Kaleidoscopic view

 A week ago I had a great pleasure of being interviewed by guro Tom Edison Pena of the FMA Discussion crew. During the chat, besides an overview of my background and journey in the martial arts, we touched upon several training related subjects. It mostly presents my views about the role of the instructor(s) in conducting the training for the adequate results and with proper approach. 

Some of you may be already familiar with some of the things stated here, but if you would prefer to watch and listen to me go on about various topics, check it out.

Here is a rough outline of the contents:

03.55 - Early beginnings and first steps in MA

14:00 - Physical attributes in technical development

22:05 - Starting RMA and learning perspectives

24:15 - Introduction proper to FMA

29:55 - Encounter with Lameco eskrima and doing long-distance learning

40:20 - Appreciating unpaid instruction

41:10 - Teaching as a learning tool

42:48 - Validity of training approaches

45:03 - Contextual functionalist

47:05 - Stint in MMA; on competition in general

53:30 - Role of luck

56:20 - Alex Zhelezniak and ACT system

57:40 - Teaching/Coaching methodologies

59:40 - Curriculum shortcomings

1:02:50 - Instructors vs Coaches

1:07:00 - Meeting Luis Preto and learning Jogo do Pau

1:11:15 - Tactics as a decision making process

1:12:15 - Mindset foundation for training

1:13:45 - Benefiting from Internet communication

1:18:00 - Importance of cultural and historical background

1:19:30 - Role of "flow" drills

1:23:45 - Forms pros and cons

1:30:50 - Differences between good athletes and coaches

1:33:05 - Sending students elsewhere for their sake or group sake

1:40:54 - Private vs group class

1:41:55 - Some recommended online FMA programs

1:47:54 - Importance of fundamentals and creative application

1:49:57 - Main requirements for teachers/instructors

1:51:35 - Need for education

1:55:40 - Craft before art

1:59:00 - FMA as a community?

Having done the interview, I believe there will be more articles on certain subjects mentioned, because as great as my host was, the boundaries of the format and flow of the conversation didn't necessarily get the fully fair insights into some of those. 

Learning the decision making

It's been a while since I last wrote a review. Fortunately, Luis Preto (check our my earlier posts about him) delivered an awesome product again, so here is my take on it.

This time what we have is a DVD titled "COMBAT TACTICS: Decision making in weapon based martial arts", and it really delivers an excellent presentation on the subject. I gotta say first, the choice of the subject itself is quite brilliant. The marked is flooded with all kinds of technique/form/combination etc. teaching media, but very few people addressed the much needed topic of teaching and learning the "cement:, i.e. what holds all the techniques together in performance.

This is it!

Luis covers all the bases in this one, tackling the defense, attack, counter attack, combinations, but by far most importantly he pays attention to how the typical combative encounter unfolds, how to manage that process, and then even offers the strategic approach (yes, strategic - as in the overarching view that helps you choose the right tactics) in the form of decision pyramid, to help the viewer maximize the efficiency of their training.

In conclusion, forgive me for quoting my own review on the Amazon site, but I stand behind the words:
In other words, this is a pretty unique product in the field at the moment, so you really should treat yourself and obtain it. If you are an instructor in combat with impact weapons of any sort, as well as with any bladed weapon that does rely entirely on stabbing, then this should be mandatory watching.

On your own

This is by no means the first or the least treatise on the subject of solo training in martial arts, combatives etc, nor is it an attempt to be the ultimate take on it. Like always, it is a personal standpoint, but based on some experience, both as a trainee/student and the trainer/instructor.

Let me get out the obvious right at the start – yes, the solo training has its place (and an important one) in one’s study of fighting system(s). As an instructor I am always surprised when a student asks: “What can I do on my own, at home, to be able and improve faster”? Of course, then they get surprised by my answer – work on your physical fitness. While it may not be completely obvious to some people, especially beginners, there are certainly reasons for such a response. Now, how to approach it can be done one way or another, but that is probably not even the main concern.

I may be in the minority of people who see things this way, but as a student, it always bothers me when a large chunk of a training session is devoted to calistenics, running and other kinds of conditioning. See, if I am paying for martial art instruction, then I’d rather have that time to work on the technical material – first, because you don’t have the willing training partner  on every corner outside the club/group; second because I would rather have an instructor watching over and correcting my technical mistakes in combative performance than regarding my pushups or pullups. Naturally, some technical elements in certain systems are a good physical workout on their own when repeated, and that is completely fine with me.

The other side of the coin would be my being baffled, as an instructor, on how a lot of trainees almost exclusively believe a training session was “awesome” only of they had sweated profusely in it. I guess that most of them just see it as another way of recreational activity…and that is completely fine, but that is not the kind of “clientele” I look for.

As stated above, the main concern is not why and how here, but rather will. Many a person I know simply lack the willpower and self-discipline to train on their own, especially when it means doing something “uninteresting” and tough as conditioning. Yet, I have seen it time and time aging – a little strength, flexibility and stamina will have terrific impact on a person’s technical performance as well. But then again, it requires being passionate about one’s chosen activity.

                                                            For example...

If you insist on working on your “discipline specific” contents during your solo sessions, it can be done, too. But be warned – that kind of think only makes sense after some time spent within the training system of choice, and for a couple of reasons. First, at the early stages you really need some immediate feedback, either from the instructor or the training partner, and my friend Luis Preto harped on the issue quite eloquently. The second is, making that kind of training really pertinent will often require some kind of equipment, and that in turn will require some investment and probably a degree ingenuity to come up with your own design. And if you are not one of those DIY enthusiasts, it means, again, you need to be passionate about it. But if you are, it could take you a long way.

Ingenuity at work

 Ultimately, in order to extract maximum from your solo training efforts, you ought to be willing to push yourself beyond the comfort zone, and to do it in an intelligent manner… No big deal, right?

Sincerity

I have been writing already about the need to discern why are you learning/studying martial arts. But that question does not apply just to the students...If you are teaching martial arts, you have to ask yourself - "Why am I doing this"? What is at all about for you?

See, the thing is, unlike the motives to learn, not every motive to teach is legitimate. And I don't mind people making money from it. No, that is perfectly OK with me, as long as the teacher/instructor is honest about his offer and treats his clientele with due respect. Also, the fact that one may not be charging at all for their instruction does not make them worthy of the teacher title.

My guess is I am not alone in being sick of the types who are looking for some self-aggrandizing experience from teaching, harassing and humiliating their students in the process, all under the excuse of "instilling discipline" or something along those lines. Of course, discipline in itself is not a bad thing, but as long as it is conducive to the better learning and more efficient training process. If, on the other hand, it is a pretense for setting up some sort of unnecessary hierarchy with the sole purpose of blowing the instructor's ego out of proportion and nipping any healthy critical approach and inquisitiveness among the students in the bud... Well, sorry for putting it out bluntly, but then your an asshole and have no business teaching people.

Really? Or is there something more to it...

So what then is the central tenet that "makes it or breaks it" in my opinion? Well, like the title of the post says, it is all about sincerity! And by that I mean the approach to imparting the knowledge on your students.I have been blessed in my martial arts "career" to cross paths and learn from several great teachers, and they all had one thing in common - sincerely doing everything they could to make the student understand and truly learn what they were trying to teach.

Naturally, not all of them have the same teaching methodologies (if they have one in the first place) or philosophy of what they are doing, but they for each and every one of them student comes first! I have seen time and time again Alex Kostic of Homo Ludens Systema inspire awe in people by the way he moves, by the things he says and their eyes going bright for the new insight and another piece of the puzzle finally  falling into place. I have been astonished by Astig Lameco founder, guro Roger Agbulos' ability to captivate the students by the sheer joy of teaching and lighting the fire of desire to train hard and smart, to look for what works and put it all to test. I have been flabbergasted by Mikhail Grudev's managing to overcome the impending linguistic barriers and go out of his way to help the students get the point and have fun while working hard. I have had the privilege of undergoing some intensive training under Jogo do Pau's Luis Preto and admire his keen eye and uncanny capacity to immediately adapt the drill or the exercise to elicit the desired response in the student and make difficult things easier to comprehend.

Quite true

Another high point was seeing master Jon Escudero of LSAI putting his students in the spotlight when demonstrating his system, thus at the same time portraying the effectiveness of the style and his own effectiveness as a teacher. And then there is Steve Maxwell's leading by example and teaching you how to teach yourself; and Daniel Lamac of Koredas eskrima giving it all out without reserve; and Dave Gould of Lameco; Kevin Secours of Combat Systema; Bruno Cancho; Dima Hakimov, and...so on. 

Yes, a good curriculum is helpful, excellent methodology is most welcome. And yet, if you are not teaching for the sake of your students, with no heart in it, but with another agenda that actually has nothing to do with actual teaching...well, do yourself and the world a favor and just leave it.

Speed - diagnostic and curative!

Among the people who train in martial arts/fighting methods with at least declarative goal of being able to "practically use it", the occasional or regular inclusion some of pressure testing is not a new thing. In most cases, it entails moving fast, i.e. faster than in normal training. When these scenarios and/or kid of drills is done, the main thing to look for is identifying the problems, more specifically, the things (techniques, tactics) that do not work in full speed. This diagnostic aspect of speed training is by now more or less widely accepted, and in good training groups followed by getting back to the "drawing board" and drilling to fix the problems.

However, I've been wondering lately, what happens when the battery of those speed tests is repeated in continuation for a while, without getting back to refinement immediately? And sometimes, it means simply doing more than a single round/scenario...

In search for an answer, I experimented a bit with my group of trainees (although, in all honesty, the amount of training and the size of the sample were by no means exhaustive). And guess what? Some aspects of training could be improved by doing the fast training alone!

This kind of methodology seems to have particularly beneficial effects with certain type of trainees, in this case the guys in their mid-teens whose overall coordination may be suffering as the result of growth spurts or similar challenges. For that kind of population, this sort of "task oriented drills" tends to be much better suiting  that the training that focuses on the mechanics of moves, i.e. motor actions themselves. In other words, my limited experience seems to corroborate the approach professed by Luis Preto (take a look at my posts relating to his work).

OK, let me give you concrete examples. After a period of screening, I introduced knives and related work to the guys in my group. Now, the thing is that while working on one's empty handed skills, and especially AGAINST empty handed attackers, some people have the proclivity of believing it is a good strategy to take a punch or two in exchange for a better/more powerful one (or more). That in turn leads to inadvertent neglect of the footwork and general movement skills. Well, the introduction of knives (even trainers) tends to address that issue rather quickly.

I put each and every one of the boys through 6-8 consecutive rounds of knife sparring/dueling. I know, it had nothing to do with "street savvy" skills, but more with certain technical elements. Not to mention that is fun to do :-) (I am kicking myself repeatedly for not having filmed the session).

Being that they do not need to use much power when striking with a knife, it naturally laid emphasis on the speed and efficiency of the movement. And here goes - one of the guys found out during the first round that his long arms and legs did provide the ability to cover a lot of space relatively quickly at slower tempos, but at full speed it represented major challenge to his balance and mobility, in the sense of changing directions daftly enough. In the second round, we saw him less but more deliberately. In the third, he started moving more again, but with shorter gait and better focus. By the fourth round, he was already pretty solid on his feet and could focus on the actions of his upper body and tactical considerations.

Another member of the group a very tall and lanky fellow. My previous pointers about the need to bend/relax the knees were futile for the most part, but here again, the task at hand worked it out! In the first round he was almost like stuck in the mud or something, and even fell on his ass when trying to move back and keep the distance against a charging opponent, even without any physical contact. The second time through - lo and behold, his knees were bend and the entire movement much more springy! The third round even brought some sideways movement, albeit with lousy balance. However, that issue started self-correcting in the fourth round.

Yet another chap had had the inclination to avoid punches by bending from his waist, or use the same "tool" in order to reach the target that would move away from his own. That in turn did not carry over to well the message for the necessity of weight transfer and related issues. Once put through the multiple rounds of knife sparring - yes, the problems were first blatantly exposed, and then proceeded to "self healing" part. First, he noted that the leaning thing does not work against attacks to the legs or against fast combos, because the second or third blow would easily catch him. So, from almost non-existent he developed some workable footwork in a matter of minutes! Next, he saw the need to be able and go from moving forward to going back, or viceversa. It lead him to lowering his center a little and bringing the feet to act in a more coordinated fashion in transferring the weight for that direction change.

It does not end here, but you get the picture. All that said, though, the fast training is not some kind of panacea by any means. Namely, while certain mechanical/technical aspect did seem to be susceptible to getting fixed this way, not everything worked out so smoothly.

With regards to fighting strategy and tactics, training at high speed does function beautifully as a diagnostic tool, but I did not notice any actual short-term progress in either plugging the tactical holes in one's game or boosting the ability to take advantage of someone else's mistakes. Evidently, it is a different kind of cognitive process that requires a longer and continual work in striving to get better at this aspect of performance.

In conclusion, training at higher or full speed is not be all end all approach, but probably could be used more, not just as a diagnostic tool, but as a cure, too.

Back and swinging hard!

It’s been a long hiatus since my last post here. But hey, man’s gotta focus on certain things at time. I had a terribly busy and hectic period during the second half of May and first half of June, which peaked in a jam-packed training week that included the first ever Astig Lameco Seminar of Roger Agbulos in Belgrade (hosted by yours truly) and the annual Training Above the Clouds camp with Alex Kostic (administered by yours truly) and private training in Jogo do Pao with Luis Preto. Tough but fulfilling experience!

This time, I’ll focus on the weapon based methodologies of Agbulos and Preto, while the insights from training with Alex will be a subject of my next post.

My faithful readers (yes, I love you all) know that my search for ways to enhance my training revolves around the attempts to functionalize the training methodology in such a way to maximize the effects of time and effort spent in training. In practice, it means that I am not in the business of training professionally , which in turn sets certain demands in view of available time for training. Being that my approach is directed at attaining certain standard of functional combative performance, and not just playing with martial arts for recreational purposes, it should put my “quest” into some perspective. And both guro Roger Agbulos and Luis Preto fit the bill perfectly.

First, Roger Agbulos devotes his teaching and training to working only on the aspects of Filipina martial arts he deems most directly applicable to the modern day needs – single impact and edged weapons, as well as empty handed defense against them. While his own command of some more traditional expressions (eg. double sticks, stick and knife) is awe inspiring, he believes it is most time-efficient to drop those from the curriculum. By the same token, guro Roger’s approach to impact weapons is actually hybrid, i.e. applicable to both true blunt weapons (clubs, sticks, batons) and longer edged implements, such as machetes. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVqYhS8r0Ck

In order to further enhance the instruction and accelerate the results, he strongly emphasizes certain pedagogical and technical principles. Namely, when it comes to the selection of technical material to be taught, he looks to meet the following requirements:

Functional

Universally simple

Can be done in real time

On the other hand, the instruction of the techniques that meet the standard is done with close attention to structural detail and physics principles. The drills are put together in such a way to bring these to life and up to speed, while also helping to expose all the mistakes and weaknesses that need to be worked on and eliminated. To that end, guro Agbulos always has keen eye on the practitioners and is relentless in his insisting on doing things right.

Before training

All that said, it my utmost pleasure and with feeling of pride that I have been appointed a representative for teaching Asting Lameco approach to Filipino combative in this part of Europe J

Even though coming from a different cultural background of martial arts, Luis Preto shares a lot of the same principles in his teaching (btw, he kindly and open mindedly took part in the first day of the Astig seminar. Interestingly enough, guro Roger recognized him from the book on Jogo do Pau he owns, and written by Preto).

Preto seems to share the same urge about martial training that I do, and for the same reasons. Being frustrated with the failure of some his past instructors to effectively and efficiently impart knowledge and skill can completely break your will to stay with martial arts, or motivate you to work hard and look for the ways to change that. Fortunately, Preto is in the latter group.

Now, I was already acquainted with his thoughts on the subject, being an avid reader of his books, but it was extremely gratifying to see it embodied in his physical expression of the teachings. And speaking of the teaching, Luis’ progression is so logical and makes so much sense that it makes one wonder how come everybody’s not doing it? Not only is it beautiful for the reason of facilitating the retention of the material, but also provides tremendous help in identifying the problems and fixing them on your own.

Get it! Read it! Do it!

It was great seeing Preto even letting my wife (black belt in aikido, thus some past experience with wielding sticks and bokkens) come and play with the ides, and being able to immediately make her realize the problems with certain techniques and eliminate them almost immediately. And all that in les than 5 minutes!

On top of that, he has a personality trait that people either love or hate (of course, I am in the former camp), which is being absolutely straightforward in calling things what they are, when it comes to things he has passion for, in this case training. That makes him completely at ease with slaying and barbecuing a sacred cow or two and debunking all kinds of myths that happen to have become almost universally accepted “truisms” in sport training. To see what I mean, just check his blog.

So, what was the common threat that stands out with both of these fine gentlemen? I’d say that the most succinct fashion of putting it is – COACHING! In my mind, being a good coach means having all the tools and the knowledge to use them, but oven more so actually caring (or better yet, being passionate) about the performance and results of your students/athletes.

If you can, seek training with either (or both) of these brilliant teachers. Not only will you get to acquire some of the nice tools and learn how to use them, but also be inspired in your training and teaching. 

Luis Preto redux

I'm pretty sure some of my readers will readily remember the name of Luis Preto, as his book on Jogo do Pau was my first review on this blog. The book at issue, however, was unavailable in the meantime, but Luis has come up with the new edition of the "Jogo do Pau: The ancient art & modern science of Portuguese stick fighting", or version 2.0 if you like it more, that way. To see my review, go here:

http://www.amazon.com/Jogo-Pau-ancient-Portuguese-fighting/dp/1480228141/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1363528235&sr=1-7&keywords=Luis+Preto

OK, so, what's the big deal?

Well, the big deal is how he did it. In stead of just re-printing what had already proven to be a good thing, Preto actually added some new material, rearranged some of the previously existing, added some new photos etc, and all in the honest effort to improve the book and offer his readers the best possible service on his part. In other words, he did not simply set on cashing in on his old work, but actually strove to keep on improving. From that standpoint, I really think Luis raised the bar to an admirable level in setting the standard for other authors to reach in this regard. 

All that said, another thing that makes me love Preto's work so much is his never-ending drive to help the qualitative evolution of martial arts. It means liberally sharing some hard-won knowledge and wisdom related to the actual training methodology and pedagogical process in this field, instead of training a handful of great fighters and then selling seminars with just a grain or two of those things. In the process, Luis does not refrain form slaying a sacred cow or two and/or questioning some commonly taken for granted "knowledge"...or calling things their real names, even if that will mean "defensive action" from the people with their own established "realms" of reign. 

As if not enough, Preto came up with a whole line of books, meant to improve your training in martial arts, each very well done and to the point - good stuff in it, irrelevant discarded. The one I'd like to especially point to is his "Understanding physical conditioning: a movement based approach". If you are a person with a daily job/duty, but still passionate about taking your training to the highest possible level on your limited time, this one is a must! You can read the review at my friend Spyro's blog, but let me just tell you that it brings to end the dictum of training programs made by and for elite level professional athletes, especially those in cyclic  sports that may not transfer to your needs all that well. with this one, you will learn to identify you own training needs and then how to work on "satisfying" them.

In the end, I would like to extend my gratitude to Luis Preto for doing the good work and wish him the best of luck in future endeavors...particularly if he will continue allowing us to enjoy the labors of it as he has done so far :-)

To learn more about the man and his work, go to

http://pretomartialarts.blogspot.no/