As the author of several books on martial arts and fighting, I am always looking for books of exceptional quality to add to my library. If I have a book in my library, it is definitely worth owning. One such book is “Dynamic Tension” by Harry Wong. I have owned this book for over 20 years and have not only used the specific exercises it contains, but have also adapted the techniques for several different exercises that I not only use but also teach in my classes.
Harry begins his book by pointing out the benefits that can be obtained by using this method compared to the more conventional method of weight lifting. Some of the benefits described are the following:
1. Greater physical strength.
2. Improving your balance.
3. Improving your flexibility.
4. Increased body awareness.
5. The ability to heighten the five senses through the power of concentration.
6. There are no injuries from lifting weights incorrectly.
This is followed by a very detailed section on mental preparation and breathing. Harry emphasizes that you must breathe correctly not only during the performance of each exercise, but also during each moment of life. Although it may seem like a funny or somewhat absurd statement, we seem to lose the ability to breathe properly as we age. This is a bad habit that can be unlearned and should be to improve your daily life.
The mental preparation section covers things like;
1. Define your goals.
2. Have a positive mental attitude no matter what you are doing.
3. No matter what you are doing, have fun doing it.
4. Free your mind of negative thoughts.
5. Concentrate fully on your body and the exercise you are doing.
6. Maintain proper body posture during all exercises.
7. Focus on each individual part of the body for that particular exercise.
8. As much as you concentrate during an exercise, you should relax completely after it is done.
9. Breathe properly during each and every exercise.
The next section gives you some of the basic principles to follow while warming up. Here is a brief overview of some of the basic warm-up exercises that you should perform before performing any of the “dynamic tension” exercises described in this book.
Now here’s the gist of this entire book, Dynamic Tension Exercises, covering 24 different exercises for everything from the neck, chest, upper body, and arms to legs. Each exercise follows the same scheme by providing you with the following information:
1. Description of the exercise.
2. Number of repetitions you must perform.
3. The count of each exercise.
4. The effects of each exercise.
5. Variations of the main exercise.
6. The martial arts benefits of each exercise.
This book then ends with a short section on training. They are included in this section;
1. Exercise routines for beginner, intermediate and advanced users.
2. How to set a time and place to train.
3. How to do a self-assessment.
This book offers another great alternative to standard forms of exercise. I even modified these exercises and incorporated the principles behind them into my own training routine. Now I use this type of exercise while doing my forms, practicing combinations (either hand and / or foot combinations) or as a complement to my normal weight lifting routine. I recommend that you buy and practice the exercises in this book. If you do, you will notice an improvement in your overall physical abilities. I personally saw results after about 6 weeks of training.