In addition to CMA, I practice an eclectic approach to physical
culture that includes bits from yoga, dao yin, gymnastics, pilates,
and so on. Among my favorites is Olympic weightlifting:
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(My horse stance with 90kg/~198lbs overhead)
... and the best coach with whom I've trained is Diane Fu. She recently had an opportunity to chat with a coach from the (very, very good) Chinese oly lifting team, about which she relates:
The Chinese are flexible in their thinking when it comes to
individual expressions of movement. Largely, what they are looking for is how well the athlete is able to express and apply their strength. The aim of Chinese methodology is to help each athlete develop an awareness and a feeling for moving with the bar. By employing different strategies to help the athlete find their center the athlete is able to move more with less effort[/B].
She goes on to quote Coach Wu:
I often get questions from people regarding shoulder
rigidity/inflexibility/stiffness. My response is that sometimes, our
shoulder inflexibility isn't true inflexibility. Rather, it is the way
in which we move that creates a feeling of stiffness. How can one
fully express 100% of one's strength/power through incomplete
movements? Utilization of strength is a sensory experience. In other words, there is a mental aspect to the physical movement. Only through mastering this aspect of the mind can one truly express one's power. I never considered myself to be very strong, yet I am able to skillfully maximize my body's strength. Remember, in Oly, the amount of weight you can lift does not solely rely on your strength. This is the art of power.
One can build a very strong body that does not move well and is thus unable to use one's strength to full effect. Optimizing mind-body connection in order to optimize one's control and power is the internal part of training.
"This is the art of power."
culture that includes bits from yoga, dao yin, gymnastics, pilates,
and so on. Among my favorites is Olympic weightlifting:
(My horse stance with 90kg/~198lbs overhead)
... and the best coach with whom I've trained is Diane Fu. She recently had an opportunity to chat with a coach from the (very, very good) Chinese oly lifting team, about which she relates:
Quote:
The Chinese are flexible in their thinking when it comes to
individual expressions of movement. Largely, what they are looking for is how well the athlete is able to express and apply their strength. The aim of Chinese methodology is to help each athlete develop an awareness and a feeling for moving with the bar. By employing different strategies to help the athlete find their center the athlete is able to move more with less effort[/B].
Quote:
I often get questions from people regarding shoulder
rigidity/inflexibility/stiffness. My response is that sometimes, our
shoulder inflexibility isn't true inflexibility. Rather, it is the way
in which we move that creates a feeling of stiffness. How can one
fully express 100% of one's strength/power through incomplete
movements? Utilization of strength is a sensory experience. In other words, there is a mental aspect to the physical movement. Only through mastering this aspect of the mind can one truly express one's power. I never considered myself to be very strong, yet I am able to skillfully maximize my body's strength. Remember, in Oly, the amount of weight you can lift does not solely rely on your strength. This is the art of power.
"This is the art of power."
