Later, through proper use of weight shifts and straightening a leg, you can be stable in almost any position. Practice your internal energy punch slowly, against a resistance in order to make sure you are stable. It should be done slowly at first to make sure you are not compensating for lack of stability with speed and inertia. Proper Use of Tagonistic and Antagonistic Muscles Antagonistic muscles are those muscles which inhibit a movement you are trying to execute. When I tell my students they must be completely relaxed when they throw an internal energy strike, I am not being completely honest.
Muscles are always at some level of tension commonly known as muscle tone.
In order to stand up and have our legs support us there must also be some contraction of muscles. My students seem to understand the concept of being as relaxed as possible and still staying on their feet however, therefore I allow myself this tiny fib. When you execute an internal energy strike it must be done with a complete totally relaxed movement and follow through. Any tension from antagonistic muscles will decrease the power of the strike and hinder the flow and follow through of the movement. The fact that an attacker is in the way of you doing a complete follow through should not hinder you from completing your relaxed, flowing follow through.