Newsletter 980
Martial Arts Elements for Survival
The Martial Arts elements that are necessary for survival are three.
The first martial art element is strength.
The forms and training will give one lots of strength. The stances are squats and lunges, and you will do hundreds of them during a class. Further, you will have real body resistance in your techniques when doing them with a partner, which will also aid your strength.
Strength, however, is not the most important attribute you should seek in the martial arts.
The second martial arts element is speed.
Speed comes from repeating movements endlessly. This repetitiveness will build a ‘zen’ frame of mind. One learns how to empty the mind sufficient to do the technique, to build more speed.
Obviously, speed is important when one is fighting; one needs to be faster than the other fellow, faster than the incoming punch or kick.
Interestingly, speed can lead to power, but strength does not necessarily lead to speed.
Speed, while an important second attribute, is not the most important element of the martial arts.
The third element is technique.
Technique is knowing how fast, how slow, how close, how far, how strong, how weak, how fast, how slow, and so on.
It is the appreciation of space around the body.
It is understanding what a punch (or kick) is, what it is comprised of, how it is built and delivered.
While some people may have a natural ability when it comes to speed or strength, there is no natural ability when it comes to technique. Learning the techniques of a fighting discipline, such as karate or jujitsu or kung fu takes time. And it takes time to improve them. And even more importantly, for those who are serious about learning a fighting discipline, the study of techniques will easily occupy a lifetime. Or three.
So the three characteristics that one should occupy himself/herself with in the martial arts are speed, power and technique. And of the three, technique is always the most important. Technique is the measure of a person, the measure of an art, and it is this study of space and time that makes the martial arts one of the most enjoyable activities in the universe.
Here’s the obligatory link to improve all three elements of the martial arts…
Have a great and technically perfect work out!
Al
A WIN!
Hello Master Al
The Master Instructor Course has taught me to competently teach proper posture and changing positon by being perfectly balanced in natural stances. To impart energy most effeciently by implementing CBM.
Thank you for teaching me to utilize the proper powers in the correct manner which in turn has caused me to be more confident in all of life.
Sincerely, Lori S
“Art calls for complete mastery of techniques,
developed by reflection within the soul.”
– Bruce Lee
