Choosing chances

 Probably one of the most common points of contention among martial artists and fight game practitioners (and even more so among the many couch experts and keyboard warriors) is the old saying "that will never work in a real fight". Quite often, such comments essentially stem from good intentions, but the subsequent debate may spiral out of control. The issue here is the lack of actual criteria in defining what it means for a technique/maneuver to work, what is a real fight, or even what does never truly mean.

For the purpose of this article, let's describe the real fight as an encounter where the participants fully strive to hinder or prevent the realization of the other side's ideas, while simultaneously imposing their own, as well as accomplishing whatever is their desired outcome. Please note that there is no mention of presence or absence of rules, number of participants, or any other circumstances that would imply the categories of sport, street, battlefield etc. 

The next notion - work - is easier, if it simply means "achieving the desired effect". So, it is not the matter of doing it as a complete set of motions, but rather of affecting the opponent in a way that reduces their chance of emerging victorious. 

Finally, the span or rigor of never is...well, flexible. Sometimes somebody will manage to pull off a technique that nobody else has done before, and a lot of commentators will then hang onto it as the ultimate proof of the said technique's effectiveness, although it may have been a fluke or never happening again. On the other hand, it could actually been a workable move from a competent exponent that simply no one has attempted to do before in earnest (think head kicks in MMA before Maurice Smith), but the naysayers will insist it was a lucky strike. 

This is where the notion of high percentage material comes in. Just like the label indicates - it is a maneuver that works more often that it doesn't. Now, there might be a whole bunch of reasons for it to succeed at one time and fail at another, but it seems to me that the main leverage point is the current readiness and level of the person on the receiving end. Let's take a look at this example:

The fact that the contestants are engaged in a full contact stick duel without head gear dictates different fight dynamics than otherwise, but the overall image of a Dog Brother event is still present. At 1:50 in the clip, the veteran fighter Eric Top Dog Knaus does the entry under the roof block that has served him countless times in over three decades of full contact fights. His choice of opportunity is excellent, too, being that his opponent is almost back against the wall, i.e. with no space to maintain the distance. However, Mr. Johnson on the other side does a brilliant job of sideways movement to evade the force of the attack, while still maintaining close enough distance to control the fight from that point and end it in his favor. 

What can we learn here? Several things... For one, the fact that something has worked consistently for you a hundred times is not a guarantee of the 101st. On the other side of the coin, even if something has failed consistently so far, but happens to be the only viable option in a given moment - go for it! Interestingly enough, there is a dualistic trend in fight training - once the high percentage offensive techniques are identified, there is a strong focus on defenses against those, which then become high percentage defensive techniques that do not deny the high percentage status to the offensive ones! This is why I highlighted the factor of the person on the other side. 

The bottom line is, your training can cover all of the bases if you put adequate priorities on its various elements, and in line with your big picture training goals. You "just" have to work on it.

Starting points

 On the coattails of the previous post, regardless of whether you care about ranks or not, all good training is based on firm foundations. Now, there are various aspects of what constitutes foundational materials and principles, especially when talking about loose terms such as Filipino Martial Arts, i.e. something that sounds relatively homogenous, but isn't so in practice.

Nevertheless, with enough digging and analysis, there are elements that most practitioners would possibly agree on. Here is a fairly good example of such work:

The Basics of Filipino Mart... by Dexter James

I hope you find it worthy of your time, whether you agree on all of its points or not. After all, it can be a good initial position to compare your own views with. 

Rocky road to ranking

 Over the past few months I have attended a couple of ranking exams in martial arts, performed online. Back in the 1990's, when I first became aware of various long-distance learning/training programs, done via VHS, I was wondering how much sense did it make. On the one hand, it seemed to me that the logistics were a serious challenge, but on the other - there were plenty of embarrassing tests conducted and ranks awarded in the direct, face to face situations. 

Over time, I came to the conclusion that it boils down to the seriousness of the system/organization and integrity of the instructors who do the testing. I remember deliberately postponing my black belt test in Taekwondo, so that I could take it under a Korean instructor known for strict standards. After spending almost an hour doing the required techniques, forms, breaking and sparring, the whole experience had much more meaning, especially having in mind that he actually failed three candidates out of dozen or so that day. 

Later, when I got involved with different, less formal systems, the entire notion of belts and ranks seemed redundant and needless. But is it so?

Means to an end, or goal itself?

Obviously, when a person is into training for the passion and for the joy of the activity itself, the rank is something of a side-effect, if considered at all. I liked the practice of some instructors I trained under, who would occasionally award ranks, completely announced, on unsuspecting students, based on their regular effort, performance and achievement, without extrinsic motivation. 

However, it took some time for me to understand that there are people who start in martial arts with what I would consider "laughable" aims of chasing belts, but actually grow into training and develop more of intrinsic goals, be it the level of performance, technical performance, discipline and character building, competitive success etc. 

Having children in training is particularly susceptible to this kind of approach, in the terms of valid strategy, although it is certainly not the only one proven to be available. Still, training kids also tends to be the environment where the rank can be rendered meaningless. I mean, with all due respect, what exactly is the rationale behind 6-year-old black belts?

???

Naturally, there will always be schools and instructors reputed as diploma mills, but let's not get bogged in that discussion. Instead, here are some reasons I see as relevant for conducting actual testing for rank. 

First, there are some fighting arts (iai-do, kenjutsu, many kung fu styles...) that simply do not include any kind of external pressure on the practitioners, aside from the possible tough instructor, and preparing for the test could provide that extra edge in their training. 

Next, sometimes the school or training group is affiliated with an instructor that is only able to visit periodically, and testing (usually attached to a seminar) is the only way to gain pertinent insight into someone's level, hence the rank actually serving as feedback for them to evaluate their effort thus far.

Finally, in case of rank tests that are open for public, it can be a good opportunity for the school to show and/or confirm its standards and legitimacy their trainees' work in the world where there is too much marketing and advertising, with scarcity of tangible evidence of quality. Typically, BJJ schools are a good example of how ranking and belts can be meaningful and worthy of respect. 

In the end, let's go back to the beginning. The online tests that I attended were well done - the instructors were demanding and helpful at the same time, while the candidates had taken it seriously and were well prepared to go through almost two-hour event, in order to demonstrate being worthy of the rank. Again, it boils down to the integrity of the entity presenting the ranks, and when that criterion is up to level, the quality of its representatives is almost guaranteed. 

Reading Tactics

 In one's quest for learning more about the endless aspects of combative behavior, it is probably safe to say that in the absence of personal contact and instruction, video format is the next best thing...if done properly, of course. However, over the past 30+ years my preference for the books has remained unwavering. Why?, you may ask. Well, while video certainly does better in depicting the technicalities of HOW and WHAT IF in various fighting scenarios, the good old books (and the new electronic ones, actually) are simply superior i discussing the deeper, and more universal, levels of human violence and all its domains. This is why my reviews of the martial art related literature has been focusing on such works, and this time we have another one that easily qualifies for my Top 10 list.

If you have had any interest for knife-related material within the scope of personal protection, the name of Tom Sotis should probably at least ring a bell. Namely, he is one of the pioneers in the field of developing and teaching "knifing" as the platform for the more general fighting skill. As the founder of AMOK! he has thought hundreds of seminars around the world and tested his material where very few others dared trying. Fortunately, besides seminars and training camps, his hands-on training methods are accessible for the general public through the AMOK! website, while its underlying philosophical foundations and experiences that had lead to its establishing are brilliantly presented in the book The Way of Tactics: a Manifesto of Invincibility.

The book is divided into three parts, each covering one of the intertwined building blocks of Sotis' methodology.

The first part is comprised of a couple dozen biographical episodes, which serve, as it seems to me, a two-fold purpose: providing the reader with contextual background from which the author's teachings have grown; and highlighting specific life lessons gained from those events, since they make the fabric of his higher, meta level material. Now, the fragments of author's life may not be as extreme as with some others, but he certainly did thread a path that not may people do, and it is obvious that his authority as a teacher/instructor/coach is as authentic as it gets, and you can take his word or trust his judgment on the subjects in the book. 

The second part is what I found to be the most valuable portion, and which I keep re-reading often. Here, Sotis gives an extremely thorough and methodical presentation of the material indicated by the title on the cover. Many authors have offered their take on the importance of strategy and tactics in combat training (frequently using the two terms interchangeably), but none comes even close to this book. Unlike them, Sotis has a highly analytical approach to step-by-step exposition of the ideas he wants to convey, and manages to do it in a superbly clear and logical way. From the trainee's inner values as the ground for strategies, through tactics used for the accomplishment of what he calls (and describes in a precise fashion) the best possible outcome, the author takes the readers on the tour of dealing with possible conflicts in their pre-engagement, engagement and post-engagement phases. Along the way he provides excellent insights into the tools for assessment, protocols, preparation, managing fear, and a whole host of other precious lessons regarding mental and physical pillars in one's training. 

Although the third part of the book is titled Application, it has nothing to do with photos showing physical movements, techniques etc. Instead, this is where we see how the material from the first two parts is processed and used in planning, organizing and running a training process in the functional manner. This also where Sotis gives his views on the common pitfalls of most martial training organizations and how he manages to avoid them within his own. It is important not only from the standpoint of practicality, but also from the perspective of supporting the arguments for the structures explained earlier and purported as the backbone of effective training. 

I have to say, having followed Sotis' work to the best of my ability since his earliest appearance on the Internet in the late 1990s, my expectations of the book were VERY high, and yet, he has overcome them by a large margin. The bottom line is, if you are involved in fight training for any reason other than the ethnological study reasons or the quick money making, you cannot afford to skip this book. Yes, it is so important that if you only buy one instructional item over the next five years - make it this one! 

Q&A...not!

 Students will have questions. Of course, that is an essential part of being a student. As the matter of fact, instructors will have questions, too! One may even argue that as long as you train, you will be looking for answers to one question or another. But, not all questions or answers are created equal! 

The point here is not in the "dumb" questions people ask every once in a while, because hey don't know any better or are too lazy to just think about it it, or try it on their own. As an instructor there are two particularly challenging situations you are probable to experience sooner or alter in your work, regarding answering your trainees' requests. 

The first is when they have a questions, but you don't have an answer. In itself, that is not unusual, we all have seen experts in various fields being in a similar position here and there. However, younger and fresh instructors are often stressed by this and tempted to come up with an ad hoc solution, to save their face. Here and there, depending on the person asking and the nature of the inquiry, such approach may work, especially if the teacher is skilled with words. It is OK, if the predicament pushes you to actually look into subject afterwards to see how to deal with the same question if it pops up again. Then again, if you are lazy or don't care about students' questions (in which case you shouldn't be an instructor) it could look like an easy way out and lead to complacency...in which case you are setting yourself for the other scenario. You get the question and try to wing it, but the answer is unsatisfactory and they let you know it. Now, this IS embarrassing, especially if you don't know how to handle it.

 My experience though, as a long time martial arts instructor and school teacher, says it is far better to be honest about it. Say you don't know the answer, but promise to have it by the next training session. Moreover, make it a challenge for everybody in the class, and then spend the portion of the next meet in offering/comparing the solutions. BUT - make sure to do your homework! Others may or may not accept the challenge and seek the answers, but you have to. It will show those training with you that you are an honest and thoughtful instructor who really cares about their needs and do everything you do in their best interest. 

The second situation is probably even more delicate, and something that grand majority of instructors, unfortunately, had to deal with somewhere along their path. There is this kind of student, usually the one who ask most questions anyway, while also being the biggest slacker when actually training. Typically, he or she will approach you with a question, maybe even a good and important one, and when you gladly answer it - it is not the answer they were hoping for. All your great arguments, brilliant reasoning, host of evidence and concrete hands-on demonstration will be futile. Such people have predetermined outcomes in their minds, and as far as they are concerned - you are wrong! By the way, this occurrence is more typical of seminars than regular classes. 

Well, what do you do then? I am afraid the answer is - it depends. You maybe dealing with an otherwise nice and pleasant person who doesn't present any harm to the atmosphere in the group or detriment to the quality of the overall training. If so, ask to hear their opinion (and reasoning, if available), kindly nod your head and say you'll give it some thought. Usually that dissolves the situation and everybody can proceed with their work. 

On the other hand, should you have on your hands a person who keeps pestering you with incessant questions and disputing everything you say or do, there is no choice but to drop them from the group. Again, depending on the context, it can be done politely or harshly. If it is a group situation at all, I would suggest that the person at hand cannot be best served in such environment and offer to give them private lessons. And if it is a private client in the first place...well, maybe the money is good enough to put up with their act, but I would probably say it is evident I wasn't the best instructor for their needs, probably just holding their progress back, and strongly suggest they look for training elsewhere. 

Oh, and if you are a student!? Please, please, please!!! Be mindful of what are you asking and why, i.e. what are you trying to gain from the answer. If looking for a sincere response from the instructor, then take it and give it at least some thought and/or practice with the advice, before asking for clarification or voicing your dissatisfaction with it, should that be the case. Sure, if you are paying for the instruction, you deserve the best effort from the instructor. He or she may or may not be what you are looking for, and that's fine, but it doesn't give you the right to harass them. They may not be aware of their shortcomings, maybe being erroneous in the best of intentions, so it would be better to present your concerns in a one-on-one conversation first. And if it just doesn't work...walk away, don't waste your time and money in a place that makes you frustrated while failing to offer anything worthwhile in return. In any case, the conflict shouldn't be about who is right, but rather about what it the right thing to do. 

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! 

Study merger

With the pandemic, social distancing and lockdown still ongoing, it has become pretty much normal to study fighting methods via Zoom and/or similar online avenues. Naturally, it will never be the same as training in person, but there are some advantages - such as actually getting to learn from instructors that had previously been simply unavailable due to geographic constraints etc. 

Now, there are some ways to maximize the learning experience. Of course, the optimal version is to have had personal, hands on, training with the instructor doing the online teaching, as in my situation is the case with Roger Agbulos. In those circumstances, I know exactly what he means when saying or showing something (be it a technique or principle), so the retention is higher. Especially so with his able coaching, even via online video platforms. 

Short of that, it helps to have access to different formats of someone's instruction. In my case, this is intertwined with the aforementioned opportunity to try instruction from someone who had been out of reach before. For quite a few years I have been aware of the FMA instructor Abundio (Abon) Baet, especially having read a couple of his books. The material in the books is nicely presented, with interesting info about his family lineage and several methods/styles that comprise his system, called Garimot Arnis. I was particularly intrigued by his book on Cinco Teros style, as it seemed to portray that specific style in most detail and with some logical learning progression. 

This one

However, as good as the presentation is, still photos and written descriptions obviously cannot carry over all the details and intricacies of a martial activity. Fortunately, it turns out that Gat Puno Baet (as happens to be his title within the art), offers a Facebook group in which all the drills from the book are shown in video (done solo), and then supported with periodical Zoom session, during which he demonstrates and explains in detail the previously selected and assigned drills from those shown. His explanations are then followed by critical, yet encouraging coaching and evaluation of other participants' performance in the live session. 

As it turns out, Gat Puno Baet is at the same time demanding instructor with a keen eye for detail, but also cordial and easy going in communication. He talks openly about his attitude and expectations from the students, with no hidden agendas or ulterior motives.  Oh, and he was highly approving of guro Agbulos, too 😊  For anyone interested, I would recommend contacting him on Facebook to ask about training in this or any other subsystems of his art.

The combined approach of studying material in the book (most helpful with terminology, if you are interested in the cultural aspect of training), recorded videos and live sessions makes the whole learning experience as enjoyable as can be. All that remains is to then put it to practice between those sessions as well. 

In conclusion, the pandemic and isolation certainly do have negative effect on everybody's training, but there is still silver lining to be found. My experience with Garimot Cinco Teros and Abon Baet is great proof in the case. So, not only are there no excuses for slacking, but you could even enrich your training in some domains, if only you chose to do so.