Chu-Chulain, Elfan, I probably did not make myself clear when stating what I did. IÂ’m hearkening back to old days when Tai Chi Speed simply meant slow. I am sorry for not being clearer. But, by the same token, it doesnÂ’t hurt to do your techniques the same as you would Tai Chi Chuan, that would be the same as slow and flowing.
I didnÂ’t, at any time, advocate that you only do your techniques slowly. As a matter of fact, the whole idea, in my mind, and as I train, is to do techniques slowly with fluidity and very little external power, followed by slowly with fluidity and external power, and finally at speed with power.
Not being a follower of all the latest training fads, I simply do what works for me. A combination of all of the above adds a bit of the Yin and Yang and selective fun to the old training schedule.
Chu-Chulain … There is, in my mind, a point to doing motions which are similar to the motions we do to perform a technique. Muscle memory, no matter how you define it, is an important aspect of being able to function “quickly”. Ed Parker saw this when he used to talk about how punching was simply an extension, if you will, of reaching in front of you for something. A Parry could be very similar to reaching up and running your fingers through the hair on the side of your head, etc. It stands to reason that “teaching” your muscles and muscle groups similar motions could not hurt. Even at speed and with strength.
I do, however, think that slow motion, in the beginning, is as important, if not more important than fast motion. Again, my opinion only, we are teaching the muscles motion with that type of exercise. Not speed, not power … that can all be added with extra exercises and the type of training that Chu-Chulain is talking about and by simply doing “at speed with power” techniques. I simply think back to things that are natural… For instance, we, as babies, did not start off running. We had to teach our bodies and minds the motions and efforts and Physical Alignments needed to create a controlled falling condition, that would be walking, followed by running … LOL!
When I teach stance acquisition, I do it, in the beginning, slowly, and with deliberation, that way the student gets to feel all the muscular and synaptic connections that must be made to successfully acquire a neutral bow, hard bow, kneel stance, etc. I have found over the years that if you go at it fast and hard in the beginning, you will have to stop somewhere along the way and correct for bad habits acquired early on.
And not to sound stuffy, or anything like that, but I approach Kenpo more from the traditional Chinese methodology than many others. I have a relatively deep perspective from Shaolin Training of many years ago.
I work with Physical Alignments (thanks to you know who! :lol: ) and body training for the maximum application of power that is both external and internal. Before anyone gets heated up Â… IÂ’m not saying that anyone elseÂ’s approach is wrong, and I am not asking anyone to believe in something that they have not felt or experienced (Chi). It is simply my approach based on my early training and years of experience. There are, in my estimation, more types of power in the human paradigm than simply muscular application, but that is for a different series of posts. And, actually, whether there is or not for you, it doesnÂ’t hurt to train as if there might be! LOL! This is, after all, a lifetime journey, and one, in which, I want to explore all the possibilities.
Going fast at the expense of slowness and learning, may be betterÂ… It is, as elfan said, controversial. I simply, personally, do not see it as a useful adjunct to teaching something that should be a lifelong skill. Beside that, it is just fun sometimes to slow down and at least see the roses! :lol:
When I think speed I think doing each individual move quickly. Not necessarily decreasing the time we take to choose what we are going to do. I think people who don't take any time (I mean fraction of a second) to choose are the ones who look like a crazy flopping fish.
Exactly Â… Ripping quickly through techniques does not give you the opportunity, or the option to change, or more than superficially, control your desired outcomes.
Intelligent application of speed and power, combined with observation and determination is the way to go, in my opinion. It is much like the old famous gunfighters like Bat MastersonÂ… He said that he wasnÂ’t the fastest, but he was among the successful ones who realized that accuracy and choice was better than speed alone. Although, it is important, in my mind to have both. Extreme speed is, again my opinion only, a tertiary requirement.
Simply take my comments for what they are ... Comments based on opinion and the paradigm of my experience. That is, after all, the total of the knowledge that I have to draw on. Individual results may vary.
Dan
. Any help or direction would be appreciated. 
