Although the Hollywood fairytale usually depicts a small or physically inferior individual thoroughly trouncing the proverbial 200 pound bully via “secret techniques,” the truth is that successful self defense, and indeed vitality, require the cultivation of functional strength.
The subject of resistance training can be controversial among the different schools of martial arts, with claims that lifting weights or building muscle makes you slow or blocks Qi, etc.
But if we look closely at serious practitioners of any martial art, we find in both the pedagogy of their style as well as in their personal practices exercises that build physical power ideal to the demands of that martial art.
As KunTao Silat draws upon the Shaolin and Internal methodologies of China as well as the practical fighting wisdom of Indonesian Silat, a wide array of exercises are included in our system.
A KunTao Silat player is not trying to be a body builder or strongman; rather we seek the ability to generate sudden explosive force while maintaining stability and great mobility. These require a combination of isometric and plyometric conditioning alongside isotonic movement which builds and coordinates the kinetic chains of the body.
Stancework builds the foundation. Holding postures for time builds isometric strength and muscular endurance. Moving posture to posture adds flexibility and cardiovascular endurance to the equation. For Malabar practitioners, the Horse/Tiger stance is the King. Ideally a Malabar player should be able to hold their Horse Stance for at least 5 minutes while maintaining good alignment so as not to put undue strain upon their joints and connective tissues. Some styles advocate holding Horse Stance for 30 minutes or more, but only attempt this if you do not have a history of knee or back injury and you are able to maintain correct alignment!
American players should focus more on Sleeping Horse, which is the Root practice for our Internal Power. As Pak Steve has said many times, try to build up to 30 minutes of Sleeping Horse during Fire Palm Meditation. Whichever branch of KunTao Silat you practice, make stancework part of your Daily Constant Practice. It isn’t practical for most modern people to set aside half an hour or more every day just for stances, but everyone should be able to get in at least 5, with one or two days a week set aside especially for longer stance practice. And if you work your stances into daily activities like laundry, vacuuming, etc, you will build your muscle memory with surprising speed. Once you begin training the forms, the stance work will be included and expanded upon organically. In my in-person classes, students of all rank do 5 minutes of Sleeping Horse Fire Palm meditation at the beginning of class, followed by 10 minutes holding and transitioning among the other stances to build their foundation.
Leaping and jumping are plyometric motions that build explosive power and contribute to the player’s cardiovascular conditioning. Although Malabar has far more leaping than American, the dynamic entry seen in the Kun Lun Pai greeting still involves explosive force whether done as a leap or as an earth bound hip hinge.
From the Shaolin traditions dynamic tension exercises pit the muscles on either side of a joint against one another through a complete range of motion, as seen in the slow tension Tiger Strikes of Pai Yun. This allows for a proportional development of the muscles and tendons. The intense concentration required to build that kind of strain also requires the brain and the muscles to develop a stronger relationship via the nerves, so we become more efficient at recruiting the individual fibers of our existing muscles. Don’t forget that any of the Djurus can be done with dynamic tension! It is an invaluable tool that you can take anywhere. I drive my wife and friends crazy on road trips when I begin practicing dynamic tension and isometric exercises in the car to keep my blood flowing.
From the Internal Arts we find the principle of stretching the connective tissue of the body open like a drumskin and moving the total mass of the body in each movement. The bellows like pulsing of Fire Palm meditation is a means by which to discover and develop true whole body connective power. Once this is understood, Wave Walking, Lifting and Dropping, and the other fundamentals from Chang Style teach us about the use of hip hinging, rotation, and gravity to generate incredible force with minimum effort.
There are also many supplemental exercises that contribute to the strength and conditioning of the KunTao Silat player. Tossing and catching Iron Palm bags (start with Mung Beans!) builds the grip. Knuckle and finger pushups build strength, endurance, and power. Grandmaster Bill Chang once told Pak Steve, “Stephen! Americans lift heavy. Chinese CARRY heavy!” Incorporate weighted carries into your training (think the water bucket scene from The 36th Chamber of Shaolin). Everything from kettlebells to your training partners can become objects to hold as you traverse a distance.
Just remember with any kind of resistance training that sufficient rest and recovery must follow each session. While isometric and dynamic tension practices are theoretically safe to practice daily, listen to your body and don’t try to rush results. Consistency is the key! Also, try to spend at least as much time on your flexibility as you do on your power so as not to create a stiff body (Yet another reason stancework is invaluable: you get both at the same time!). Try to have one day a week where you rest your body and only do gentle Qigong.
With these principles in mind we can develop the body not only in preparation for self-defense, but so that we can enjoy a vibrant and healthy Martial Lifestyle!
Dr. Jon
Maintain Knee-Toe alignment, tuck tailbone same as Sleeping Horse
Pai Yun builds whole body power by incorporating dynamic leaps from low postures.
Supplementing your martial arts with bodyweight exercise is a holistic way to build power, especially if you incorporate Qigong breathing and alignment principles.
Daily Constant Training, even on vacation!
Practice in different environments and on uneven surfaces.
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Ethan,
Thank you for your reply!
Daily constant training is what really makes a martial art functional, in that it gives us the opportunity to inculcate the postures and gross motor movements into our unconscious physical vocabulary AKA getting the reps in. Since most of us aren’t professional fighters or monks on the mountain with hours to spend on training daily, we must have a practical way to get our practice in.
Happy training!
Thank you for this article Dr. Jon. As someone that has trained MA for years with much time being spent just in maintenance and not on progress per se the ability to work some training into your daily activities is a good plan.