# Ok, how do you get to THAT point.....?



## Forever Training (Dec 16, 2013)

After having studied Kempo with its forms and combinations/techniques for years now, I have had a question 
on my mind that is driving me crazy...

In my BB test, we were put on the spot to instinctively react to one-attacker and multiple-attacker
situations without time to think. It was clear to me that no student I saw (including myself) was truly at 
that point where they could instantly react well, meaning proper blocking, multiple counters, maybe a takedown, 
moving to the next attacker... all with seamless fluidity on a non-thinking level.

Maybe it is unreasonable to expect that level of skill & ability before the dan ranks....
But the answer can't be "It just takes time, keep practicing your combos."

How does one actually get to the point where s/he can react instinctively with improvisation from
their arsenal of techniques?  Or better, transcend their "canned" techniques...

How does one get so good that they look like they are on automatic pilot, not thinking, just doing?
What is the secret?

Is the answer as simple as continuously training reaction drills?

Who here feels they are at that level and how did you get there?

Thanks ahead of time for your input.


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## K-man (Dec 16, 2013)

Interesting question. I conducted a grading last week where there was a segment that was meant to allow the guys to demonstrate multiple techniques like locks, holds and takedowns against a semi-complying partner from random attacks. The guys attacking were green belts and the guys grading were experienced black belts. The guys attacking were way more exuberant than I had envisaged and I let it run to see how it worked out and it worked just fine. They were working on auto pilot and I had to let it run longer than normal to allow enough techniques to be shown because on auto pilot you instinctively do what comes naturally and that may well be predominantly the same technique to a variety of attacks. 

In your post you referred to 'proper' techniques. Don't forget that 'proper' techniques are for learning. The real 'proper' techniques come in the application and may not look a lot like the basic technique at all. 
:asian:


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## Forever Training (Dec 16, 2013)

K-man said:


> In your post you referred to 'proper' techniques. Don't forget that 'proper' techniques are for learning. The real 'proper' techniques come in the application and may not look a lot like the basic technique at all.


 
Hi K-man,

It's funny you say that... the other night, we did a drill where I get in the middle of a circle of students, 
my sensei calls out a technique number or name as someone on the circle punches in. 

At the end of my turn, I showed my disappointment at the accuracy and precision in which I did them.
My instructor responded that it wasn't supposed to look like the "proper execution". That got me thinking...

But still during this drill I am hesitating, thinking, processing then executing, not just reacting.


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## Tony Dismukes (Dec 16, 2013)

For one thing, you can't just "react instinctively with improvisation from your arsenal of techniques" during a test. You have to be doing that during training on a regular basis.  Whether it's sparring, scenario-based drills, or some other form of non-preset drill, it has to be a part of your normal training.


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## K-man (Dec 16, 2013)

Forever Training said:


> Hi K-man,
> 
> It's funny you say that... the other night, we did a drill where I get in the middle of a circle of students,
> my sensei calls out a technique number or name as someone on the circle punches in.
> ...


As Tony said, to be instinctive you have to train it regularly. One of the things I have taken into my regular training from Systema is their circle training for multiple attackers and we do it regularly. It is good fun apart from good training but the thing it does best is to get you to relax in that situation. If you are tense strikes hitting you will be more damaging and being tense limits your ability to respond quickly. 

But the way I teach is 'learn the technique, drill the technique then forget the technique' then the technique will be there for you when you need it. That works well in the multiple random attack scenario.
:asian:


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## Blindside (Dec 16, 2013)

Forever Training said:


> After having studied Kempo with its forms and combinations/techniques for years now, I have had a question
> on my mind that is driving me crazy...
> 
> In my BB test, we were put on the spot to instinctively react to one-attacker and multiple-attacker
> ...



Your test is basically a randori situation with multiple people feeding attacks and you are supposed to react in an appropriate self-defence manuever?

The answer is basically reps, how often do you practice this in your class?  Not practicing memorized techniques, just free flow reaction?


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## Carol (Dec 16, 2013)

What level of contact are you accustomed to, and how much freeform training did your class do -- where you had to react without demonstrating technique "foo" ?


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## Blindside (Dec 16, 2013)

Forever Training said:


> Hi K-man,
> 
> It's funny you say that... the other night, we did a drill where I get in the middle of a circle of students,
> my sensei calls out a technique number or name as someone on the circle punches in.
> ...



If you are supposed to be responding with a particular named technique, then you have to think about it.  The amount of effort it would take to hardwire "dance of grouse" into a good enough reaction time to actually react would be a waste of time.  The techs are a teaching method, a kata, not an end goal, people get too fixated on a particular choreography.


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## jks9199 (Dec 16, 2013)

Responding under pressure like that isn't assessed by whether you did a perfect version of Five Swords or whatever.  Look at whether your response are fluid, demonstrating the principles of your art in both strategy and execution.  For me, I want to see students transition through stances, using stepping, and avoidance, and counter-attacking.  If what they're doing is within the principles -- they've succeeded.  It shouldn't look JUST like the drills, forms/kata, and other excercises -- but it should be recognizable as containing elements from them and being built on the principles within them.  For American Kempo, from what I know, I would look for fluid flow from technique to technique within the response, responding to the ongoing changes in position between the two fighters.  For an aikido stylist -- I'd look for them to enter, and redirect the attack.  For a wing chun student, I'd look for them to move in continuously, deflecting their opponents attack with their own.  All of these are probably way to generalized, and may be off base; someone with a better background in the styles can certainly flesh it out -- but I think they give you an idea of what I'm talking about.

And the key to getting there is, of course, lots of practice to really internalize those principles.  How does a jazz musician sit down and jam with a bunch of strangers?  They've practiced enough to have the rhythms, flows, beats, etc. a part of them.


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## K-man (Dec 16, 2013)

Blindside said:


> If you are supposed to be responding with a particular named technique, then you have to think about it.  The amount of effort it would take to hardwire "dance of grouse" into a good enough reaction time to actually react would be a waste of time.  The techs are a teaching method, a kata, not an end goal, people get too fixated on a particular choreography.


No, that's not what I was saying. To be honest I might have misread the OP. If it means that the instructor was calling out the defensive technique against an attack that was already on the way then that is never going to work IMO. I think it's almost impossible to produce any named defence to a given attack if that attack is full speed and random. What works beautifully in choreography doesn't necessarily work in practice no matter how many thousand times you might drill it.

What I was looking for in my guys grading was the range of techniques they employed when dealing with unscripted attacks that built up to quite good intensity, not just one named technique.

Certainly the techs are a teaching method as in kihon, but, depending on the style of MA, I don't look at kata the same way. If your kata is a fighting system then being able to utilise it without thinking is an end goal. Applying bunkai to a kata should not be choreography IMO.


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## Touch Of Death (Dec 16, 2013)

Three words, Points of Reference. If you don't use and understand them, you won't achieve what you are trying to do. It sounds like you are having a, "too little to late" problem. Just be ready. 
Sean


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## Blindside (Dec 17, 2013)

Touch Of Death said:


> Three words, Points of Reference. If you don't use and understand them, you won't achieve what you are trying to do. It sounds like you are having a, "too little to late" problem. Just be ready.
> Sean



While I think I know what you are talking about, it is only because of seeing you post over the years, you may have to provide a bit more expanation for others.


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## Touch Of Death (Dec 17, 2013)

Blindside said:


> While I think I know what you are talking about, it is only because of seeing you post over the years, you may have to provide a bit more expanation for others.


Well, every move we make with our hands should both start and end at the hip, same shoulder, or opposite shoulder. Like a big circle. So, rather than the standard, "Use combinations", idea, we create system where after each strike, we intelligently return to one of those three points based on the logic of the situation, where then, and only then, are we in a position to do anything about the reality we see before us.
Sean


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## K-man (Dec 17, 2013)

Touch Of Death said:


> Well, every move we make with our hands should both start and end at the hip, same shoulder, or opposite shoulder. Like a big circle. So, rather than the standard, "Use combinations", idea, we create system where after each strike, we intelligently return to one of those three points based on the logic of the situation, where then, and only then, are we in a position to do anything about the reality we see before us.
> Sean


Is that specifically a Kenpo thing?


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## Blindside (Dec 17, 2013)

K-man said:


> Is that specifically a Kenpo thing?



A particular lineage of kenpo.


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## Touch Of Death (Dec 17, 2013)

There is a TKD thread bout chambering to the hip. I had an answer, but just read the other answers, and move on. LOL


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## Forever Training (Dec 17, 2013)

> But the way I teach is 'learn the technique, drill the technique then forget the technique' then the technique will be there for you when you need it. That works well in the multiple random attack scenario.
> :asian:



I like that. But it requires a great deal of faith in one's ability of instant recall, unless you train it during freeform reaction drills which we are clearly not doing enough of.


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## Forever Training (Dec 17, 2013)

Carol said:


> What level of contact are you accustomed to, and how much freeform training did your class do -- where you had to react without demonstrating technique "foo" ?



Carol,
Light contact up to BB. Now I notice a little harder.

JKS, the jazz jam session... great analogy.

Many great responses which point to my guess what the answer would be in the OP.... continuously training reaction drills.
Not in calling out combos, but just reacting without thinking... freeform. Clearly we are not doing these exercise enough in class. I think I will discuss with my Sensei before next class.


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## Blindside (Dec 17, 2013)

Forever Training said:


> I like that. But it requires a great deal of faith in one's ability of instant recall.



It isn't "recall" it simply becomes reference points.


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## DennisBreene (Dec 17, 2013)

Forever Training said:


> Hi K-man,
> 
> It's funny you say that... the other night, we did a drill where I get in the middle of a circle of students,
> my sensei calls out a technique number or name as someone on the circle punches in.
> ...



We did something similar in a recent Modern Arnis seminar.  The drill was specifically a ring of attackers delivering one of twelve strikes and the defender in the center doing the appropriate disarm for the strike.  I noted that, from the most inexperienced to the most advanced, we all tended to have some disconnect from the specific technique and specific disarm.  As we continued the drill, however, reactions to attacks became more fluid even when it was the "wrong" technique.  It was a great drill and ultimately reinforced both reacting smoothly to an attack and connecting a specific attack to a specific disarm.  It was also a lot of fun.


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## Touch Of Death (Dec 17, 2013)

K-man said:


> Is that specifically a Kenpo thing?


No... Boxing, Escrima, you name it.


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## K-man (Dec 17, 2013)

Touch Of Death said:


> No... Boxing, Escrima, you name it.


In that case I would ask you to be a little more specific or perhaps you could refer me to some reference. I am not familiar at all with this concept.
;asian:


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## Touch Of Death (Dec 17, 2013)

K-man said:


> In that case I would ask you to be a little more specific or perhaps you could refer me to some reference. I am not familiar at all with this concept.
> ;asian:


Well, in boxing it is pretty simple. The set position, which is, both gloves on either side of your face. The idea here is that you always move and make decisions from this position, and get back to it as soon as possible. Stick fighting was taught to me with this in mind, and after watching the experts, they all seem to be alternating circles, while positioning themselves with their feet; so, I don't really know what to say other than this is all I know. LOL Techniques (kenpo) or One steps (TKD) are just examples of someone that did this, and are just models for us to follow and try to emulate. Points of reference are how they did it in the first place. 
Sean


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## almost a ghost (Dec 17, 2013)

Forever Training said:


> How does one actually get to the point where s/he can react instinctively with improvisation from their arsenal of techniques?  Or better, transcend their "canned" techniques...
> 
> How does one get so good that they look like they are on automatic pilot, not thinking, just doing?
> What is the secret?
> ...



Like you, I was received my 1st dan ranking in SKK, and just like you I had that issue of not being able to dynamically respond to an attack. There were a lot of times I would just freeze during the 'dragon circle' and this greatly affected my confidence if I was ever able to get into a situation outside of the dojo.

I had to stop studying MA while I got into the working adult world, but when I got back into training I knew that I wanted to be able to dynamically respond without thinking of what I was doing. I decided to change styles. After studying, and now teaching, a much "smaller" style, this is what I would say to a friend if they asked how SKK could be better:

Stop doing 50% of the system. There is too much material in SKK. I use to think the issue was the mashing of styles, but even still you are burdened with way too much material for you to remember for rank tests and that is taking time away from actually exploration (practice, discussion, dissection, and adapting) of the techniques and forms. Too many forms, too many hard coded techniques (defense maneuvers/combinations), too many elective techniques (kempo punch techniques), and all of that before you even get into defenses against grabs and weapons.

To quote Bruce Lee "I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times."


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## Touch Of Death (Dec 17, 2013)

K-man said:


> In that case I would ask you to be a little more specific or perhaps you could refer me to some reference. I am not familiar at all with this concept.
> ;asian:


Think of it as Defensive Driving. It is the stuff they teach you to do automaticly without thinking that will save you: Safe distance; look both ways if your first in line at a green light; Don't change lanes on an icy bridge...


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## K-man (Dec 17, 2013)

Touch Of Death said:


> Think of it as Defensive Driving. It is the stuff they teach you to do automaticly without thinking that will save you: Safe distance; look both ways if your first in line at a green light; Don't change lanes on an icy bridge...


That's fine. I don't have a problem with that concept. That to me is the use of peripheral vision which is a key concept of our training. It's the hand to the hip and shoulder bit that has me interested.
:asian:


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## Touch Of Death (Dec 17, 2013)

K-man said:


> That's fine. I don't have a problem with that concept. That to me is the use of peripheral vision which is a key concept of our training. It's the hand to the hip and shoulder bit that has me interested.
> :asian:


Ah, well consider you are blocking or parrying a strike toward your face. Rather than returning to the hip, you might ride the force back toward the opposite shoulder, which puts you in a position to deliver a mean back-knuckle, or maybe counter-grab. It doesn't matter. Logic put you there, and just might put you back there, or maybe the hip this time.


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## Touch Of Death (Dec 17, 2013)

K-man said:


> That's fine. I don't have a problem with that concept. That to me is the use of peripheral vision which is a key concept of our training. It's the hand to the hip and shoulder bit that has me interested.
> :asian:


None of the driving stuff is about vision. It is about reaction time.


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## Blindside (Dec 17, 2013)

Touch Of Death said:


> No... Boxing, Escrima, you name it.



Your method of description of what and how you are doing what you are doing is distinct to your lineage, what you are actually doing may well be universal.


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## Touch Of Death (Dec 17, 2013)

Blindside said:


> Your method of description of what and how you are doing what you are doing is distinct to your lineage, what you are actually doing may well be universal.


I can only explain it how my pea brain understands it, but I concede to your point.


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## Touch Of Death (Dec 17, 2013)

Touch Of Death said:


> I can only explain it how my pea brain understands it, but I concede to your point.


I do believe this is all the first step in that, "Mind of pay no never mind stuff. LOL


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## K-man (Dec 17, 2013)

Touch Of Death said:


> Well, in boxing it is pretty simple. The set position, which is, both gloves on either side of your face. The idea here is that you always move and make decisions from this position, and get back to it as soon as possible. Stick fighting was taught to me with this in mind, and after watching the experts, they all seem to be alternating circles, while positioning themselves with their feet; so, I don't really know what to say other than this is all I know. LOL Techniques (kenpo) or One steps (TKD) are just examples of someone that did this, and are just models for us to follow and try to emulate. Points of reference are how they did it in the first place.
> Sean



OK. Got it. It was the reference to the hip that got me. We don't have anything that goes near the hip.  Some basic drills in some styles have a hand at the hip but that is only in kihon. Not in fighting.



Touch Of Death said:


> Ah, well consider you are blocking or parrying a strike toward your face. Rather than returning to the hip, you might ride the force back toward the opposite shoulder, which puts you in a position to deliver a mean back-knuckle, or maybe counter-grab. It doesn't matter. Logic put you there, and just might put you back there, or maybe the hip this time.


Yeah! That makes sense but why you would return your hand to your hip in a real fight doesn't make any sense to me. The only time you see it is in tournament sparring. 


Touch Of Death said:


> None of the driving stuff is about vision. It is about reaction time.


Reaction time is aided by peripheral vision. 
:asian:


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## Touch Of Death (Dec 17, 2013)

K-man said:


> OK. Got it. It was the reference to the hip that got me. We don't have anything that goes near the hip.  Some basic drills in some styles have a hand at the hip but that is only in kihon. Not in fighting.
> 
> 
> Yeah! That makes sense but why you would return your hand to your hip in a real fight doesn't make any sense to me. The only time you see it is in tournament sparring.
> ...


Good point! I wouldn't put my hand at my hip either, but much higher. Look, same shoulder and same hip are really variations of the same thing. It is relatively the same position but palm up, or palm out.


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## Lightning Ram (Dec 22, 2013)

Forever Training said:


> Carol,
> Light contact up to BB. Now I notice a little harder.
> 
> JKS, the jazz jam session... great analogy.
> ...



FT- Before you do these drills spend time on, #1 recognizing the attack first, (you see whats coming at you then react), and the position you are in when the attack is happening, start small and just block the first technique and expand from there, #2 free sparring will also help your reaction time for you brain to recognize attacks. #3 Start with defensive moves then graduate to offense moves. Repetition and focus is key. If your not focus and use repetition only it will be a longer road.


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## MJS (Dec 23, 2013)

Forever Training said:


> After having studied Kempo with its forms and combinations/techniques for years now, I have had a question
> on my mind that is driving me crazy...
> 
> In my BB test, we were put on the spot to instinctively react to one-attacker and multiple-attacker
> ...



I feel I'm at that level.  How did I get there?  Working hard and training in a spontaneous fashion.  IMO, by the time someone is at green or brown, they should be working on this as part of their regular training, but there's no reason you can't slowly introduce it to lower ranks.  One thing that I'd always stress to my students, is to not be bound by the preset SD techs.  They're designed to be examples.  Drill the basics...over and over and over...and over!  I tell this story every time a question like this comes up.  During one class, I had the class for a big circle, and I'd put one student in the middle and have the people on the outside attack.  At one point, there was a lower ranked student in the middle.  I had one of the people on the outside, do an attack, which I new the other person, didn't have a preset defense for.  They stood there with that deer in the headlights look, and said they didn't know what to do.  I asked them if they knew how to block. They said yes.  I asked if they knew how to punch and kick. Yes.  I asked if they knew how to move.  Again, I got a yes.  I said, Good, then do it!  My point was...I didn't care if they pulled off a preset tech.  I wanted to see how they'd react under pressure.  If that punch is coming, they've got a choice...stand there and get hit or defend themselves.  I didn't care if they simply blocked and kicked the groin.  KISS is the goal.  Defend yourself.

During my private lessons with one of my Kenpo teachers, we'd drill this stuff all the time.  I had no idea what he was going to do.  Punch, kick, grab, weapon..no idea until he did it.  And he was trying to hit me too.  None of this stopping half way BS.  If I didn't move, I got hit..period!  No, the techs during this training don't look pretty.  It's not supposed to.   Don't mistake that for me saying that you should look like crap, just flailing away, with no purpose behind your moves.  But again, my goal wasn't to use a preset tech.  My goal was to use the principles those techs taught.  

So, no, there is no secret to success, other than hard work and training this a lot! If someone attacks you on the street, they're not going to square up all pretty like you see people do in class, and throw a half assed punch, or any other attack that you know is coming.  That said, if that is all the student is used to, well, they're either going to get knocked on their *** or hope they've got luck on their side.


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## Kframe (Dec 24, 2013)

My new art of Taijutsu has a kata learning format like Parker kenpo.   I understand it is the traditional way to learn but, my question is, how can they expect us to use these under duress?  By they, I mean the creators of kenpo and any other partnered kata art.  Im still to new at this, and I do rather enjoy my training its just I need to understand this.. 

Ya BBT has quite a few kata, and I know that the parker styles have many as well.  So that being what it is, what is the intention of paired kata systems. Is it to give you so many kata that it covers every situation or some other reason?    If your constantly learning 100's of kata, how do you ever find the time to apply anything free form?


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## Blindside (Dec 24, 2013)

Kframe said:


> My new art of Taijutsu has a kata learning format like Parker kenpo.   I understand it is the traditional way to learn but, my question is, how can they expect us to use these under duress?  By they, I mean the creators of kenpo and any other partnered kata art.  Im still to new at this, and I do rather enjoy my training its just I need to understand this..
> 
> Ya BBT has quite a few kata, and I know that the parker styles have many as well.  So that being what it is, what is the intention of paired kata systems. Is it to give you so many kata that it covers every situation or some other reason?    If your constantly learning 100's of kata, how do you ever find the time to apply anything free form?



You should be practicing free form somewhat regularly.  The purpose of the kenpo techs, I can't speak for anything in Taijutsu, but they are just examples of motion, nobody should expect that anyone to go through all the choreography of a particular sequence.  The idea is that you could pull the first two moves of a technique out, and then finish with a sweep from another technique, and then ground and pound him out with a combo out of a third.  Our school practiced free form reaction to attacks about a third of the time spent training the self-defense material.   And we did this from an early period, a white belt who had their fundamentals is thrown into the mix with instructions of "get offline, hit a vital, get out."  Pretty simple really.  Later, if you actually pull a long string from a technique out, thats great, that wasn't the goal.  And often I would say "do you know what you just did?"  Often they wouldn't have a clue what named technique it came from, which is sort of the point.


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## Kframe (Dec 24, 2013)

Blindside, Freeform is not the norm in BBT..  The closest I have seen and im not high enough KYU to attend the class is our randori class. So far it is, free form but they were doing in a very slow aspect. I assume that to be the case because it was a low kyu(higher then me) attending it.   I thought it would pick up, but when I watched the 2 black belts, they were moving at only slightly higher speed and intensity with the swords.

I know that the kata are there to teach principals, and you are to learn and forget them.. Problem is I guess im just doubting my ability to apply the principals with the limited amount of freeform my art does.


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## Touch Of Death (Dec 24, 2013)

Kframe said:


> Blindside, Freeform is not the norm in BBT..  The closest I have seen and im not high enough KYU to attend the class is our randori class. So far it is, free form but they were doing in a very slow aspect. I assume that to be the case because it was a low kyu(higher then me) attending it.   I thought it would pick up, but when I watched the 2 black belts, they were moving at only slightly higher speed and intensity with the swords.
> 
> I know that the kata are there to teach principals, and you are to learn and forget them.. Problem is I guess im just doubting my ability to apply the principals with the limited amount of freeform my art does.


Hopefully you learn not to forget them.


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## jks9199 (Dec 25, 2013)

Kframe said:


> Blindside, Freeform is not the norm in BBT..  The closest I have seen and im not high enough KYU to attend the class is our randori class. So far it is, free form but they were doing in a very slow aspect. I assume that to be the case because it was a low kyu(higher then me) attending it.   I thought it would pick up, but when I watched the 2 black belts, they were moving at only slightly higher speed and intensity with the swords.
> 
> I know that the kata are there to teach principals, and you are to learn and forget them.. Problem is I guess im just doubting my ability to apply the principals with the limited amount of freeform my art does.



You've barely begun training in that methodology.  Give it a chance; it's survived as a teaching method for more than a little while.  Related methods are even used in many different areas, including current police and military training.  The thing about any training to reach free form responses is that you have to practice and advance beyond the first level.  A boxer who drills his combos in shadow boxing and the heavy bag, but never works with a coach on moving pads and never spars will have trouble applying his skills, no matter how dedicated he is to shadow boxing and bag work.  Someone who never moves beyond one-step responses, whether a Bujinkan or even koryu kata or a TKD one-step exercise, or one of the Parker Kenpo techniques, will never develop the instinctive response.  You have to begin by doing the rote, simplistic responses -- but then, as you develop skill with them, your training partners have to change the game a bit.  They can speed it up, they may change the attack that's fed, they may catch you dropping your guard and tap you to let you know...  Eventually (I've said this before), that prescribed kata becomes free flowing... and in time, two skilled practitioners may seem to be doing the kata  -- but their focus and intention throughout is so perfect that they're reacting the only way they can.  Kind of hard to understand; Chris posted a link not too long ago of people doing kata from a koryu style where they never stopped, even as one's wooden weapon broke, and another where they kept going despite being hit in the head.

Let me try to put it another way.  Free form, instinctive responses are the result of deeply and thoroughly engraving the principles of your style, so that your instinctive responses get rewired, and what comes out of you by surprise is what's supposed to happen.  You have to start with the structured responses to reach the unstructured responses.


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## never-finished-learning (Feb 19, 2014)

ok so im not an expert but from my point of view there are 2 variables to reach the level your talking about 1. lots and lots of training 2. using your skills in real combat situations on a regular basis. combined these two mold a man into a full fledged warrior, its not just a title... its a way of life.


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## Takai (Feb 19, 2014)

never-finished-learning said:


> ok so im not an expert but from my point of view there are 2 variables to reach the level your talking about 1. lots and lots of training 2. using your skills in real combat situations on a regular basis. combined these two mold a man into a full fledged warrior, its not just a title... its a way of life.



I think you might have a misconception. 1) Lots ans lots of training in and of itself will not get you to that "level", varied training, proper instruction and ingrained sense of the fundamentals will certainly help but that "level" is as much mental as it is physically.

2) "Real" combat situations....I don't even want to start into what a can of worms that statement can be.


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