movement you artificially support the tissue and disallow its most efficient operation.
Relaxation also increases your power by increasing your speed. When your muscles are tense they pull against each other and hold each other back. Fighting with tension in your muscles is like driving a car with one foot on the accelerator and one foot on the brake. Tension in your muscles slows your attack and retards the power. But when your muscles are relaxed your movements will have much greater speed, and therefore much greater power.
Relaxation creates an environment for the muscles in your body to operate in their most efficient manner. Your muscle tissue will be settled and will smoothly transfer the increased mass to the target. The muscle fibers will be able to accelerate each movement without hesitation, making you move at maximum speed. The two together – mass and speed – when utilized in an attacking movement such as a punch, creates a powerful momentum that then translates to the target in the form of a devastating kinetic energy powerful enough to stop any attacker.
Beyond even the physical benefits that proper relaxation grants you are the even more important mental powers that will be realized through this practice. When your mind is calmed and alert through conscious relaxation you will find that your awareness is significantly expanded, your ability to process sensory information will become quicker, and your decisions will become more powerful and fluid – without the mental hesitation often experienced.
To help you relax when you find yourself in a confrontation, take a deep breath. This will help you relax both physically and mentally. This is a tactic used by public speakers, professional athletes, and even soldiers. When you take a deep breath you send your brain more oxygen and you are able to think more clearly. Increased oxygen also alleviates the feeling of panic and stimulates the flow of adrenaline. Taking a deep breath will help you to relax your muscles so you can move with greater power. In a fight, you will do the same things you do when you practice, so get in the habit of relaxing in a confrontation by relaxing during your practice time.
When your ability to relax has become intrinsic you will have found the key that Wing Chun has given you to unlock your power and give you full freedom of expression. You will find that your mind is not easily disturbed, and will experience situations that used to be crises as now only challenges that are easily surmounted.
About Ron Heimberger
Master Ron Heimberger was a direct disciple of Grandmaster Ip Ching, the youngest son of the famous Grandmaster Ip Man. Sadly, he passed away in 2008. He had been a Director of The Ip Ching Wing Chun Athletic Association in the USA, and Director of the Wing Chun Kung Fu Council. He has left a Wing Chun Kung Fu legacy in his written works, and through his students within the United States, South America, Europe, and the Middle East.
If you are interested in exploring the role of relaxation further, why not check out our article "The relaxation vs structure dilemma and the use of gravity in Wing Chun" here: Link
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