Hard and Soft (martial Arts) - Quotations

Quotations

• "Here he names the five words; Before, After, Weak, Strong, in that instant/just as . On these words hinge the whole art of Liechtenauer, and they are the foundation and cornerstone of all fencing on foot or on horseback, in armor or without ." gloss on Johannes Liechtenauer, recorded 1389. Strong and Weak are often interchangeable with Hard and Soft in both Kampf-Ringen and the German School of Fencing otherwise known as the Liechtenauer tradition

• "As a martial art, Taijiquan is externally a soft exercise, but internally hard, even as it seeks softness. If we are externally soft, after a long time we will naturally develop internal hardness. It’s not that we consciously cultivate hardness, for in reality our mind is on softness. What is difficult is to remain internally reserved, to possess hardness without expressing it, always externally meeting the opponent with softness. Meeting hardness with softness causes the opponent’s hardness to be transformed and disappear into nothingness..." From chapter twenty of the "Forty Chapters" preserved by Taijiquan's Yang family.

• "Those who practice Shaolinquan leap about with strength and force; people not proficient at this kind of training soon lose their breath and are exhausted. Taijiquan is unlike this. Strive for quiescence of body, mind and intention. ...The greatest taboo when practicing Taijiquan is to use force. If one can make the entire body loose and open, and be absorbed in the circulation of blood and qi, then after a while one's practice will naturally develop inner jing. This inner energy is extremely soft, so when encountering an opponent one doesn't need to resist at all. The ability to extend and contract in order to follow the opponent's energy is referred to as elastic power within softness. Taijiquan theory states: "From the greatest softness comes the greatest hardness." This is what is meant by softness." Wu Jianquan in his essay Features of Taijiquan

• "In Randori we teach the pupil to act on the fundamental principles of Judo, no matter how physically inferior his opponent may seem to him, and even if by sheer strength he can easily overcome him; because if he acts contrary to principle his opponent will never be convinced of defeat, no matter what brute strength he may have used." Kano Jigoro

• "I may venture to say, loosely, that in Judo there is a sort of counter for every twist, wrench, pull, push or bend. Only the Judo expert does not oppose such movements at all. No, he yields to them. But he does much more than yield to them. He aids them with a wicked sleight that causes the assailant to put out his own shoulder, to fracture his own arm, or in a desperate case, even to break his own neck or back." Lafcadio Hearn

• "True spirit of Judo is nothing but the gentle and diligent free spirit. Judo rests on flexible action of mind and body. The word flexible however never means weakness but something more like adaptability and openmindedness. Gentleness always overcomes strength." Kyuzo Mifune

• "Do not think of attack and defense as two separate things. An attack will be a defense, and a defense must be an attack." Kazuzo Kudo

• "Another tenet of randori is to apply just the right amount of force--never too much, never too little." Kano Jigoro

• "The true capoeirista does not let himself be grasped… He ducks… he dodges… he flees… he escapes… Because When free… the capoeirista leaps, descends, retreats in aú… When held, he is immobile… vulnerable… defenseless… Free, the capoeirista leaps… descends and crawls… escapes in aú… Imprisoned, immobile, seized, he can be stabbed… Strangled… kicked… stoned… shot… raped… violated… In summary FOOLISH IS HE WHO LETS HIMSELF BE GRABBED… AND… EVEN MORE FOOLISH IS HE WHO GRABS!" Mestre Bimba

• "Weak against strong, hard against soft and vice versa . Because when it is strong against strong, the stronger one will always win." Doebringer explaining application of Hard against soft and vice versa according to the teachings of Master Liechtenauer

• "While wrestling with a weaker opponent, one should act "before". ... Against a stronger opponent act "after"." Ott Jud's Kampf-Ringen, Strong and Weak are often interchangeable with Hard and Soft in both Kampf-Ringen and the German School of Fencing otherwise known as the Liechtenauer tradition.