External Force
Definition:
A force that is not generated through the tightening or contraction of one’s own muscles.
Usage:
- As a noun: “Sports are often used to measure a person’s capacity to either overcome or harness External Forces.”
Additional Notes:
Taijiquan is renowned for its ability to borrow power—that is, to leverage forces other than those produced internally through muscular effort. Such External Forces include:
- Gravity: the natural weight of one’s own body.
- External impacts: the forces arising from an opponent’s push, pull, or any environmental contact.
Taijiquan’s movements are largely powered by these External Forces rather than by strength generated internally. The practitioner learns to sense, redirect, and harmonize with them, transforming opposing forces into driving expression.
Taijiquan Framework 