Knees, the bane to most people’s existences.  As you get older your knees ache more and more.  It gets harder to move, harder to get up, and even eventually, harder to get down 😉  They are a main factor in the force you can take or deliver, depending on the depth of bend and alignment of structure.  Do not ignore your knee health!  Its critical to your way of life, the moment you stop moving is when you accelerate your death cycle (BOO!).

The important part of the knees in any internal martial arts is the amount of energy you can give and get with them (along with your other body parts – like your ankle, another part that is often ignored but can provide great effect).    Yang Chenfu was known for his delivery of energy and could launch people.  He had a great springiness within his legs that when connected to his large frame was able to deliver a massive amount of power.

Knees are crucial to leg power and stability.  They must bend, in proper alignment, and  get into a cocked (coiled) position.  The knee will sink into the foot and ground to create a strong root.   It is one of the key body parts to naturally lower your center of gravity; to get underneath someone else’s’ and beat their root. Like a large spring it will uncoil and deliver energy at an accelerated pace to dynamically increase your force.  Have you every just tried to push a large heavy object?  Do you just push your arms out and lean against it? No!  You get into a low position and push out through your legs into your arms.  Without that bend your force is significantly hindered.

Now when your knees are fluid and relaxed you can absorb a great deal of energy.  This is one of the main reasons you will see the big guys get pushed away by small little Chinese men and women,  they are stiff and have no idea how to absorb energy so the great amount of energy they give they cannot accept in return and are ‘thrown away like a rag doll in a wind storm.’

As your energy absorption and delivery gets better your bend can get less and less but it will never go away, and the springiness of your power, whether your 8 or 80, depends on your knees!