instinct vs. training

Reopened!!! The jujitsu forum will focus on traditional and non-traditional Jujitsu/grappling arts.
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mikemurphy
Posts: 989
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 1998 6:01 am
Location: Randolph, MA USA 781-963-8891
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instinct vs. training

Post by mikemurphy »

Let me just cut through all the preliminary BS and ask the question. Can we "humans" be instinctive in our quest for the do or jutsu we train?

Do we as humans have instincts that we can hone or are we simply destined to train to a level of perfection that gets us as close to instinct as we can get?

Then the next question would be is how do we train to that level? In karate-do, do we look to our form more and more in hopes of achieving this? In the jutsu arts, do we randori as much as possible to develop the high level combat skills?

I think this question surely goes along with the "Deer in the Headlights" post before. Are we that confident in ourselves that we can react quick enough and with enough desivness, or are we just kidding ourselves, knowing that we will never get that instinctivness and will be destined to "watch" that first move in awe?


Ahhhhh, questions, questions, questions. See what 36 hours at the hospital will get you. Boy their choice of television shows *****.

mike
david
Posts: 2077
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 1998 6:01 am
Location: Boston, MA

instinct vs. training

Post by david »

Mike,

The instinct is for self-perservation through "flight or fight." I think that within that some lean towards fight while others lean toward flight -- predator vs. prey.

I think some folks are wired to the extreme on one end of the spectrum or the other. Training will do nothing to change that. Those who leaned towards fight will fight even if not trained. Those who are wired for flight will still flee given the chance regardless of training to "fight." It is those in the middle of the spectrum that may benefit from training to fight or developing the discretion for flight.

Some folks really know where they fall on the spectrum. But the teacher does not and can only try to train the students to the best s/he can. Obviously, the training methods/approaches come into play. But even these are received differently by the individual.

I think in the dojo, there needs to be levels of training that responds more individual needs. For example, one of the frustrations, I had at the aikido dojo was that everyone was training at the same level. I didn't see any differentiation of skills and intensity. After a certain point, each class becomes more of the same. The same tends towards playing to the lowest denominator. I heard they used to have a more "hard-core" group that explored more realistic and intense applications. Unfortunately, I missed that era. So, I moved on. I think this situation/decision confronts other students at any number of dojos.

david
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