What do we mean by “internal” martial arts?

Internal

“Internal energy” is a funny term. Everyone seems to mean something slightly — or wildly — different when they use it. For some people, “internal” just means inside the body. For others, it means the skeleton. For others, fascia. And for another camp altogether, if qi isn’t driving the technique, then it isn’t internal at all. I’m sure there are plenty of other definitions floating around too.

For my purposes — specifically in a martial arts context — I define internal methods as those where force is generated primarily by changing what’s happening inside the body. The internal change is the driver, and the expression of force comes as a result. What I’ve noticed over time is that the body seems to be organized in layers, and those layers have a kind of hierarchy. Certain qualities tend to override others.

By contrast, I’d define external force as anything that relies on visible, external movement to generate power — things like rotation, shifting mass, or using gross body motion to affect the other person.

When we start talking about internal work, the stratification becomes more interesting. At the most accessible level you have muscular contraction. Then skeletal alignment, and the intentional use of the skeleton against another person. Then fascial engagement. After that it gets a little stranger, intentionally influencing the central nervous system. From there we move into what I’d call the subtler bodies — yi, nian, shen, and so on — and finally into the body’s energetic systems.

From my experience, intentionally aligning the skeleton — or even using the skeleton directly against an opponent — absolutely qualifies as internal. But I’d also say it sits very close to the entry point. It’s an early step in what I’d consider fully internal mechanics.

Where I part ways with some people is the idea that “if it isn’t qi, it isn’t internal.” I don’t think that’s an accurate use of the word. Internal simply means inside. I’d describe techniques that use qi as the primary driver as energetic, being a subset of internal. Qi can be cultivated internally, yes — but it can also be expressed beyond the body. And once it’s being expressed outwardly, in what sense is it still internal?

Anyway. Just some food for thought.

Sifu Jesse