What determines your skill level?

[Dave Young]

Here is an interesting question.

What determines your own skill level.

Well the two main parts which determine your skill level are real world experience, and training within that field.

If one is very experienced then his skill level is only high in the situations their experience placed them in.

If they only have training to focus on then their skill level is low because they have never put their training to the real test.

So the answer is;

Real World Experience plus Training equals skill level...

What are you own thoughts?

[MikeK]

Interesting question Dave, and I don't know the answer.

If they only have training to focus on then their skill level is low because they have never put their training to the real test.

I have to ask what the real test would be? So far I see that the real test would differ between a kickboxer, a thief, a LEO, a SEAL and a civilian. Would this be true in the context of your thread?

[Dave Young]

MikeK this equation is really something that speaks for itself.

There are MANY experienced martial artists out there - there exerpeince only lies within their own art and if it is an experienced MMA fighter then the only related experience is what was borrowed or taken from the style they learned and used in their situation, but again sport and just training is not the gauge to compare too real experience in a real confrontation.

And that is the only thing we are talking about not comparing apples to oranges which are a fruit but still very different in catagory, taste and texture.

On the other side of this.....There are MANY real life warriors with a few to many real life experiences who only have a great deal of experience in the situation they have faced, but again experience alone without the training is still falling short.

A skill level for survival which is what we are talking about not the sport, recreational, or feel good martial artist...just the real life warrior which is the real world we live in-

No disrepect to anyone who practices martial arts for any of those reasons and the many more who just love the arts...

The catagory I am addressing is the one for personal survival inside and our of the courtroom.

So with that being said.....to gauge ones own skill level - not their own B.S. Meter the two main factors are real world experience plus training experience will equal someones own real world skill level.

Here is another example outside of this area..I am training 90 Marine State Officers in Water Survival - Many who are former Marines and other branches of the service....However after the first day of training 38 Marine Officers voluntarily dropped out of the training due to their own inability to complete objectives - on day two 20 more followed and after yesterday we graduated 14 students - All who are top trainers in their departments coming from a variety of backgrounds and skill levels - but very few passed all of the real world situations we gave them.

Do not get me wrong:

All are warriors
Dedicated Officers
Great Professionals to be around

Except most let their own B.S. Meter hide their own actual skill which for some very mininmal.

So to judge ones own real world skill level you add real world experience with training experience to get the skill level. That is what I am saying.

Most people never understand their B.S. Meter and only truly know it when the real world time comes..and sometime that is WAY to late......

[Dana Sheets]

And then there's natural ability. Some people have a naturally high aptitude for whatever they're trying to do and therefore can be successful with less training and less experience. But those are the few.

[MikeK]

Dave,
That was the clarification I was looking for. Thanks.

So with that being said.....to gauge ones own skill level - not their own B.S. Meter the two main factors are real world experience plus training experience will equal someones own real world skill level.

Most people never understand their B.S. Meter and only truly know it when the real world time comes..and sometime that is WAY to late......

So how does one come to understand their BS meter before someone is hit with the real world? To me it would be still be training but just moved closer to what you face in reality. But that's still not really an uncontrolled environment.

[Stryke]

Competence = training plus experience

thats a construction industry safety definition , applicable though I think

[Van Canna]

Good thread, Dave.

And Stryke_doesn't his make you smile?

When I discussed similar concepts on my page, years on end, I was accused of 'dissing' TMA and taglining ....

Oh well

[Dave Young]

Competence = training plus experience

thats a construction industry safety definition , applicable though I think

Close........competence can be improved through training, but never really confirmed until the moment you have to use it.....Thanks

[Dave Young]

Good thread, Dave.

And Stryke_doesn't his make you smile?

When I discussed similar concepts on my page, years on end, I was accused of 'dissing' TMA and taglining ....

Oh well

Van...

I am hearing you on that. The ones who truly know me, know I do not throw rocks.....Hope you been good.

[Dave Young]

----quote.....So how does one come to understand their BS meter before someone is hit with the real world? To me it would be still be training but just moved closer to what you face in reality. But that's still not really an uncontrolled environment.[/quote]

------------------------------------------------------------
By sincerely being HONEST with one's self.

In addition the word training has developed more and more of the last 10 years...

A person who just hits a bag, or just spars with someone as a sport, or only lightly grapples with friends as good them but not better then them, or someone who just reads or watches videos etc...that is what I have found people call training and in many ways it is.

You have to know what you are training FOR!

It is a fact that drills and repetitions build gross and fine motor skills for the body and mind to respond and act as one....but the way these drills are conducted, the types of drills, low and high level simulations, by researching and achieving a realistics understanding of how fights and attackers truly start and are fought etc.....

Preparing the mind, conditioning the body, sharpening your own abilities to limit your OWN weaknesses, then pushing and testing them further, being placed in not only common situations but after you have built up you own strategies learn how your attacker thinks and responds...and that is just to start!

[MikeK]

Nevermind

[Stryke]

And Stryke_doesn't his make you smile?

When I discussed similar concepts on my page, years on end, I was accused of 'dissing' TMA and taglining ....

Oh well

no comment in my latest tagline quote thank goodness .

It`ll never change Van , your too respected and accepted to be ostracised , but too respected and accepted to be allowed free reign .

who said it mate , was it you Dave ?

you can never be a hero in your home town ?

[Stryke]

Close........competence can be improved through training, but never really confirmed until the moment you have to use it.....Thanks

I think it`s closer if you understand the process Dave .

I can give you two weeks of training , but you will still need supervision while actually performing the task

Imagine someone shown how to use a Ramset gun for example , you dont just give him the charges and let him go to town .

only after actuall performing under real conditions with the right guidance can he be safely left and certified as competent .

training helps , but is never really cinfirmed untill you have to use it .

Unfortunately all most martial artists have is training

thats were I see realistic simulations fillin the void as much as possible , taking the part of supervised performance/experience .

then cross the fingers I guess .

[MikeK]

Nevermind

[Van Canna]

It`ll never change Van , your too respected and accepted to be ostracised , but too respected and accepted to be allowed free reign .

This I find comical as you do Marcus. Because the answer lies in how people ‘tagline’ themselves by what they post or write in frantic display of horrible underlying insecurities.

Like “ I do this and that_ I can do this and that_ I am tough this way or that way or in ways I don’t even know that I am yet_ I can teach better because of this and that _ AND SHOW US WHAT YOU CAN DO” _ crap.

Last I remember I have never come across as a ‘can do it all’ or ‘Tough guy’ person.

All I have ever done, is to be a ‘conduit’ _ a ‘facilitator’ of evolving and well researched concepts, as ‘voiced’ by well respected field professionals that WILL AND HAVE IMPROVED the enjoyment and ‘efficiency’ of UECHI _ simply by the expedient of ‘continuing education’ and ‘introspection’ _ something that has been not only appreciated by thousands of readers, but in fact saved the lives of a few as per public posting or private emails.

Just ask the question: if Uechi needs none of the ‘reality crap’ I dared introduce on this site years back_ then why is it that the site now hosts Dave young’s forum? A reality forum that’s often at odd with TMA as per his post above ?


So when I see panties in a twist and attempts to curtail my and others’ right to free speech, by either coming on line or sending cowardly emails to George_ I see nothing but weak people I would not want to cover my back in a street fight.

People who know me also know that I speak what’s on my mind, yet always respectful [something of a lost art these days] _ and when it ‘fits’ not so respectful just to shove them back into their miserable hovels.