When beginning any style of kung fu training you learn a lot of fixed sets of moves that are essentially rope learned. If your opponent attacks your counter, they follow up you respond etc. However at the risk of sounding obvious all your kung fu training should start at the basic foundations of fitness.Increasing your skill and flexibility of using both hand and footwork will prove to be priceless. Many fighters recognise that economy of motion has a major effect on Speed.g good form and co- ordination.) Therefore constant mechanical drilling-constant practicing of even the most basic moves are essential.
The truth is, the exercises that will make you the best martial artist you can be are basic and repetitive and can be the most boring and most repetitive..did I say that it was repetitive..just to repeat again..its repetitive.You will have achieved your result. No doubt.After grinding through it you will come out the other end surprised on what you have achieved.
Now getting back to it economy of form and relaxing the muscles add to speed. One of the biggest lessons a beginner will learn in competition is to overcome the tendency to try too hard, to hurry, strain, press hard and go full out and try to win the fight all at once. As the fighter applies himself fully to the encounter- his mental demands exceed his physical capacities. The effort is to scattered and not focused on what they are trying to achieve. Overall tension and unnecessary muscle constrictions act as brakes reducing speed and dissipating energy. The body performs better when you just let it go rather than try to force the issue. I learned this first hand during my wing chun training.
Its reminds of the saying –when the sprinter is running as fast as he can, he should not feel as though he ought to be running faster. A well oiled machine operating at its best…
