Because of movies, books and forms of folklore from both the east and the west, the public has a misunderstanding about the martial arts. At the forefront of these are so-called deep secrets--many of which are thought to be lethal one-hit killing techniques or special internal power methods. Although there are different perceptions of internal energy (known as chi in Chinese and Ki in Japanese), these methods most likely do not exist. Even If they did, they wouldn't be practical for self-defense anyway.
So are there secrets in the martial arts? Yes! But they're not exactly what you think.
So what is one of these secrets? Get ready: its... the basics! Yes, you read that right. It's the basics. Crazy, right? I don't think so.
The basics are the building blocks that build a strong temple. If those building blocks are weak, it doesn't matter how strong the higher blocks are; the temple will crumble. This foundation is all-important in the martial arts, and without it you can't get anywhere. It builds your physical strength and it builds your technique, as well as prepares you for the more advanced principles. If you have a strong foundation, you will become a strong martial artist.
But this isn't the only reason why the basics are so important.
The basics are important because their just that: basic. Basic striking techniques are not only the easiest, but they are also the fastest, more efficient, most practical movements in your arsenal. When you get into a fight and the intermediate and advanced stuff doesn't work, what do you fall back on? The basics. So if you want to show your friends a secret, powerful technique, show them a basic reverse punch or front kick.
Why is it secret? Because everyone is so caught up with learning the next most advanced thing with their training, or acquiring abilities that most likely do not exist. They don't realize that the most powerful techniques-the most practical, efficient methods-are the basics of their system.
So train your basics: your stances, techniques, exercises, movements. They will make you much stronger, and allow you to be the best you can be.
