Lucky draw

 As some of you may know I have been running a sort of intermittent series on the methods of knife use in self defense, according to the approach of reverse grip with edge-in configuration, aka RGEI. Since that first article that dealt with the WHYs of the whole thing, there have been a couple more about the HOWs. Obviously, I liked those quite a bit, but this time the focus is on the gentleman and his video that first got me aware of this characteristic mode of utilizing the tool at hand for the purposes of managing physical conflict.

The gentleman is the one and only James A. Keating, the founder and director of Comtech. To say that Mr. Keating is a progressive-minded practitioner of martial disciplines and combative methods would be a huge understatement, at the very least. I have been following his work for almost 25 years now (whoa, it even took me by surprise!), and his body of knowledge put to public never fails to be incredibly inspiring. I can't even begin to grasp his influence on the people who have had the opportunity to work with him in person. The sort of forward thinking in the relentless pursuit of ever broadening and deepening understanding of one's chosen field of study is always admirable, particularly when done in a such a comprehensive and non judgmental manner, as is the case here. 

It is no wonder then that he was the first (to my knowledge, anyway) to propagate the RGEI style of knife combat and present it in an excellent video instructional. The testimony to his being ahead of times is that it first came out on VHS! Now, this volume was/is available in two versions actually. My first exposure was via the tape distributed by the now defunct Paladin Press (ugh, I will never get over it), titled transparently as Reverse Grip Knife Fighting.

 

At issue is the same material as originally published by Keating himself, just with an additional intro that talks about the type of knives best suited for the method of work as taught in the video, and their availability. The instructional portion, however, is the same as in the case of Comtech production, titled Drawpoint, which is the moniker I normally use when referring to this system. 

The first thing that struck me here was the author's emphasis on the method of carry and deployment of the knife. It is safe to say that prior to that I had seen knife fighting as most other people do - a situation that somehow magically got to the point of facing an opponent with the blade already in and in a fighting stance, with no sense whatsoever about what had preceded it. And Keating does a great job explaining all the pertinent factors about this topic, while pointing out that in the close quarters combat, which is where the RGEI is primarily meant to be applied, the speed of reacting and drawing the weapon plays the main role. 

In line with the subtitle of the Drawpoint video, i.e. Knife Fighting Fundamentals, from the deployment we go to learning two basic strikes/offensive techniques (yes, just TWO), but they are worked in such a way that you will thorough understand the mechanics of delivery, footwork to make them doable, applications to make the functional across various situations...in other words, the honest work on integrating the tool and usage method, and fostering actual skill. 

But, it doesn't stop there! Remember how I mentioned the emphasis on deployment? Well, Keating goes into some innovative drills that should really hone both the speed, timing, perception and accuracy in drawing the blade and putting it to proper use in a self-protection scenario. And this is probably where the material truly shines, because although several other instructors have formulated their own take on the methods of RGEI use, none have gone anywhere near Keating's approach in terms of developing those attributes. 

As you have probably noted from the above picture, the Drawpoint system is presented in a set of three videos, but the second and third are concerned with the reverse grip EDGE-OUT configuration. For that reason, I decided not to review them here. That said, the first volume is really a standalone instructional package, and as such is sufficient in providing the necessary information that will take you a long way in search for the solutions to the problems commonly faced in the real world (think high percentage here), whether it is opposing humans or aggressive animals in similar predicaments. 

In conclusion, if you have somehow managed to let James Keating fly under your radar, this is a great way to get introduced to his (astonishing) body of work; if you know the man for his other stuff, this is an excellent to see him at his most straightforward combative mode.

Tech support

 Very recently I've had the privilege of taking part in an FMA Discussion podcast with a group of fellow Astig Lameco practitioners, including the method founder Roger Agbulos. We had such a great time and so much fun that time flew, but the discussion touched on several topics that might be of interest, if you have time to take a look and have a listen. 

Be as it may, quite lot of time was spent in effort to shed light on certain more or less specific aspects of technique, meaning how it is trained for combative effect. While there are numerous elements that comprise a well performed technique, it seems that to a lot of people it still boils down to a set of biomechanical building blocks that, if sequenced properly, should yield desired result. Since another prominent subject in the conversation was solo training, several listeners believed it focused on the said approach to technique. 

After all, isn't that exactly what it is meant when experts of all sorts offer opinions and advice on the proper and improper way of doing pretty much anything?

Well, not exactly. Naturally, if one's approach and interest in doing martial arts lies in some sort of aesthetic, artistic, meditative exercise and/or performance (kata, choreographed demos etc.), then the above mentioned view is pretty good. 

However, if you are in the category of practitioners who look for the functional use of technical arsenal in the circumstances of working against a non-complient partner/opponent (whether in competition, sparring of a real fight), thing tend to require attention toward several other dimensions. Yes, the mechanics of delivery are still important - including speed, power, strengths etc. - but there additional elements of the equation, such as timing, distance management, efficiency, intent and so on. And then, there is the avenue of tactics, strategy and other avenues of taking the other person into account. I have particular affinity toward the definition of technique as used by the authors of a book reviewed here: 

…both an accurate movement pattern as well as successful application in an Unscripted Training or Play Learning environment. Correct Execution does not mean a person can simply successfully mimic what a movement pattern looks like, it means that they can use the movement pattern effectively and also achieve its intended outcome…

See, it is the intended outcome that happens to be the key phrase here. That is why I said, during the discussion, that Astig works through the outcome based methodology, using the reverse engineering approach in identifying what makes a good technique, necessary physical attributes, and adequate training methods to develop all those. And this is why the impact of good instruction and feedback is especially important, even if you are working on your own. 

So...do your best to find it. 

Look from the side

 As the time goes on and technology keeps progressing and developing, we are often tempted to look for the latest piece of training gear, gadget or app that could propel our training further and faster. In that search for new and more it is easy to lose sight of the fact that often the improvement can be achieved quicker by working on the old. Specifically, on mercilessly identifying and removing the mistakes we make in practice, and with this insight working on enhancing our performance through the elimination of own weakness(es). 

Of course, this identification process is best achieved in the presence of a good instructor/coach. But what to do when left to one's own devices? Exactly that - use the device we all normally use on the daily basis! While martial arts have been around for much longer than video recording technology, I am dumbfounded that there is still so many people who fail to recognize the valuable aspects of regularly taking footage of their training. 

Not all cameras are spying on us

If you are on a true, incessant pursuit of improvement in training, video recording is priceless help. Even if you do have a coach, they are only able to see and process so many things at once, but when analyzing footage, it is possible to rewind, slow down, isolate and really focus deeply on any little minutia of the practitioner's work. Even more so when forced to work on your own. And it works both ways - finding out good solutions that have emerged spontaneously in some situation, and then trying to work them in one's regular game; also, recognizing the recurring mistakes and omissions that need to be eliminated. 

Cameras can be very useful in a group setting, too. As an example, when the whole class is involved in an activity, some people may be more successful in doing it, and the video footage may later be used to better explain to other trainees how to approach it more effectively. 

Finally, if you are an instructor in a system that does not rely on ranks/belts as the means of tracking the student's progress (or even if it does), as I have witnessed in the RMA circles, you will be regularly met with students' periods of doubt and resignation with their progress. Naturally, it may lead to their sub-optimal effort, or even giving up on training altogether. In such  situations, letting them compare their performance, captured on video in the span of a few moths can offer a great boost to their confidence and motivation to carry on with the work. 

A word of warning - depending on you age, pulling out a phone for its camera capacity may tempt you to make the training session into a posing session for Instagram or TicToc or whatever... Make sure that other participants in training also understand that at issue is not a demo, but the regular workout, so that you would have authentic material input to work with it for the benefits down the line. 

Hard AND Smart

 This one goes hand in hand with the previous post. That said, you do not need to read the last month's installment, but if you do, it will give you a bigger picture of the subject.

A typical student of a typical martial art is typically driven (early on at least) by achieving the next belt/degree, which is why after the 3-6 month mark, probably the biggest drop off point in the number of students is a year or so after they get their black belt. That is characteristic of extrinsically motivated people, i.e. a lot of them in today's consumer societies. Also a common feature of such practitioners is incessant hunt for new techniques and tricks. It is baffling, really, that to this day there are so many people believing the "secret" to greatness of success lies in the material itself, rather than in the person using it. After all, how do we explain the fact that some exponents can successfully pull off techniques others can't make work? As master Rey Galang says during his classes (albeit in the way I paraphrased it, to make it more memorable):

So, yeah, it boils down to elbow grease and dedicated work on the stuff one's instructors are teaching. And then, ask yourself, how much time during the day (if aiming at real competence, you can't allow yourself to think in terms of 2-3 times per week) you can invest in training? Well, how much material do you think one can cover efficiently and meaningfully? Hmmm...does it make sense to collect dozens upon dozens of techniques in that case? 

That brings us to the need and desire for cross training. I belong to the camp that argues for the necessity of such approach, if one is motivated by combative effectiveness in their martial training. The above considerations could be used here as a filter to help you decide which systems/instructors to work with in order to make your skill set compact and functional. Namely, their methods should be complementary, both in terms of fighting ability and training economy. When you can work on things that fit well together, it is easier to approach them in a single act, thus making every minute of practice count. Otherwise, you might be struggling in vain.

Be honest with yourself and it will be easier to be true to your quest. 

Decade of babbling!

 Whoa, it just appeared to me that a month ago it was the 10th anniversary of this blog! Man...who would have thought. Back then, even with the first actual post, my sole intention was to share some personal views and insights into this beautiful, funny, frustrating and consuming world of martial art training. Maybe I was hoping to somehow contribute to improving that very training process a tiny bit. Well, while there is no way to say if the later hopes have been achieved, I sure did keep on sharing those views, thoughts and rants. And got more in return than ever having dreamt of!

Just like it is the case with training itself, the main benefit of writing this blog turned out to be getting to know some really great people and learning infinitely more along the way than possible being able to teach in any way, shape or form. As the matter of fact some true greats found it worthwhile to get in touch and grace me with their time in conversation. Others provided me with the opportunity of actually learning under their guidance on a regular basis. What more could a guy, who happens to be a lifer in the martial arts, ask for?

However, as a complete coincidence, probably the biggest honor that aligned with this anniversary was the invitation to teach along with guro Roger Agbulos during one of his incredibly popular Zoom sessions. As a token of appreciation for all those readers who made running the blog worthy, here is my segment of that session, in all its (in)glorious detail:

The things that I would particularly like you to notice are the interpretation of what good technique actually means in combative arts (at the very beginning of the video), as well as a helpful way to improve one's solo practice and make it more effective. If you get more out of it - take it as bonus! 

In conclusion, it has been an awesome ride... Let's see if we can go for another round! 

Strained training

 A couple of months ago I posted a short video clip on the Astig Lameco group on Facebook, showing one of the possible solutions for a common problem of many novice practitioners, i.e. losing the integrity of the combat stance after a few seconds of dynamic footwork. It showed me doing liner shuffling footwork in a skateboarding park, with one of those low, straight rails between my feet, on a mid-calf level. It caused some great reactions and comments, saying what a great way it is to address the issue.

However, it is nothing new or spectacular. In the coaching practice this approach to training is known as the method of constraints and affordances, and in a nutshell it entails the creation of such training environment that would either prevent the practitioner from making a mistake, or facilitate his achieving the desired outcome, respectively. In this post I will illustrate the former approach. 

We have all been in a situation, either as an instructor or the student, to keep pointing to the same mistake, but to no avail, since it keeps rearing its ugly head time and again. Instead of giving up on the issue or continuing with more of the same in terms of trying to fix it, there is a different, wordless way of dealing with it. How about putting the trainee in a situation where he has no choice but do what you ask of him?

Let's take a very widespread boxing mistake - flaring elbow when executing a jab. In other words, instead of firing the punch down the straight line, there is power leaking because of the crooked trajectory of the elbow during the execution. Here is the visual depiction:

the guard position

mid-phase with elbow sticking out

final phase

The problem with this technique is that if the distance is suddenly shortened in the middle phase of the punch, it will lose so much power that the effect will be negligible. So, the coach has been harping about it constantly, even tried showing the trainee some video footage of his faulty mechanics, but it has all been futile. Well, if we constrain the spatial options that allow for the mistake to be made, it should elicit proper execution from the practitioner. 

In this case, it is done as simply as putting the trainee next to a wall, his lead shoulder almost touching it. And then have him or her doing the technique, first slowly and then faster. 

the guard position

mid-phase, this time without wandering elbow

final phase

That is it! It will take a bit of perseverance, but lot less frustration to get where you want to go. 

The nice thing is that constraints are not limited to technical training. You can develop tactical solutions this way (eg. by limiting the available technical options during sparring; always starting the drill or sparring round from a position that you want to emphasize; taking a limb out of the equation by tying it etc.), as well as many other aspects of combative training. Basically, you start with the problem and reverse-engineer the solution by seeking to see how to disable the undesirable occurrence. 

Prepping properly

On the coattails of my last post, and a couple other ones, how do you prepare beforehand, in order to maximize the benefits from online lessons? Having given it some thought, I decided to take a two-pronged approach: from student's and instructor's perspective. Clearly, though, the two really go hand-in-hand and are complementary. 

As a student, if you do not have prior knowledge of the instructor's teaching style or his material, try to find some info, maybe even address him or her directly with any meaningful questions, if you believe the answers might help you come to the event with improved attitude. If the host allows for the recording of the event for later viewing, go for it! However, regardless of whether they do or don't allow it, have a notebook and pencil(s) within reach, I cannot stress this enough! Having it within easy reach enables you to jot down any instructions or comments that seem particularly significant and/or interesting, since written notes are easier to revisit and reference than video. Possibly even more important is that you can write down any questions that pop to your mind during the class, so you can ask them later, without interrupting the flow of the lesson. 

Mandatory!

Next, typically you will find yourself in one of two situations for the duration of the class - either watching or partaking in the activity. I have done both, and here is some advice... If you are "just" watching (for whatever reason - family issues, time of the day, space etc.) make sure to pay attention to how the participating members are doing. As you listen and look at the instruction, try to see who does a good job of it and who doesn't...and then try to analyze and figure out what the differences are and why, maybe also how the performance should be improved. Essentially, you are trying to think from the instructor's perspective here, thus reinforcing the information you are seeking to retain. Trying to explain something to someone else necessarily strengthens your own understanding of the topic as well. 

If you are the instructor conducting the session, there are some steps that should be taken in order to ensure the class flows more easily and enhance students' understanding of the concepts and principles taught. First and foremost, picking the right subject to work on can make a big difference. Namely, some things are much easier to cover and explain without a partner than some others. For example, developing physical attributes or polishing one's jab or hook in boxing makes more sense when done solo, than working on clinch techniques and tactics. In BJJ, work from the bottom may suffer less in similar circumstances than top game of takedowns. In armed combatives, such as arnis and eskrima, footwork and striking mechanics will suffer much less from solo presentation than disarming or counter for counter drills. So, with presence/absence of partners in mind, think about whether you will need any additional equipment to aid the teaching. If you believe there are some items that would prove helpful, be sure to notify the students about having it ready as well. 

Following that, write down at least a rough outline of the presentation. Even more so than in the real world, fumbling around while trying to think what to do next is plain bad in an online presentation. Besides, when you have a plan, you can spend the first 3-5 minutes of the class giving the overview to the participants, so they may have some context in which to fit your instruction, and it will also lead to more useful and specific questions from them. It is always a very nice touch if the said overview can be sent to the participants either before or during/after the session. 

Finally, if in anyway possible, strive to earmark the final 10 or so minutes of the session as the Q&A portion. The kind of questions you get will tell you a lot about the degree of success with your teaching and student's understanding of it. Some of those questions and suggestions might even provide inspiration for future classes, be it in terms of content of manner of presentation. After all, if you care at all about the students taking your lessons, feedback is a must have aspect. 

I truly hope this gives some useful insights into the issue of online teaching and learning, so that everybody involved may enjoy the process more. Also, if you have any other advice, I would love to hear it! 

Basically fundamental

I was asked on several occasions if I had ever gone to coach a training session without knowing what I would do? In short, the answer is - no! Admittedly, I have appeared in sessions without previously planning the class, more than once. So, how come the answer to the question was negative? Quite simply, there is a super important aspect of training that you can always revisit without feeling guilty... As the matter of fact, if you are not training every day, and making it part of that daily training, you are probably in need of more. It is called - BASICS!

If a man of Virgil Hunter's caliber, coaching champions, stresses the importance of fundamental techniques and tactics, who am I to dispute it? After all, he works with champions and challengers in a tough world of professional boxing, where the failure to train properly is very costly in so many ways.

Now, some may argue that the entire technical arsenal of boxing is rather basic in general, and that other combative systems operate in a more diverse circumstances, hence demanding more variety in training, too. Say, weapon based methods would be like that, right? Well, not exactly. Namely, while the challenges that the practitioners of non-sportive approaches to combat may be of wider scope, effective responses to them are, nonetheless, based on a limited set of mechanical and tactical principles that are best adopted through the diligent practice of those system's basics.

Interestingly enough, most advanced practitioners, and particularly those good in actual fighting, enjoy the constant focus on fundamentals, because they tend to always find new applications and variations of those underlying principles. And it is exactly those novel expressions and applications that make "new and advanced" techniques, but are only possible owing to the incessant drilling of foundations. My main FMA instructor Roger Agbulos keeps repeating his mantra of "advanced techniques being fundamentals done really well", and when you get to spar him, the deep trueness of this sentiment becomes very obvious.

Besides, this attitude is not limited to martial endeavors either. Legendary NFL coach Vince Lombardi is famous for starting the 1961 season with Green Bay Packers by gathering the team and saying: "Gentlemen...this is a football!" Another legendary coach, this time from basketball, John Wooden, would even go so far to teach his players how to put on their socks and tie their shoes.

Finally, there is one important distinction we ought to have in mind. When I rant about fundamentals here, it does not mean the disciplinary methods, i.e. customs and protocols aimed at teaching the students proper etiquette and conduct during classes (not that this is unimportant), but rather the aforementioned tenets and principles that form the technical and tactical groundwork of any given system. And with that in mind, the best way to get to the advanced levels of training is to find joy and pleasure in working on the basics.

In the long term, it is not about how soon you can skip to the next phase, but rather how long you can stay at the same and find it beneficial. 

Pinto Power Points

Every now and then any discussion, whatever the topic may be at the moment, might easily slip into some kind of lament over how “the Internet has ruined human life” and everything now is make-believe etc. Well, it is true that when people did not have as much access to information available they used to spend more time in training and less surfing the ‘Net. However, it is also true that back then you were more or less “sentenced” to training only the things you were aware of. The Internet helped put people in contact much more easily, and open our possibilities when it comes to choosing the right place and instructor.

I somehow ran across Nelson Pinto via Facebook, and he immediately struck a chord with me, due to being extremely enthusiastic about martial arts, both as an instructor and as a student-for-life. It would be insincere to say that I did not see a bit of myself in his attitude, hence the positive predisposition. Pinto’s resume is diverse and can be seen on his website, which is also where you can order the DVD’s reviewed here.

Now, you know how all instructional videos start with a disclaimer of liability and state something along the lines of “not instructional, but for informational purposes only?”  Well, the Pinto Blade and Impact Tactics Empty Hand curriculum, with Level 1 being presented here, is actually the closes I have ever seen to such description. And that is not necessarily a bad thing. You see, Pinto’s material shown is obviously aimed at members of his organization and/or advanced practitioners and instructors looking to introduce new or different stuff in their training sessions.

That said, he runs through the material fairly quickly, without going into much detail (again, see the disclaimer notice), but it enables him to cover a lot of ground within the confines of two DVDs. On top of that, Pinto is a very lively and energetic presenter, and it makes the whole watching experience more interesting. I especially liked that he opens the presentation with a subject that is often neglected, i.e. creating opportunities for attack. That is a conceptual subject that can be put to use via several approaches, such as stops, fakes, traps, distractions (VERY good treatise on some aspects here, i.e. how to throw the distracting objects for optimum effect), and footwork, as particularly noteworthy.

Next, the presentation covers 30 basic strikes of BIT curriculum, followed by how to work them on focus-mitts, again with some great insights here. From there, Pinto goes into kicks, partner drills and combinations, with more relevant pointers along the way.

The second DVD moves to the segment about the counters to opponent’s attacks, and later includes more kicks, basic joint manipulations and overall tactical concepts applicable across different physical tools.

It bears mentioning here that one of the high points of these videos is seeing the instructor demonstrates the curriculum against a much larger partner, thus giving more credibility to the material offered.

Nelson Pinto

With all of the above positive features in mind, the possible downsides might be the “home-made” vibe to the production, although both picture and sound quality are just fine, but it is not the professional studio and lighting setting. Personally, I like that the democratization of video instruction has provided the insight into so many people’s ways of work, but some may object, depending on their expectations. The same goes for another trait – Pinto often talks without facing the camera, but he is clearly heard and easy to understand nonetheless.

In conclusion, this is a very good set with good stuff on it, especially if you are looking for a fresh view and approach to some tried and proven material, so that working on it may be done with a new spark of interest. And that in my experience, is always a good thing. 

Fit for seminar frenzy, part 1

As usually is the case with approaching summer, many practitioners from martial art circles are planning for some of the seminars they are going to attend during the season. Are you properly prepared for the events you are aiming at? And by being properly prepared I don not mean physical fitness (not for the purposes of this post, anyway), but rather in terms of making sure you get the most benefit from the experience.

In broadest strokes, there are two wide categories of seminars you may want to attend, depending on what you seek to find there: 1. trying a new/different art or system for the first time; or 2. trying a new instructor or new material in the system you are already training in. Whichever of these two cases may be at hand, you will be exposed to one of the two possible approaches to what is being presented, and these could have great impact on whether you will be happy about the experience afterward.

Learning new techniques and tactics is one of the two avenues. As it seems to me, this is also the prevailing approach, for several reasons. For example, it is suitable for catering to all levels of practitioners, both beginners and advanced. To the former it gives a view of bigger picture, thus possibly helping them better understand the journey they have undertaken; to the latter it can offer some "refreshment" and boost some new enthusiasm into their training. The techniques/tactics approach also suits the people from other arts well, as it can provide (depending on the instructor) relevant insight into the nature and dynamics of the system displayed at the seminar.

Learning about the different methodology of training is the other way. Seminars of this sort are probably more appropriate for experienced trainees, as they have the necessary background to understand and appreciate the information. Also, this approach is better suited for the practitioners from the same or related/similar systems, who would like to see how other instructors treat same subjects. You can profit from them even if you are from an unrelated system, nevertheless, if you are able to analyze the material in terms of principles and concepts, not necessarily taking it at the face value.

Both approaches are good and valuable if you know how to appreciate them. I remember, back in my taekwondo days, as a red/brown belt, attending the seminar conducted by a top-caliber competitor, multiple European champion, world and Olympic medalist, and failing to fully recognize the worth of what was shown. Namely, prior to the event I had expected to learn the new techniques, combos, tactics...while he actually spent the weekend detailing his method of training for the best results. It only dawned on me a couple years later, as I started coaching competitors myself. Therefore, it would be ideal if you knew upfront what you are looking for, as it would help you make the right choice of the seminars you wish to join.

In either case, you would be well advised to take ample notes both during and after the event. What I like to do is write a short title and description for every activity taught, and then fill in with additional, more detailed description at the end of the day (ideally within an hour after the end of the session). My experience is that this greatly help the retention of the information. By all means, ask questions, but make sure they are relevant to the teachings of the day, in order for everyone involved to gain some benefits from the answers. Please, refrain form asking for instructor's opinions of other styles and/or instructors, as well as from offering your own unsolicited opinions and views, particularly if they are argumentative in nature. These are better left for later, if there is the opportunity to hang out with the instructor in an informal environment.

How about filming the seminar? I am not against it, but it seems that the written notes yield better results. This may be due to the inclination to rely on the footage as the means of memorization and recall, consequently paying less attention to the instruction at the very moment it is being offered. Besides, having to come up with more details and clarifications following the training forces you to go through the exercises and rills at least once more in your mind, while it is still fresh, hence further reinforcing the process of memorization. 

Cross domain teaching of understanding

As practitioners of martial arts, or combative disciplines if you prefer to call it that way, we strive to achieve the best possible command of the technical tools we use in such endeavors. Saying the full mastery of techniques could be somewhat presumptuous, but that would be the goal to aim for. But, how do we know when our technical understanding is on a satisfactory level? Don’t’ you love it when answers come from unexpected places?

I guess we all seek to find the right criteria and diagnostic approaches to find an answer to that question, especially so if we’re instructors and wish to monitor the progress among our trainees. Well, after years of building some resemblance of a coherent set of criteria, I got an excellent, almost ready-made measurement “filter” from my music teacher Anthony Wellington. Ant is a superb instructor with solid curriculum and great pedagogy when working with his students. So, he told me that a person learning some piece of music needs to have four dimensions of understanding in place, in order to attain the full command of what they’re working on: intellectual, visual, aural and tactile. 

From this...

What he said immediately struck a chord with me, as it only took a slight modification to apply the same reasoning to one’s training in any kind of fight training. 

...to this!

Since the aural grasp is not so much pertinent for our purposes here, the domains we need to get a grip of are the following:

-          Intellectual;

-          Visual;

-          Tactile-outgoing;

-          Tactile-incoming.

Intellectual understanding, basically, means the ability to explain (verbally) what is required of a practitioner who is performing an action. The less you need to resort to the physical demonstration, the better. Also, it entails being able to explain why the thing are done the way they are done.

Visual understanding, as you probably presume, means being capable of understanding what is going on when you see a technical maneuver in action. For example, if you’re watching a boxing or grappling match and have no “what has just happened?” moments. The lack in this domain is typically why the grand majority of lay persons find BJJ or other grappling types of fights confusing and boring.

Tactile-outgoing sphere is developing the feel for the right technique. When it is accomplished, you don’t even need anybody to watch and comment your performance, or analyzing the video footage, to tell you that some details of your technique are flawed, or what needs to be worked on. Also, such tactile awareness helps you adapt to the actions of your opponent/training partner. However, even if well developed, this field of tactile insight is still just one side of the coin, hence the need for…

Tactile-incoming perception, which is how I call the ability to figure out what is going on and how it is done, while you are on the receiving end of a maneuver. This is especially important for some of the more intricate holds and tactics, especially in clinching, grappling and similar situations. I love being the demo dummy (or uke for the more traditionally oriented people out there) during seminars and regular training sessions[1], for this exact reason.

Four-pronged approach to understanding

Naturally, the best learning situations are those in which a few or all of those aspects are accessible. Let’s take the example of a seminar. Ideally, the instructor conducting the session would be highly eloquent (but not a logorrhea-suffering type) and well-articulated with his explanations, as well as able to answer the questions accurately and succinctly. Also, his demonstration of whatever technical actions would be clear and well executed, while the participants would have a good an unobstructed view of the action, maybe even from more than one angle. Next, the said participants would then have ample time and opportunity to practice executing the techniques on more than one partner, but also to feel those techniques being applied on them.

Over time, the four domains of understand start melting together, thus enabling a more holistic understanding. I mentioned before my inclination to serve as the dummy for technical demonstrations. At this stage I have developed enough kinesthetic and proprioceptive perception to make it possible for me to see the action being done with my “inner eye”, while having it executed on me. On the other hand, seeing it done with someone else (or maybe on video) often elicits certain physical sensations in the parts of the body that would be affected by the hold in question. Sometimes the same goes while hearing a good explanation from a good instructor. You get the picture….

Hopefully, this article will help other practitioners and instructors in doing more efficient analysis of their training and spend less time trying to figure out what is going on and how to proceed with it. Have in mind that developing this level of understanding takes time and the process needs to be engaged again many times, when encountering new and unfamiliar type of moves and techniques.

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[1] Of course, if the instructor at hand is not of a sadistic predisposition and/or prone to inflicting injuries and hurting people just to stroke his ego or prove something.