One of the first movements of the form may be applied as an elbow strike.
In the form, the preparation move is followed by the right elbow going up and out to the back. A simple move, but there is a lot to learn from it.
Here is our #MartialMonday guide to elbow striking – and of course our application video!
Practising the elbow strike
How to practice the application – in small steps:
- Try it slowly first, paying attention to spiraling and coordination.
- After some – but not endless 😉 – repetitions, we speed up our movement.
- To develop speed, all excess movement has to be eliminated. – Your intention has to be clear.
That is easy to say, but: How do I do that?
Forgetting the elbow and growing into the shape
The multi-level process of moving arms and legs in place now needs to be replaced. This means your task is reduced to activating the fingers and growing into the desired shape.
Ideally, your body (and your brain) have already memorized this 3D-shape, as it is the same as the posture in the form. The same goes for your spirals – they should be internalised by now. If not, or not sufficiently, you may care to revise them later.
But for now:
You go back into preparation – your body is nice and fluffy – and then back into the shape: bam! And again: Preparation – shape – preparation – shape – preparation – shape – …
Focusing and single-minded intention
After some repetitions, it will get worse. Because now, prepare for the hard part: To move as one, you have to give up thinking about anything else. You do not want to hit, you do not want to create an effect, you do not want to impress somebody or be good at it. Just picture the shape before your inner eye and move.
If the pad is in the wrong place, you will miss it. If the pad is behind your shape, you will stop before, looking stupid. But if something is in the way between you and your shape, it will have to go. It will not matter, which part of your body hits.
Remember to grow your shape against the ground – and your body will be ready to take any resulting impact.
Have fun practising!
