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November 15, 2016

A Good Training Partner Is Hard to Find

There you are. . .

At your first seminar with a big, important Sensei. . .

Once you enter the dojo, you start to size up the Karate folk around you—wondering what rank they are, how long they’ve trained and with whom.

Then. . .

The Sensei says “Partner up!”

You look around at your options and you think. . .

“That partner looks too hard. . .”

“That partner might also be too hard. . .”

“That partner looks too soft. . .”

“Ah. . . That partner looks juuuuust riiiight!”

But somebody stole them!

Suddenly, you’re paired with the 6’7” 400lb reincarnation of King Kong! Which might be fine for some things, but not necessarily the best-case scenario for learning throws or ground work, especially when you’re significantly smaller.

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Sure, you don’t always have a choice on who you partner with, but if you did have the choice, who would be the ideal partner to get the most out of your training?

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1. They’re better than you are and challenge you in the right way.

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If possible, you want to work with someone who is better than you are and can pick up on your mistakes. They won’t allow you to get away with being lazy or doing things incorrectly.  If you do something wrong, they call you on it. They know how to build you up from passive resistance to aggressive resistance.

2. They’re a similar size.

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When first learning a new exercise or principle, it’s ideal to be able to focus on execution alone without any further barriers which can arise with someone who is a lot bigger or smaller than you are. For example, if you’re working with someone taller than you, it can sometimes be hard to find the right leverage when their limbs are so much longer.

3. They are trying to learn (Not Compete!)

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They’re not trying to prove themselves, but to IMPROVE themselves and appreciate the learning process. They work WITH you through the learning process, rather than use you as means to impress the head Sensei or make themselves look good and feel better about themselves.

4. They have good hygiene

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I realize this one is a little strange. But, we all know it’s true! The last person anyone wants to work with is the guy who hasn’t washed his gi in a week, has bad breath or hasn’t clipped their finger and toenails.

5. They have fun!

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If you’re not having a good time, what’s the point? The best partners don’t just know how to work hard, but have fun and laugh at their mistakes.

This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t work with different sizes, ages and levels; there’s plenty of value in doing so and should be included in the training process, which I touch on in Lady Looks In a Mirror – Part 1.

However, in the initial learning stage of any technique or concept, especially if you have a full day of training ahead of you, it’s best to have a partner who can push you to improve in a way that is both fun and safe.

So, choose wisely!

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October 3, 2016

Dojo Disillusionment

The martial arts world attracts strong egos, big politics and more drama than a high school play.

Maybe, someone received a rank that you felt they didn’t deserve or someone of high esteem lacks what martial arts writer Dave Lowry calls “moral stamina.” Perhaps, there’s constant gossip and you hear more about the people training than about the skills you should be mastering.

Because of this, at some point, you may feel disillusioned and disheartened. You might even have the urge to quit and think “I don’t need this drama in my life. If this is what the martial arts attract, why am I still doing this?”

That is the question, isn’t it? Why am I doing this?

Japanese martial arts have been likened to a path. As many of us know, the term “do” is attached at the end of martial arts, like Judo and Kendo, that means “the way.” This suggests that the martial arts is a journey that goes beyond the cultivation of physical skill, and hones both mind and spirit.

There are many things that attract us to the martial arts when we first begin our journey. Some pursue the martial arts for self-defense, physical fitness, to avoid boredom and even just for a sense of community.

But, there’s something beyond physical reasons that makes us return to the dojo time and time again. It’s an intangible, not qualified by how hard you kick or the belt you wear.

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Something more. . .

Something deeply personal. . .

Something else. . .

It’s the calm that radiates through the dojo when you’re the first and only person in there practicing.

It’s the final breath of your kata, when you know it’s the best you’ve ever done it, but bow with the knowledge it will never, ever be perfect.

It’s the effortlessness in which someone slams to the floor when you get a throw JUST right.

It is the moments that lie between aggression and tranquility. A harmonious combination of our most animal nature with our greatest serenity that paradoxically brings us into a frame of being that transcends words and our human imperfections.

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An internal stillness propelled by breath and what I call a “return to centre.”

It’s sometimes easy for our compass to become skewed in the mist of frivolous nonsense that seeps into our practice brought on by human inadequacies.

So, when you lose your way along the path, focus on the most basic of human functions, breathe and return to centre.

It’s in that moment you realize there was no trick of the light. . .

No magical unveiling. . .

And, there was no illusion to begin with.

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February 22, 2016

Review: Project 16 Hand Positioning

“Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought.” – Matsuo Basho

It is these words of Matsuo Basho that come to mind after watching Koryu Uchinadi Kyoshi Ante Brännbacka’s first video on hand positioning from his Project 16 series.

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Using the Koryu Uchinadi mindset of classical tradition with contemporary insight, as well as the Japanese maxim of 精力善用 (“Seiryoku Zenyou” – maximum efficiency with minimum effort), Kyoshi Brännbacka’s instructional video breaks down positioning in a self-defense situation while categorizing your options to defend and counter single hand attacks.

Kyoshi Brännbacka takes you through the learning process by demonstrating each position. The number sixteen of Project 16 represents the different hand positions you can have. You can be on the inside or outside of the attacker’s hands. The attacks can be to the upper and lower level while you use either left or right hand to defend.

From here, he provides added counters creating a simple, efficient and effective standing flow drill to help learners recognize and retain defenses against strikes to the body.

But the fun doesn’t stop there!

The video goes on to demonstrate exits to escape the flow drill with an emphasis on practicality while utilizing leg strikes and takedowns.

Be sure to pay attention to Sensei Ante’s tips to make each technique more effective.

He then takes the drill to another level by integrating the set ups of the takedowns into the original flow drill. This can aid in the memorization of the corresponding exit to each hand position without having to repeatedly take your partner down. At the same time, it increases repetition and helps students learn to switch from one technique to the next—an important skill to have in the event things don’t go as planned.

Review Project 16 Hand Positioning

Kyoshi Brännbacka emphasizes the importance of stepping outside the drill by using the exits as taught in the video, but also encourages adding your own flare by integrating other techniques you have learned elsewhere and slowly adding aggressive resistance to reach the ultimate goal of functional spontaneity.

In the final stages of the video, Kyoshi Brännbacka demonstrates the corresponding solo exercise (the kata). The kata is a simple way to practice the drill in the event you don’t have another person to work with. Kyoshi maintains one shouldn’t just practice the drill aimlessly. In order to gain the benefits of the solo exercise you need to visualize the application you are practicing. He adds that kata is a great opportunity to perfect body mechanics and alignment and should be a representation of a perfectly executed plan.

His systematic analysis of positioning provides a fresh look at how to address strikes in a hand-to-hand combat scenario. If you’re looking for a new way to analyze self-defense situations, this is the video for you!

Be sure to watch out for Kyoshi Ante Brännbacka’s other videos for more great content!

But, don’t take my word for it.

See Kyoshi Ante Brännbacka in action now!