The way you train is the way you fight

Sunday, January 17, 2010

The way you train is the way you fight

Training in any type of martial art for the purpose of self defence requires certain attributes to be nurtured, harvested, continually improved upon and maintained at the appropriate times.

If the martial artist doing all this training is going to have any real chance of defending themselves in a self defence situation using the skills of their chosen martial art.

While having a good theoretical technical base through the understanding of the principles and mechanics of the basics in the system is a big requirement.

And having a good practical base of applying these basics through solo performance, percussion (impact training) and partner drills is ranked very highly at most good martial arts schools and clubs, is it not enough to prepare the martial artist for real violent street encounters.

What do I mean? picture this for a minute,

We have a young and healthy muay thai stylist who has been training in the basics of the system, he has good fitness and good technical technique on the heavy bag and during pad work, he also engages in very light sparring (sometimes to the point of non contact) in partner drills, that is the sparring is so light that they don't even bruise each other.

Or

We have a young and healthy judoka who has been training in the basics of the system, he has good fitness and good technical technique during kata and randori practice, the type of randori practice he engages in is very mild, on most occasions they don't follow through just in case the partner is injured.

The above examples could apply to savate, karate, boxing, mma, silat, kung fu, JKD, Filipino martial arts etc. in other words to all known martial arts asian or western.

The point I'm trying to make here is that even though the judoka and the muay thai stylist have reached a certain basic level in their chosen art, its really not enough for them to be able to defend themselves on the street in a real violent encounter.

What is missing?

Well in my opinion if reaching a good basic level as described above is the cake, then we only need two more ingredients for the icing.

1. Aliveness
2. Non complaint partners

These two ingredients will round of the martial artist and will definitely give him/her the ability to be able to protect him/her self in a self defence situation.

How will you ever know whether your techniques will work when you are under pressure if you never train this way, building up your theoretical and practical level is one thing, applying them under pressure is another.

Both are important to complete the training and to instill self confidence in ones own ability.

Please don't misunderstand me, I'm not suggesting that we go training and beat the crap out of each other, that can be had at any night club with a history of violence for no membership fee, the aliveness and non complaint partner drills don't even have to be at a competition level, but they must be there.

Training without aliveness and non complaint partners doesn't really prepare you for the real world.

Karate kumite with aliveness and non complaint partners