Saturday, February 01, 2014

The Science Behind Relaxing the Contact Point

Something that I have been taught, have read, and even experienced for myself is that if I relax at the contact point when my opponent uses force, he will temporarily fall into emptiness, feel like he is floating and thus lose his balance for that short while. So far, I have only been told to practise like this, because this was how my teacher has been practising. He was teaching me as he learnt it.

In my scientific mind, so used to the principles of modern science, I have been trying to figure it out in terms of physics. And I have not been able to figure out anything even close as to the reason why. If I move away from the contact point, and my opponent follows, he will eventually move his centre of gravity beyond his base and thus lose his balance. That I can understand.

Yet in all that I have been taught about relaxing at the contact point, it is not about moving away. It is simply that, relaxing at the specific point in time and space. The opponent's centre of gravity is still well within his base. So what causes him to actually feel like he is floating? What is the physics behind all that?

Do I keep seeking the science behind this, or do I just take it in good faith and practise as my teacher teaches?

3 comments:

webmaster said...

Hey, is that what your learned : Cai ?
checkout that video about it : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj-cFyEVg7Q
Like it? he got awsome videos.

Where to do pushing hand in singapore, I'm new here and I'd like to practise again pushing hand.
thks

Teck said...

You can join Mr Kwek's pushing hands classes.

Every Thursday, 8:30pm-10pm at Kreta Ayer CC (near Chinatown MRT)

Every Sunday, 6pm-7:30pm at Tampines Changkat CC

webmaster said...

Great, thank you.