Bored!

A post by Littlefair: Practice, practice, practice... has a great piece of advice:

When I feel myself drifting off during lessons I like to focus using this idea of always checking form and movement, getting feedback from my body and knowing that I'm staying on the path.

Like many people, once I have achieved basic competence in a skill, and can do it "without thinking", my mind tends to wander off as I go through the motions. I may even feel a little bored ...

But what martial arts has taught me is that this is usually the first plateau in learning. Looking back, I struggled to get to this point, and am relieved to have gotten even this far. Perhaps I am a little drained from the effort, and need time to consolidate.

Looking forward there are many more challenges to come. Littlefair's tip is one way to open up the training and to start exploring sensitivity, details and principles.

Nowadays, with a busy life, going through the same routines that I have followed for years is less frustrating and often somewhat comforting (like slipping on a comfortable old pair of gloves). But it is also exciting, because I no longer take my competence for granted, and know that with a bit of creativity I can exploit my familiarity as a starting point for a fresh climb into further learning and understanding.

Practice, practice, practice...

I love the following quote from Musashi. This idea of constantly appraising technique and striving gives me great focus. When I feel myself drifting off during lessons I like to focus using this idea of always checking form and movement, getting feedback from my body and knowing that I'm staying on the path.

It's also interesting to see Musashi talk about the 'chosen' art-in a general way. Although he famously was a (two sworded) swordsman he encouraged training in other arts. I like to think that you can be a warrior in any artform where technical accuracy and physical discipline is present: art, flower arranging, karate ...

"Practice is the only way you will ever come to understand the Way of the Warrior is about. Constant striving for perfection of the self through the chosen art is the only path to enlightenment. Words can only bring you to the foot of the path, and to attain mastery and perfection you must constantly strive to better yourself through an understanding of your chosen Way."

Musashi's Book of Five Rings By Stephen F. Kaufman, Musashi Miyamoto.

Check out an interview of Kaufman here.

Front kick, ahp chagi, mae geri

I was enjoying another impromptu garden session the other day and I found myself practicing and studying front kick. My kempo teacher introduced me to an interesting (but probably not new) concept of following through front kick with shoulders 'cocked' in their original starting position so that upon landing you are ready to deliver a powerful punch. Below the mannequin kicks off the rear left leg keeping left shoulder back, lands forward onto left leg and can then rotate body round to deliver effectively a reverse punch (although it is off the front leg technically)

I measured the distance from my front toe to the effective target which for me was 80cm.



The second option I was playing with was the good old reverse front kick, powerfully delivered. Follow-up punches weren't as powerful as above but can be very rapid. Effective distance from front toe to target was 110cm.





Lastly I practiced a lunge kick with a hopping step: this involves a regular front kick from the back leg, as above with much power and forward momentum which 'hops' you forward into the target. As can be expected this thrusts you forward more than the previous two techniques and my measurement was 140cm.




See also Sparring Strategy.

Questions on style

I have so much floating around in my head to blog but I've been bogged down by...work. Ach there's always an excuse. I just have to make time for the things that are important to me!

Interesting post at Mokuren regarding stylistic differences within and between styles.

Lots of intriguing questions spring to mind from this article: how different are styles really? Is artistic/individual interpretation the difference between styles? Is there a commonality between (almost) all martial arts? Can we link Karate to Jiu jitsu or Judo even when superficially they seem so different?

For another post regarding stylistic 'differences' or even commonalities, check out Ikigai's post regarding Sanchin.

Lots of questions to be investigated in future posts...!

Do breakfalls work in real life?

In the dojo we practice our throws -- and breakfalls -- on a 5 cm (2 inch) thick rubberized mat. But do they work in real life?

First, an illustration of what not to do:

Now, can we do better than that?  Will good breakfalling technique help?

Short answer

Yes

Long answer

When an untrained person tries to break their fall -- like the unfortunate young skater in the video -- (s)he often tries to extend an arm with the hand bent back.  While this is an effective strategy in low impact situations -- e.g. if you are sitting on the floor and lean too far in any direction -- it is disastrous in any significant fall.  The wrist bends back too far, and -- if you are really unlucky -- the resulting shock wave can travel up your arm and also snap your collar bone (not shown!).

I believe that most of us learn this "propping" reaction as babies first learn to sit, and they soon discover that propping is an effective method to help them keep seated.  It works, but it is not natural, and can be trained out.

Personally, I have used rolling, side, back and forward breakfalling techniques to save me while:

• inline skating -- many times (both while learning and later on)
• tripping over fences
• coming over the handlebars of a bike
• falling down stairs
• slipping over while rushing for a train 

Sure, I am accident prone, but the worst that I have suffered from any of these mishaps has been the odd graze.  My training does not make me invincible -- far from it -- but it works much better than the usual disorganized "panic" response (shown above).

Other martial artists that I know have fallen down stairs, off ladders, off motor-bikes and been thrown from cars and survived without breakages.

So, yes, they work.

Breakfalling on concrete

While we usually practice on nice thick mats, I have been asked on occasion to perform a single standing side breakfall on concrete.  My arm stings for about half an hour, but it works.  

I recall reading once about a hapkido group who practiced their breakfalls on concrete all the time, and went on to develop arthritic spines.  True or not, we practice mostly on a padded surface with good reason.  So: Don't try this stunt except under qualified supervision.

Getting hit in the head

Finally, another scenario in which you need to get to the ground safely is when you are hit.  In reading newspaper reports of fatalities and brain-injuries from getting punched in the head, it is often the case that the majority of the damage is incurred when the victim hits his head on the (hard) ground or curb.  This was more-or-less what happened to former Australian cricketer and then Victorian state coach David Hookes.

Conclusion

So, while prevention is better than cure, reliable breakfalling is great insurance!

How to acquire beautiful breakfalls

How do we acquire beautiful breakfalls?

1. System & practice

In our system we are serious about breakfall practice.  Rather than do calisthenics, running, etc. to warm-up, we do breakfalls!  We spend at least 15 minutes practicing at the start of every class.  Following the opening ceremony we almost invariably run through 12 standardized breakfalling exercises: 

• 6 from a supine position with heads up, knees bent and feet flat on the floor: Slapping the mat; some with kicking; some with rolling side-to-side; some symmetric, some asymmetric
• 3 from the haunches: Side breakfalls, back breakfalls
• 3 from standing: Side breakfalls, back breakfalls

These core exercises are often supplemented with a selection of additional exercises: e.g. front breakfalls (from knees, haunches and standing), or a few partner-assisted breakfalling exercises.

Similarly, at the end of each class we go through many different kinds of rolls as a warm-down.

This practice is technically demanding, and develops not only the ability to breakfall, but also develops other attributes that are important to Judo and Jiu-jitsu: 

• neck, abdominal and leg strength
• whole body movement and coordination
• lower body strength and flexibility
• bilateral symmetry of the musculature
• ability to withstand impact

Note: For the beginner, just learning to do the exercises properly is enough to keep interest high.  After being a thrown a few times the importance of diligent practice at the start of each class becomes apparent!  However, once you have achieved proficiency there is a danger of becoming blasé -- just going through the motions during the warm-ups -- so the challenge becomes to find new paths of development.

2. Make connections

Having internalized the movements, it is possible to visualize applications of the movements while practicing.  Two good ones:

1. Sacrifice throws
2. Movements in groundwork: Escapes, transitions, etc.

3. Awareness

As you do the exercises, what are the different parts of your body doing?  Which muscles are tensing, and which are relaxing as you move?  Where is the power coming from?  How does your breathing play into your movement?  With the asymmetric exercises, what are the differences in your execution of the left- and right-handed versions?

How does varying  angles and patterns of use affect the amount of effort required, the smoothness of execution, and the loudness of your slaps?

In a more indirect vein I occasionally teach a short version of Feldenkrais's pelvic clock lesson, following it with a repetition of two supine breakfalling exercises that involve rolling as well as slapping.  Among more experienced practitioners there is usually an immediate palpable improvement in execution.  Interestingly, Aikido teacher and Feldenkrais trainer Leslie Wilder has made a similar connection.

Conclusion

There's no shortcut: For breakfalls to work they need to become second-nature, and there is no substitute for regular and intensive practice.  By embracing breakfalling as foundational, it is possible to put this training time to additional use, and besides training beautiful and effective breakfalls, to develop many other elements besides.

 

Running in Spring

Is it Spring? Maybe...?

I went on a run around the lake today and saw a variety of birds. Maybe it was the lovely birds I saw or the pleasant weather but it feels like there's a change in the air.

- American coot

- Grebe (I love seeing this bird)

- Mute swan

- Greylag goose

- Song (or mistle-I couldn't tell!) thrush (turdus philomelos)

This wonderful gathering of birds gave me a visual treat as I shuffled around the lake. 

I enjoyed the moment thoroughly.