Praticing self defence techniques at home?

[Corporal Hicks]

When praticising specific techniques, i.e. in Wing Chun, lop sal and hit and you have no training equipment or a sparring partner, is the only way to actually praticise techniques , doing it really slowly and using the air and imaginary opponents?

I find this gets really fustrating after a while. And I'm wondering if I should slow it down as slow as Tai Chi style and simply learn two different techniques a day and just continually apply them to a self defence situation over and over again really really slowly
i.e. Lop sal and hit 100 times each arm
Footwork with Lop Sal and being hit, 100 times each arm.
Then another move with footwork.

Each being performed really slowly, trying to make as realisitic as is possible to the mind.

Would this work? Or is it a waste of time as the results would be too insifiicant to notice?!

Kind Regards

 

[shesulsa]

I'm trying a new approach - I have three children and all of them are involved in martial arts.

I have a strong proprioceptive needs, so I tend to go harder than most people can tolerate and I have also lost some grace with age. So, I'm trying to work my techniques slowly on my children in an effort to go gently, slowly, and gain more fluidity and control. I have to go VERY soft on them (and can't do all techniques on them).

However, the problem I'm having with that approach is that what works on them won't work on others and I constantly have to readjust my techniques when working with adults. I'll get there.

 

[Blindside]

I would hope it would do something since that is essentially what you are doing in your forms.... But you might want to invest in a dummy, or a dumb partner, they are cheaper.

Lamont

 

[Bod]

Thinks through (i.e. imagine as strongly as you can) the correct stimulus for each move, as you perform the action.

I've found this works brilliantly for my block hit or two or three punch combinations in boxing.

For instance when practising my left jab - left hook combo, I imagine my opponent slightly over parrying a single jab. The I practise the combo with the opponent over parrying again. When I get over-parriers in sparring the combo just seems to come out without me having to think too hard.

When I practise my feint to the head, right to the body I do so with an imaginary opponent who is standing too square.

And so on. I usually practise a response based on the opponent's body position or a bad habit/weakness, or from a natural defensive movement of my own, or from an opponent's contact with my arms or body, rather than from an imaginary opponent's strike. This is because it is very hard to block a strike. It is easier to preemptively block a strike based on the opponent's body position, or to feel contact and use a reflex based on that. I think Wing Chun people call that 'contact reflexes'.

 

[Corporal Hicks]

The thing is, I cannot imagine, I can do about one opponent but when I actually go to execute the move it disappears from my minds eye and then I get really annoyed. This is why my training never gets anywhere. I literally have nothing to train with. My moves never seem to work out as there is always another variable that interplays. Just too annoying!

 

[MJS]

Do your best to get that mental picture. Start off slowly and then gradually build up some speed. Try to find someone that you can practice your techs. on. It'll definately help you out in the long run by doing techs. on a live person.

Mike

 

[Jonathan Randall]

When praticising specific techniques, i.e. in Wing Chun, lop sal and hit and you have no training equipment or a sparring partner, is the only way to actually praticise techniques , doing it really slowly and using the air and imaginary opponents?

I find this gets really fustrating after a while. And I'm wondering if I should slow it down as slow as Tai Chi style and simply learn two different techniques a day and just continually apply them to a self defence situation over and over again really really slowly
i.e. Lop sal and hit 100 times each arm
Footwork with Lop Sal and being hit, 100 times each arm.
Then another move with footwork.

Each being performed really slowly, trying to make as realisitic as is possible to the mind.

Would this work? Or is it a waste of time as the results would be too insifiicant to notice?!

Kind Regards

For starters, you can MAKE your own equipment. Not as spiffy as the stuff you buy, but as good or better than what the "Old Masters" had. Also, try your soft blocks against an open door. I found this better than doing them in the air as I could modulate where my striking surface was (cliche: a block is also a strike) as well as force.

Also, it is a fallacy that your practice partners must also be martial artists. In fact you will learn more about Self-Defence, IMHO, by working with non MA's. They don't know anything about dojo "ettiquette" and will grab your leg if you throw a telegraphed high or even mid-level kick. They also, in my experience, won't stand back and take a sparring stance but will rush you and try to tackle you. Why not offer free MA lessons to any of your friends who will work out with you?