# To what extent does expectation affect outcome?



## Kembudo-Kai Kempoka (Mar 30, 2004)

When you train, spar, drill, etc., have you noticed a trend of getting what you expect? For example, when you feel "on", you are? If you feel like you can't buy a basket in hoops, you can't?

In fields as seperate as sports psychology, positive thinking and mysticism, there is a recurrant theme that "Energy follows thought." In personal training, this would suggest the need to develop a skiil set by which you concieve of a target performance state, and use this idea to inform and influence your training. As instructors, it would obligate us to describe or demonstrate the possible, so that similar target conceptualizations are formed in the minds of students to guide and inform their initial development.

A) What are your thoughts on the connection between expectation and outcome? Energy/performance following thought?

B) What, if any, specific tools do you use in your own training to turn objectives into outcomes through this relationship?

C) What, if any, specific tools do you use to facilitate the manifestation of these processes for your students?

LET'S EDIFY EACH OTHER!!!

Dr. Dave

"You can't aim for the stars if you don't know what they look like."


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## Kembudo-Kai Kempoka (Apr 1, 2004)

*crickets chirping*


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## Kembudo-Kai Kempoka (Apr 1, 2004)

Let's try this one.

"Imagine the you for whom doing this technique 10% faster/harder/better is not a problem; a you for whom performing at this next level is a foregone conclusion."

Set in your mind a firm movie of yourself executing a chosen tech 10% better than you do now. Notice the intricacies of the difference. Is there a different series in muscle firing sequences? Are your breaths in the same place, same depth, same speed? Is the distribution in your weight different? What about the speed and/or authority with which your hips, shoulders, etc. snap into the move at 10% better?

Once you have a clear movie in your mind, move from the thrid person into the first person, and notice - in your mind - what it's like to experience first hand executing the technique at this new level. How does it feel? Looking out from your eyes at the body parts flashing in front of you, what, specifically, do you see at 10% better? How does that feel? Familiarize yourself with the sensation of being the you for whom this is not a problem.

After mentally rehearsing it a few times, start executing the technique physically, making subtle changes with your body to match the distinctions you noted in your mind. As you change your real-time physical kinesiology to match that of the mentally rehearsed image, you should start to notice incremental improvements with each rep, until within minutes, you are performing the movement at 10% better then you were when you started.

Experiment with it. Dedicate an hour to working with a technique, and go through this process in 10% increments. How high can you go? Is there a limit to what you can accomplish with this in a 60-minute training period? If you think there is, then try to find the cieling. Once you've found it (say, at the 30 minute mark), what would it be like at 10% above the cieling if you *could* get there?

"The only limitations of mind and body are those we accept."

Don't just read about it or pontificate on it without experimenting with it first. Give it a try, and post your experience. It might be great; it might suck; you never know until you give it a try.

Dr. Dave


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## Kembudo-Kai Kempoka (Apr 1, 2004)

"I imagine, before each workout, what I'm going to accomplish today.  I run it through my mind while changing out, and keep it there for the whole session. It's my goal for the day. I'll pick a specific thing, like getting a kick out 25% faster, or getting it 6 inches higher. Or I'll work on closing the gap a half a heartbeat faster, or getting off 3 punches in the time it used to take me to get off two.  I train with a specific, measurable objective for improvment in mind each and every time I train.  It gives me a way to monitor my progress, as well as making at least one part of my overall game that much better each and every time I train".

-- well-known MMA fighter on the mental aspect of his training.


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## Gaidheal (Apr 13, 2004)

In a real fight mental attitude is important.  I always KNOW I am going to get out alive and mostly unhurt in every encounter I allow myself to be involved in now.  I've never been badly hurt since I left school and even there was never SERIOUSLY hurt (no broken bones in my life for any reason, never hospitalized outside of being a baby).I think my self confidence goes a long way in perpetuating itself and this state of affairs.  In theory, I could carry it too far and get cocky.. we all know what happens then!  But so far I've managed to keep a healthy dose of reality, perhaps because I regularly get creamed in my ITF sparring LOL

John


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## Marginal (Apr 13, 2004)

Kembudo-Kai Kempoka said:
			
		

> A) What are your thoughts on the connection between expectation and outcome? Energy/performance following thought?



I think that your motivation for doing somethign and your expectations on the result do make a difference to an extent. I know that when I go out to spar with the attitude that I'm going to try new stuff or learn that I tend to end up off target and resorting to less interesting basics than when I go in thinking that I'm there to demonstrate my skill that given night etc. 



> B) What, if any, specific tools do you use in your own training to turn objectives into outcomes through this relationship?



It's largely a matter of perspective. If I'm there to let others act on me, I tend to be more defensive in my posture. If I'm there to act on others, I'm more relaxed and agressive. 



> C) What, if any, specific tools do you use to facilitate the manifestation of these processes for your students?



Don't have students.


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## Zoran (Apr 14, 2004)

> B) What, if any, specific tools do you use in your own training to turn objectives into outcomes through this relationship?
> 
> C) What, if any, specific tools do you use to facilitate the manifestation of these processes for your students?



I usually use the _very simple_ priciples found in this article


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## 8253 (Apr 14, 2004)

mindful actions is the deciding factor in the outcome of anything that is attempted


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## D.Cobb (Apr 14, 2004)

When using nerve facillitation techniques, whether sparring, fighting, or just training, you must believe that the techniques are going to work. If you doubt in any way that they will, then you are almost guaranteed to fail.

A definate case of the Yi leading the Ki.

--Dave

 :asian:


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## Kembudo-Kai Kempoka (Apr 19, 2004)

1st Law of Creation: Energy Follows Thought.
2nd Law of Creation: There is no 2nd law.  See first.

Create in your mind a clear sense of your objective. Holding that in your mind, "backpace"...what was the last thing you did just before you go "it"? What was the 2nd to the last? And keep doing this until you have worked yourself up to the very next moment you will engage in when you are done considering your path of action.

Creation makes nothing new; it is an act of discovering what you already are, but just didn't know (Mahadeva AUM...all possibilities contained within a single point of data).  True mastery is not the result of repetition; practice simply allows you to chip away - via the process of elimination - at what is NOT perfection...it is a slow route to identifying the existing mastery emanating from inside. Establish an open line of communication with the part of you that already knows, and access mastery directly.

What would you look like/feel like/say to yourself if you already were able to perform at the next level of excellence?  Plug those in, and try out your moves.  This is a more direct route to the You Who Knows, and will take you to your training goals infinitely faster than the trial-and-error of repetition.

Discover the Master Within!

Dave


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## MJS (Apr 20, 2004)

D.Cobb said:
			
		

> When using nerve facillitation techniques, whether sparring, fighting, or just training, you must believe that the techniques are going to work. If you doubt in any way that they will, then you are almost guaranteed to fail.
> 
> A definate case of the Yi leading the Ki.
> 
> ...



In addition to that, and maybe even more important, you want to KNOW that the techs. are going to work.  I'm sure that the people that think kicking a knife out of someones hand is going to work!  Is it?? No!!

Mike


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## D.Cobb (Apr 21, 2004)

MJS said:
			
		

> In addition to that, and maybe even more important, you want to KNOW that the techs. are going to work.



I think maybe we just used different words for the same meaning. 




> I'm sure that the people that think kicking a knife out of someones hand is going to work!  Is it?? No!!
> 
> Mike



What do you mean, "NO!"??????

It always works in the movies.......... %-} 

--Dave

 :uhyeah:


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## D.Cobb (Apr 21, 2004)

Kembudo-Kai Kempoka said:
			
		

> 1st Law of Creation: Energy Follows Thought.
> 2nd Law of Creation: There is no 2nd law.  See first.
> 
> Create in your mind a clear sense of your objective. Holding that in your mind, "backpace"...what was the last thing you did just before you go "it"? What was the 2nd to the last? And keep doing this until you have worked yourself up to the very next moment you will engage in when you are done considering your path of action.
> ...



A truely inciteful post. 

--Dave(the one that's been here longer)

 :asian:


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## MJS (Apr 21, 2004)

D.Cobb said:
			
		

> I think maybe we just used different words for the same meaning.



You're right on that.






> What do you mean, "NO!"??????
> 
> It always works in the movies.......... %-}



Thats right.  I forgot about that!   :boing2: 

Mike


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## tumpaiguy (May 6, 2004)

Some phrases come to mind when I think about this subject.  Living in the now. Live for the moment.  More often then not when you go into something with expectations, you come out of it without meeting those expectations. So what I am saying is I think expectations more often then not effect the outcome in a negetive way.  Show up, be truthful, no expectations!


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## c2kenpo (May 6, 2004)

Kembudo-Kai Kempoka said:
			
		

> A) What are your thoughts on the connection between expectation and outcome? Energy/performance following thought?
> 
> B) What, if any, specific tools do you use in your own training to turn objectives into outcomes through this relationship?
> 
> ...



A) Self-fufilling prophecy If you wake up in the morning saying to yourself "This day is going to be a terrible day because etc etc etc." 
You WILL have a terrible day.
Tell yourself you are going to the best day of your life even knowing that you have some of the hardets challenges that you would rather not tackle but will. 
You WILL have a good day.  (NO GUARANTEES ON WINNING LOTTERIES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT) You will just feel better about your day.

Try it for a week. Postive energy builds upon itself just as much a negative energy does. Martial Arts is the same way the only difference is smaller goals and more focused thought patterns.

B) I use a thinking process of "Where do I need to go?" I visualize where I want to be and then "go " there. I attempt to apply that when doing forms or techniques and find that wehn I visualize my destination I come very close. I also apply the idea of even tho it is "Delayed Sword" block, kick , chop. I tell myself what I want to do instead through visualization, block , chop, punch /check, backnuckle Even tho it is the same attack.

C) I can explain positive thinking mentality and the benefits of it through various creative methods, but teaching Martial Arts and motion /energy relationships is much harder to communicate in words face to face much less here in typograph. I think I try to explain the idea as "choices" or "What if" and then letting the learning process take over.

A good book that I use as a refrence point for this thought is 

Thinking Body, Dancing Mind : Taosports for Extraordinary Performance in Athletics, Business, and Life
by Chungliang Al Huang (Author), Jerry Lynch (Contributor) 

David Gunzburg


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## Kembudo-Kai Kempoka (May 9, 2004)

c2kenpo said:
			
		

> A) Self-fufilling prophecy If you wake up in the morning saying to yourself "This day is going to be a terrible day because etc etc etc."
> You WILL have a terrible day.
> Tell yourself you are going to the best day of your life even knowing that you have some of the hardets challenges that you would rather not tackle but will.
> You WILL have a good day. (NO GUARANTEES ON WINNING LOTTERIES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT) You will just feel better about your day.
> ...


Haven't read it yet; will pick it up shortly.  Just started one that's interesting...a little provocative (meaning, not sure I agree with all her thoughts as posited):
"Excuse me: Your life is waiting", by Lynn Grabhorn.  

What I DO like about it is the emphasis on harnessing the power of emotion, and coupling it with the positive thinking piece...lotsa PT stuff out there trying to work on a strictly mental level, when emotions are the engine that drives the machinery behind intent.

D


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## Brother John (May 9, 2004)

I'm a BIG believer in "as a man thinketh, so is he..."
IF you don't have a clear vision of who you are and what you want to achieve I think that the path will be MUCH harder.
"When you don't know what harbor you are making for, no wind is the right wind."

Your Brother
John


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## tumpaiguy (May 11, 2004)

Brother John said:
			
		

> I'm a BIG believer in "as a man thinketh, so is he..."
> IF you don't have a clear vision of who you are and what you want to achieve I think that the path will be MUCH harder.
> "When you don't know what harbor you are making for, no wind is the right wind."
> 
> ...


Good one, how about this one.  "No matter how many times you change directions, you will always end up right where you are heading."


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