Power And Coordination

Uechij · Post by **Uechij** » Mon Apr 29, 2002 3:47 am

Too much power affects coordination.

Power requires muscle tension and an overabundance of it robs our efficiency of movement.

It only takes x amount of pounds per square inch to break a given bone, overload a nerve, etc., and anymore is a waste of energy being detrimental to our safety.

Without technique, power is useless.

How much power do we really need to effectively stop the attacker if the right target is struck or manipulated?

If I were to drop a jet engine into a car body, you could not keep the vehicle on the road for long because the structural design, alignment, etc., weren’t designed for this kind of power.

Can the same be said about applied power development in fighters?

Does the overemphasis and development of power hinder the fighters’ ability more than it does to help their cause?

[This message has been edited by Uechij (edited April 28, 2002).]

candan · Post by **candan** » Mon Apr 29, 2002 11:26 am

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Does the overemphasis and development of power hinder the fighters’ ability more than it does to help
their cause?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Interestingtopic and should become informative.
I think the more develope to put "under your hood" the better ( now I miss my Baracuda

), training using that power with i.e. kata will maintain or develope your coordination. <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>It only takes x amount of pounds per square inch to break a given bone, overload a nerve, etc., and
anymore is a waste of energy being detrimental to our safety.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> If were intending on pacing ourselves I must agree. However, if the intention is to destroy a bone, board etc.. or stop an attacker then safety requires max. force. <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>If I were to drop a jet engine into a car body, you could not keep the vehicle on the road
for long because the structural design, alignment, etc., weren’t designed for this kind of
power.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Some top trainers/physiotherapist indicate that the top athletes in every sport have only reached at most 60% of the human bodies physical potential and is increasing at a slow but sready rate, I have contacted M. Sutton (Theraphist for Canadian Olympic teams)for reasearch data.

[This message has been edited by candan (edited April 29, 2002).]

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Mon Apr 29, 2002 4:38 pm

This reminds me of a funny story.

About a year or so ago, I was sitting around a table at a Boston area restaurant. With me were George Mattson, Bruce Hirabayashi (a longtime student and friend) and one of the students from his Regensburg, Germany dojo (Alois).

Now you see...Alois and I see eye to eye on a certain subject. Last time I visited Germany (with Bruce and George), George and I got the ride on the Autobann from the airport to Regensburg in Alois's well-equipped Mercedes. I think Bruce was probably happy he wasn't in it. I saw the speedometer hovering at somewhere around what would have been 120 to 130 mph for sustained periods of time.

So anyhow, I was giving Alois a hard time because I had my eye on an Audi A6 quattro, and I was upset that it was so overpriced. George - being a man who loves fine cars - was telling me I should purchase this wonderful creation of engineering, and Bruce was giving me a hard time about wanting something that was so "impractical." Anyhow we were talking about engines, and I was discussing the merits of the 2.7 liter turbo vs. the straight 4.2 liter engine. Bruce's comment was "You don't need 4.2 liters, Bill." I bit my tongue. What I wanted to say was "No, you don't need 4.2 liters, Bruce."

Meanwhile, I curse at the pinheads in this country that don't have roads like they do in Europe (or cars, for that matter), and would rather get their rocks off by harassing drivers like me (that drive sober) that like to drive fast. Once again, facts be damned! Sober drivers with good equipment that drive fast don't cause wrecks - when they drive properly. But that's a story only a German would understand...

I will start this discussion with the comment "Power and speed are good!" That's my Forrest Gump remark of the day.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Too much power affects coordination.
Power requires muscle tension and an overabundance of it robs our efficiency of movement.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Well now...an engineer trained in control theory would argue with that notion. You see...amplifiers with elaborate feedback control systems are capable of precise and well-mannered function. But those control systems themselves need power. So it seems that the more controlled the movement, the more total power that is needed by the system.

Uncontrolled power affects coordination.

Too much gain in a control system designed for modest output will indeed make it unstable.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote

How much power do we really need to effectively stop the attacker if the right target is struck or manipulated?

That's a big "if." If one is not able to control one's autonomic nervous system function (yes, it can be trained...that's one of the reasons to do scenario training), then one loses coordination. Losing coordination means losing precision of motion. Losing precision of motion means losing the ability to reliably hit "the right target."

So you have a couple of choices (other than avoiding conflict). You can either train enough (or meditate enough) to learn to deal adequately with the physiologic response to facing death, or you can hit so hard that the whole bloody body is a pressure point (the bug on the windshield thing). Or...you can train to do either and/or both (my choice). <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>If I were to drop a jet engine into a car body, you could not keep the vehicle on the road for long because the structural design, alignment, etc., weren’t designed for this kind of power.

Can the same be said about applied power development in fighters?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> This is a lot like the pinheaded thinking of Detroit auto designers of the 1960s (the muscle car era) vs. similar kinds of engineering going on in places like Germany. One has to design the whole package - from stem to stern - to accomodate the desired performance at the back end, or you get the kind of results you are talking about.

One of the reason to do weight training in general - and freeweight training in particular - is to help develop both the functional AND structural integrity of the body. In addition to working on speed, power, and (least important) strength, one also strengthens tendons, ligaments, and bone. If you train properly, the body will learn how to use the power you are delivering. If not, you will be one of the injury prone among us. <BLOCKQUOTE>quote

Does the ***overemphasis*** and development of power hinder the fighters’ ability more than it does to help their cause?

Yes.

But properly trained athletes need not be concerned. Power good. Weak bad. Go for it while your body will allow it, and maintain it as long as you can.

And while you are declining in these dimensions with age, learn how to fight as quickly as you can. And training your brain never hurts either.

- Bill

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Tue Apr 30, 2002 5:14 am

Audi makes my point quite nicely. <BLOCKQUOTE>quote

Too many discussions of power overlook the obvious: control. Not this one. At Audi, power without control is nothing more than an idle boast. Our aim, always, is to connect them.

Indeed! We should aspire to such precepts. Ever pondered the symbolic significance of the "closed temple gate" position at the end of sanchin? The posture is functional, but the significance of "hand over fist" is universal in the art.

And while we are at it, feast your eyes on this baby.

Audi A6 4.2 Quattro

Sigh...

- Bill