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Training or Trying hard?

Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 12:50 am
by Dave Young
At the end of a long class while setting up for the following day, I noticed a man dressed in a gee stretching out near a body bag, then taking his time to strike the bag in a slow form speed several times, then after a few strikes he would stop, stretch out again, and then continue this routine for about 30 minutes...

After I completed setting up, I observed him from a distance for an additional half hour. Then he would stand in front of a mirror and repeat the same striking series on the bag for several intervals before stopping. He walked over to me and asked me if I saw him doing anything wrong, I replied, "No, not at all," he replied thank you, then he continued to comment on how ready he is for a fight if one came his way.....and he then asked if I would change anything of what I saw and I said that would depend on what you were trying to accomplish. He said he was practicing for his next belt, and wanted to make sure he got it right, so if he got attacked he could fight off the attacker -

I said that was great - but if you are asking me if your striking series you were doing on the bag would work in a fight then I would have to say no - He looked puzzled for a minute then said what was the difference - I said," I am not one to comment on you trying to learn something you are interested in, but you were not doing anything that would help you win a fight in the street - He asked me to explain -

I started to explain to him about the dynamics of a real fight and then I stopped and decided to show him -

I asked him to stand in front of me like he was doing with the bag and I put on some of our RedMan Equipment - then I told him that when he was ready to go a head and strike me as he did on the bag and I was just going to take the strikes and NOT hit back, NOT block, or GRAB him when he did this, but I would move either forward, backwards or laterally when he hit me.

He started his striking series and then I moved 1 foot forward it caused him to fall backwards on the ground
and he landed on his back -

He laid there for a few minutes and then looking downwards he said, "I guess people will move when you strike them uh...We laughed for a few minutes and then he told me he was going to test for his black belt, and I wished him luck and we parted ways...

I was not surprised that he was testing for his black belt (which I did not ask what style) I was a little surprised that he was so confident and under the impression he was preparing himself for a real fight but in reality only testing for a belt...

Just sharing a short story.....

Good lesson Dave...

Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 1:17 am
by gmattson
One I hope all "Traditional" martial artist will understand.

I like the way you offered the gentleman very excellent advice in a way that wasn't offensive and allowed him the opportunity to accept the fact that what he was doing was fine, but simply not the complete picture.

It is nice to have goals of earning a black belt, but wouldn't it be nice if his dojo also had a program that could be offered to those students who wanted to kick their training "up a notch"?

You have been a real gentleman on these forums Dave, offering all of us the same advice and opportunities as you did to the black belt candidate. I hope everyone is listening with an open mind.