In the internal styles you stay relaxed and fluid and only tense up as you are striking. You also stay mentally calm and unaffected so your mind is clear. In the external styles you are more tense (though of course not rigid) throughout the sparring and use anger to give you energy. (These are generalities, of course). What is your approach in this regard?
pugpaws2
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Great question!!!
Hard styles are very misunderstood arts. your comments about hard styles is typical of the idea many have of hard styles. Tension is not supposed to be used until the last instant of movement. As soon as the strike transfers power the the striking hand should instantly relax. I teach it as if a firecracker went off at the instant of contact. The tension would be gone right after the explosion/transfer of power. We train on the Makiwara to learn this. After learning proper striking on the Maki, we add this. for instance we might punch the maki then allow the fist to totally relax as soon as the strike is delivered.
Anger...? Has, or should have, nothing to do with fighting. If you let anger control your actions, you will not do them correctly. Those that have not learned this yet are reckless fighters that win or lose as much by luck as by their skills. Those that have mastered both their physical skills and their mental control of their emotions are the best at what they do. Many try to fake being in control, but those in the know easily see through it.
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Soros
Hi Bob, do you know your generalities about external or hard styles are way off. Tension is only used at the last second of impact in both hard and soft styles. Staying relaxed and calm is a tenet of all martial systems. I don't know who gave you the wrong idea that hard styles use anger to give energy. Anger is always detrimental and will ruin your awareness and your focus. Its true that hard styles first use muscle for techniques thus appearing strained at times where soft styles appear to be more relaxed using momentum and fluid transitions. Both need a root and so both need rigidity to create a root though each style appears to approach rooting differently. You might find that some of the drills for balance are the same in hard and soft styles. There can be no hard without soft and there can be no soft without hard. Both are present in all martial systems although appearances can be deceiving.
In karate I have been taught to be calm, to move fast and relaxed. To hit hard as a rock and yet to be as flexible as a reed.
Stepping
I have trained in both an internal and a external style for years and I can say without a doubt what you wrote here about external styles is incorrect (be a generality or not). External styles don't use anger to give you energy. Thats nonsense. Every style or method uses rigidity at times to strengthen or provide a base for movement/techniques. In both Internal and external styles you stay relaxed, focused, and only tense during the impact of a strike. A clear and calm mind is necessary in all martial arts and even in sports. Youre only showing prejudice towards other styles with this question.
?
I think you might even be being a little too general! In my style there is a very strong emphasis on what we call relaxed tense. You use the relaxed state for the speed then tense just before the strike impacts. I have also seen on the ultimate fighter tv show (season Gsp vs Koscheck), they bring a world class boxing coach in who explains the same thing.
In reference to your call on the mental side, clear is always best.
These are the approaches i use.
jwbulldogs
It doesn't matte if it is an internal or external style you are supposed to be relaxed. The only tense moment if there is one is only at the point of contact of the strike. We never teach students to be rigid or to use any emotions to give you energy.