Fa Jin (otherwise known as Fajin, Fajing, or Fa Jing) has always been considered mysterious and even mythical! If you’ve watched any of the martial arts movies (Bruce Lee movies or Man of Tai Chi, for example), you’ve seen the Master release explosive power without any apparent effort. This is Fa Jin!
The Chinese internal martial arts concept called “Fa Jin” (I will use this spelling) refers to the release of explosive power by a martial artist. It is considered a somewhat elusive method to create power or energy that explodes through your body and into your opponent during an attack. Elusive because, as we talked about in an earlier blog, few people understand or can execute it.
Fa means “release” and Jin means “energy” or “releasing power”. Some “experts” maintain that Fa Jin is NOT the energy but the “vehicle by which the energy is delivered”. In other words, kinetic energy!!!
Unlike external power, Internal force uses internal body components, the mind, and the martial artist’s control of Qi energy. Obviously this type of power is much more challenging to learn and requires direct teaching is order to achieve this explosive power. In other words, it is not pre-meditated or planned. Fa Jin is the response to the actions of your opponent.
In Fa Jin, Qi flows along the nervous system, from mind to body. As your Qi grows stronger, your nervous system grows stronger too. This results in a quick, explosive energy release when and if you need it.From a bio-mechanical perspective, Fa Jin depends on both body alignment and coordination in order to form an efficient kinematic chain. The practitioner’s body must be physically and mentally relaxed in order to quickly accelerate a coordinated whole-body movement.
Although it is not specific to any particular striking method, Fa Jin releases, issues, refines, or discharges explosive power. Because it is less physical than external power, it is often associated with the one-inch punch. The one-inch punch was demonstrated by Bruce Lee in 1964 at the Long Beach International Karate Championships in 1964. This exceptional skill uses Fa Jin “bursts” to generate tremendous impact force at extremely close distances. According to Joanna Zorya, “Bruce Lee once said that the difference between a Karate punch and a Gongfu punch was that a Karate punch is like being hit with a crowbar, while a Gongfu punch is like being hit by a metal ball on the end of a chain”.
Gongfu here relates to inner power or Kung Fu. The point being that a punch can speed up and become more explosive depending on the amount of relaxation in the practitioner. This also allows the striking arm to recoil and guard more quickly. Because the internal energy practitioner has adaptable, soft but rooted posture, they will expend less energy and minimize fatigue.
Fa Jin must be an unconscious reaction which flows without a conscious attack through each movement. It is described by some practitioners as an internal vibration of a movement. Erle Montague provides an overview of this internal vibration in his Article “Fajing, The Technique of Power”. The shaking and vibrating transfers the kinetic energy from the practitioner.
“Watch any Chen style T’ai chi practitioner and see how their body shakes as the Fajing is executed. Not a large bodily shake but rather an internal vibration which emanates in the hands or feet and comes to a climax for a split second at impact. There must be a total body commitment to the attack, every sinew, bone and muscle each adding to the total power upon impact.”
According to Master Lin Kuancheng, in Fa Jin, power that originates from the legs is essential. This power is then directed by the waist and usually transmitted through the hands, although other parts of the body can be used. However, in order to generate Fa Jin, one must transfer Qi from the dantian towards the “limb or body part (e.g. shoulder, head, hip) that will perform the technique with explosive force.” If a practitioner is off balance or stiff, Qi cannot penetrate the muscle and there is no Jin to produce force. It goes without saying, not enough Qi, no Fa Jin!
The Kempo Taiji Association, asserts that It is important to master “Fa-jing power” to defend ourselves on the street, where “street fights” happen. We need to use our natural weapons. Accordingly, your hand, leg, elbow, head, etc. must have explosive power. For example, when using the Tai Chi snap punch, the hand remains relaxed and only tenses at the point of contact. Physical damage is inflicted first and then puts “adverse energy into the target”. Expended energy enters through the Laogong point of the other Yin hand as well as other energy points in the body. This ensures there is never a waste of energy.
In what ways can you develop your Fa Jin? Tai Chi, Qigong, and meditation are great methods. Breathing control and training the mind to develop focus will help in any martial arts and in your everyday life!
Many “experts” recommend moving very slowly when practicing, to ensure that each movement/posture is balanced and correct. When correct, the entire body moves naturally with your strikes. Speed can be increased over time as this techniques gathers more power. They suggest that you don’t rush it because this can take years to develop! Others disagree and feel that movements should be fast when learning!
While there are different opinions and techniques for developing Fa Jin, one described by Master Wang Jianqiao is by breathing into the lower abdomen (dantian) and creating a pressure. When striking and squeezing the lower abdomen tight so that the core becomes compact (unifying the torso), more muscle fibers can generate even more force.
Bottom Line: In order for Fa Jin to be executed, there must be a combination of mass, speed, timing, coordination, relaxation, and breath. Only when they work together seamlessly, can you experience the full explosive and penetrating power. Unfortunately, (here’s the problem), the harder you try to perfect or negotiate a perfect Fa Jin, the more your efforts cause tension, which blocks energy, and Fa Jin will NOT happen!
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