Kung Fu Expression
One of the best kept secrets of kung fu is what is quietly known as ‘Kung Fu Expression’. In other disciplines this is known as artistic interpretation. There are many hidden benefits to this aspect of kung fu.
Most fighters consciously analyse their opponent in the hope of reading their body language for the purpose of attacking them. The eyes read general movements, records unexpected flinches, strike speed and potential power and strength of the opponent. All of this information is then processed in the mind and then analysed very quickly. When a sufficient amount of reading has taken place both fighters are armed with enough counter intelligence to make decisions about how they should attack and defend.
This collecting of information can be seen in most fighting arenas such as boxing, kung fu etc and is sometimes called ‘sizing up your opponent’ or ‘weighing them up’.
In order to stop your opponent gathering too much information you will need a strategy to for covering up your moves in order to hide them. This is called ‘Masking’. Boxers mask their moves by manipulating their body movements with unpredictable dummy moves and half baked strikes in order to confuse their opponent and deliver surprise blows. But the element of surprise is not always effective, especially when your opponent is expecting it!
Kung fu has evolved in such a way that experts of kung fu use a system called ‘expression’ to mask their moves. Instead of consciously remembering tactics they simply roll-up all their moves into what can be called a ‘cluster’ of moves and then give that group of moves a single named expression. If this method is practised frequently you will naturally remember all the moves and tactics automatically just by focusing on the expression. It’s the same as talking. If in conversation you are consciously trying to find the right words to say, your flow will be jagged and quite difficult. But if you focus on the feeling of what you want to say then your words will flow naturally.
The tactics are built inside the cluster and then cluster is then built inside the expression. The expression is then offered to the opponent to focus on to draw them away from certain strikes.
An example of this can be found in the technique drunk kung fu. The display of the drunken style conveys a lack of balance, coordination and strength. But these areas are at the core and the very focus of the technique! Balance, coordination and strength!
