Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Women have an aversion to power and force, perhaps because they are considered masculine concepts, attributes and characteristics. Yet they must deal with these in every aspect of their lives whether at work, play, domestics or relationships. They may be physical in the sense of lifting, pushing, pulling or interpersonal in the games people play. Power is an absolute strength to dominate while force is an insistance or persistance to secure submission.

The way women regard, undertake and deal with force and power should not measure her femininity. Physical resistance as compared to submission is a right; an obligation to future generations so that those who wish to abuse power by using force are punished and dissuaded, social expectations are reversed and standards of femininity change.

Strength is not necessary for physical resistance. All martial arts work with the diversion/redirection of force.

In Aikido opponents learn to ride the force until they can gain control. The attacker co-operates when a technique is administered on them to prevent injury and can escape by rolling out. It's the movement which absorbes the force and can revert it against the attack.

Wing Chun's sticky hands works on a touch component where contact with the opponent allows the redirection of force and sliding past it to take control. Karate deflects force with turning of the hand-arm at the last minute.

In all martial arts there is no clashing of force.