Grab them by the insides! (Internal ‘Na’)

The ability to Na (hold or control) is important in all martial arts.

But it’s application is profoundly different between Internal and External systems.

(This is the same ‘na’ in ‘Chin Na’)

Just grab the opponent and you’ve done it.

You can then use that grab to break something or pull them into a strike or whatever.

We’re now talking about holding or controlling something INSIDE the other person.

A simple example would be to grab someone’s wrist and yet be able to control their shoulder.

If the person you grab is tense this will be easy. The more they relax the more skill you’ll need to do this.

– Tension (one of the easiest)
– their root
– their balance point
– their breath

In the Internal Combat Arts course you’ll learn how to find and ‘na’ someones center.

Have you ever heard Xing Yi and Bagua folks talk about touching the opponents spine anytime you make contact?

This is another example.

Any time you make contact (anywhere) you make sure that contact effects the opponents spine.

The key is to build the ability to feel inside your opponent.

You need to be able to put your hand on their wrist and feel the tension in their lower back, or their spine, or their kidney.

That’s why we do so many hands on, tactile games.

Like this one:

And each of the 4 sections in the Internal Combat Arts course includes various games that will continue to build this skill (and many others).

(and they must not know you.)

Being able to see where their head is so you can throw your fist at it is a start…

…but it you want to practice an INTERNAL art you need to go a little deeper than that.