Hi, I've been learning self defence now for about 10 months. I'm 62, fairly fit but with no background in self defence. I train 1-2-1 with a senseri every week and practive every day. To start with I progressed quite well, and now know the basic kicks and punches fairly well. But I just don't seem to be able to join them together in a smooth way - I'm not much good at combinations and when my Sensei throws a punch or kick without telling me first what it will be, I don't seem able to respond properly. Any advice welcome!
Progress stalling!
- Thread starter Mike1962
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A couple of things- first, it takes time to get the experience needed to respond "properly". Time and repetition. Learning the techniques is the easy part. Being able to apply them to another human is a whole different thing. It takes a ton of repetition to "program" your body to react the way you want it to- you're conditioning your body to those reactions. The only way to do that is repetition. This is one of those things where thinking is the enemy. You just have to let your body do it. It's the same with putting combos together. Repeat a combo slowly and smoothly until your body can do it without thought. Then slowly start speeding it up.
Second, if what you're being taught is actual self defense then after 10 months you ought to be able to apply a fair amount of it. If not, that's probably more on the teacher than you- the drills and methods he's using to teach you etc. That being said, it's possible you're being taught in a more "traditional" manner, which is slower paced long term training. It's pretty common people will teach this way while billing it as self defense, but there's a difference.
There are people here with decades of teaching experience who'll chime in, they'll have good advice for you
Second, if what you're being taught is actual self defense then after 10 months you ought to be able to apply a fair amount of it. If not, that's probably more on the teacher than you- the drills and methods he's using to teach you etc. That being said, it's possible you're being taught in a more "traditional" manner, which is slower paced long term training. It's pretty common people will teach this way while billing it as self defense, but there's a difference.
There are people here with decades of teaching experience who'll chime in, they'll have good advice for you
Xue Sheng
All weight is underside
10 months is not ll that long a time, don't worry about it, you will get it if you keep at it. Also, don't compare yourself to anyone else, everyone is different, and when you are older, like we are (i'm a tad bit older than you) things can take longer. I have been at martial arts since 1972 and I am currently having an issue of understanding Wing Chun Shadow boxing.... that my shifu and other students do so easily
- Thread Starter
- #5
Thanks for your reply - that's very helpful, I think your tip about starting slow until it's automatic is a really good one. my Sensei is keen that I get each thing right before moving on, and I do like this idea.
- Thread Starter
- #6
Thanks, that's very helpful advice. I think it probably is seeing others progress faster that I'm finding discouraging. So far I have managed to learn everything eventually, I just feel very slow!
- Thread Starter
- #7
Thanks - it's definitely helping keeping me fit and active, maybe I'm just impatient
Don't compare your progress to other people's. It'll just drive you nuts. Just do the best you can, that's all that matters. One thing that might possibly help with the combos how you breath. Take a deep breath and slowly, steadily exhale that breath while doing the combo. Try to match the speed of that breath to the speed of the combo so they both finish at the same time. It's not the only breathing method but its helped me with the flow of combos in the past.
- Thread Starter
- #10
That sounds really interesting - thank you! I'll try it.
- Thread Starter
- #11
Thanks, that's a good tip.
windwalker099
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Lots of good advice 
best of luck
might help experiencing getting hit.
Understanding what your natural reactions are.
modifying them as needed, instead to trying to
adopt reactions that are not natural to you.
"You", your body already has a set of built in reactions..
A friend of mine, coined the phrase "neutrality principle"
developed the above listed method for those he works with.
best of luck
might help experiencing getting hit.Understanding what your natural reactions are.
modifying them as needed, instead to trying to
adopt reactions that are not natural to you.
"You", your body already has a set of built in reactions..
A friend of mine, coined the phrase "neutrality principle"
developed the above listed method for those he works with.
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When you say you don't respond properly, what do you mean? ie: Is your reaction speed too slow, do you panic/flinch, do you get sensory overload, or do you do react with a block/strike, just not the 'right' block/strike?
You've gotten some good advice here, but which advice will help the most depends on what the underlying issue is.
You've gotten some good advice here, but which advice will help the most depends on what the underlying issue is.
- Thread Starter
- #14
thank you, that's very true - reprogramming instinctive reactions is a great tipLots of good advice
best of luck
Understanding what your natural reactions are.
modifying them as needed, instead to trying to
adopt reactions that are not natural to you.
"You", your body already has a set of built in reactions..
A friend of mine, coined the phrase "neutrality principle"
developed the above listed method for those he works with.
- Thread Starter
- #15
Thanks! Very good question! the problem is I often react with the wrong block. For instance, I know I should react to a head kick to the left side of the head by raising my left hand, palm in, to the left side of my head, and blocking with the palm of my right hand. But I often have my hands in the wrong orientation, or wrong position. Maybe I just need lots more repetition: I can remember what to do OK, but I don't have time to think through it. I should be doing the right thing quickly and without thinking, almost as fast as a conditioned reflex. I Can do that OK with, for instance 1-2 jab/cross (i.e. I don't need to think about fist positions, blocking, rotating from hips, stepping-while-punching etc) but of course with an attack I am in control: I'm not there at all with defences. Possibly another thing is that it's not really possible to practice defences on my own as I can practice punches and kicks (to an extent) on my own.
Sounds like you just need to build the right reflex. This takes time, and unfortunately the older you are the longer it can take.
Make sure to start slowly when you're training. Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. It's when you try to go faster than your level that you do it wrong, and that's when you'll get hit.
Regarding doing the repetition for this, there's three things that I recommend.
First: Just practice the blocks. I'm assuming you're already doing that, but it's worth mentioning since that's the most common one. When I learn a new technique that I like, I'll practice it all the time - I'll do it while I'm walking around my home, while I'm bored at work, I might use the kick or strike to open doors, things like that. The more you practice, regardless of context, the more engrained it'll get.
Second: Shadowbox. and shadowbox intelligently. This means that when you do it, don't just throw punches, make blocks, throw other punches. Imagine that there's someone throwing the punch at you, visualize them and visualize your block. Again, you can go slow with this, you don't need to get this at full speed tomorrow, or even a month from now. The important thing is just practicing visualization and the correct responses.
Third: If you've got a significant other or close friend who are up for attacking you, use them. You're right that it's easier to practice with a partner. They don't have to actually be throwing strikes well, so long as the strikes make sense. I'd recommend doing something like choosing 3-4 strikes a day, and have them rotate between which one they throw randomly. This way you only have to think about a few strikes/blocks each time, but still have to react to the right one. Then switch to different strikes the next day, and the next...and when you're good start increasing the number to 4-5 strikes, then 5-6, etc.
Another thing to keep in mind, progress in martial arts isn't linear. You'll see a ton of improvement, then you'll plateau and see almost no improvement. Then you might see some improvement, but nowhere near as fast as you want. Then you might see yourself actually getting worse for a few months, followed by a random spike in your ability.
It sucks, it's frustrating, and it happens to all of us for various reasons. You're also not going to notice your improvement if you compare yourself to other people in the dojo - they're also improving at their own rates! And you can't even compare rates of improvement since, as above, progress isn't linear.
It sucks, it's frustrating, and it happens to all of us for various reasons. You're also not going to notice your improvement if you compare yourself to other people in the dojo - they're also improving at their own rates! And you can't even compare rates of improvement since, as above, progress isn't linear.
So, your sensei, a man with decades of training and experience hitting people, can hit you, even after you put in 10 months of training? Spoiler alert.... this is expected. Did you think that 10 months of training would get you to a point where you could beat someone with decades of training and experience?
Not trying to be mean here.... just trying to put things into a little perspective. If your sensei has years of training and experience.... and you can shut him down after 10 months of training.... maybe you want a different sensei to teach you.
Be patient, and understand that there is a skill gap between you and him. Over time, that gap may close.... but we are talking time in years, not time in months or weeks.
In Danzan Ryu, we do a lot of falls. On the mat, in class, they feel awkward at best. Even after nearly 30 years of taking the same falls over and over.... they seem to still feel awkward. However, when I have taken real falls, outside in the real world, they worked. Those were the nicest, softest, best falls I ever took.
In the dojo, your brain is focused on doing the technique. Your conscious brain tries to take over and do the technique.... at first, when you are learning it, it has to take over. Through repetition, your body learns how to respond automatically... as long as your conscious brain will stay out of the way. In the dojo, you are focused on the technique.... tempting your brain to get in the way. Outside, you are focused on something else, like being late to class and being in a hurry.... you slip and fall perfectly, because your brain did not have time to get in the way and take over.
In the dojo, as soon as you get one part right, you are given some new detail to work on. This moves the focus of your brain to a new part to figure out, allowing your subconscious to do the rest of the technique. The more new things you are given to work on with a technique, the more reps your subconscious gets on the rest of the parts. Outside, your brain will be on lots of other things... your subconscious and body will react, provided you can keep your brain out of the way.
Many arts talk about training the mind.... approaching things with an empty mind, no preconceived ideas, not holding onto what just happened.... These are ways to learn to let your body respond with what it learned without your conscious brain interrupting.
First you have to learn the technique, then you need the reps to let your body learn the technique without thinking about it, then you need to get your brain out of the way.... it takes time. Give yourself that time to learn and develop. And if your sensei can still nail you.... good, you have someone good who can train you further.
Not trying to be mean here.... just trying to put things into a little perspective. If your sensei has years of training and experience.... and you can shut him down after 10 months of training.... maybe you want a different sensei to teach you.
Be patient, and understand that there is a skill gap between you and him. Over time, that gap may close.... but we are talking time in years, not time in months or weeks.
In Danzan Ryu, we do a lot of falls. On the mat, in class, they feel awkward at best. Even after nearly 30 years of taking the same falls over and over.... they seem to still feel awkward. However, when I have taken real falls, outside in the real world, they worked. Those were the nicest, softest, best falls I ever took.
In the dojo, your brain is focused on doing the technique. Your conscious brain tries to take over and do the technique.... at first, when you are learning it, it has to take over. Through repetition, your body learns how to respond automatically... as long as your conscious brain will stay out of the way. In the dojo, you are focused on the technique.... tempting your brain to get in the way. Outside, you are focused on something else, like being late to class and being in a hurry.... you slip and fall perfectly, because your brain did not have time to get in the way and take over.
In the dojo, as soon as you get one part right, you are given some new detail to work on. This moves the focus of your brain to a new part to figure out, allowing your subconscious to do the rest of the technique. The more new things you are given to work on with a technique, the more reps your subconscious gets on the rest of the parts. Outside, your brain will be on lots of other things... your subconscious and body will react, provided you can keep your brain out of the way.
Many arts talk about training the mind.... approaching things with an empty mind, no preconceived ideas, not holding onto what just happened.... These are ways to learn to let your body respond with what it learned without your conscious brain interrupting.
First you have to learn the technique, then you need the reps to let your body learn the technique without thinking about it, then you need to get your brain out of the way.... it takes time. Give yourself that time to learn and develop. And if your sensei can still nail you.... good, you have someone good who can train you further.
windwalker099
Black Belt
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With those I work with, any position is the starting position. There is no wrong position.
Techniques are used to show logical possibilities based on the theory of movement trained, not directly related to attempting to change the other person's line of intent or type of attack.
One enhances natural reactions reinforced with anatomically, correct movement patterns..
Peter Ralston talking about "leading"
- Thread Starter
- #20
Thanks so much for taking the time to write such a detailed reply, that's all great advice. I must admit I'd not thought of practicing other than during my daily practice period, but I can see that makes a lot of sense. Also, though I shadowbox, I don't really visualize in the way you describe - that sounds a very good idea. Thanks!
