I think my kempo master, when I was young, called it dynamic tension. It was basically flexing in controled postures or posing. He said it not only allowed you to gain cordination but it built muscle, especially muscle definition. Does anyone care to tell me about thier personal experiances that would validate this? I, though only a hobby bodybuilder right now, do practice posing. Patricia would probably have an earful for me on my technique. But this “dynamic tension” seems to do exactly what my teacher said it would. Should it be organized and regulated for optimum benifit? Bascially should I incorperate it as part of a routine? And where can I learn how to pose? Are there books or tapes on it? Should I just do my old forms while holding each posistion and pose? Wow I could see being seriously pumped with some of those long katas…
If I’m not mistaken, what your teacher refered to as “dynamic tension” is actually a ‘Static Active Exercise’.
Static Active training along with Relaxed Stretching exercises will help you to better execute your forms(katas). The coordination you’ll gain from this type of training will mostly ,but not only, help you keep your form in this specific situation.
That being said, the above mentioned training techniques are generally geared towards becoming a better forms champ. If you were the type of MA that competed against opponents in some sort of contact event, your time would be better spent doing dynamic and isometric stretches and explosive lifts.
Just to clarify my position, I’m not suggesting that either ‘type’ of MA should exclusively train one way or another, but I’m suggesting that they should dedicate more time towards a certain approach.
Actually try an post this in Coach Staley’s forum. He a expert in both martial arts and training.