Question to multi MA students

[charyuop]

I can understand that people learn forms from differnt styles, but how do you use them?
What I mean is, I am studying Tai Chi and for example there are different ways to "receive" a punch. Many different ways that lead to different situations (some can lead to a broken arm, some lead to arm bars, some lead to pushing away the opponent, some to punch back....and so on).
When you have in your brain different styles how you behave when you get punched? Do you tend to use only one style? I don't see how you can have the time to pick which style to use, so I was wondering if you just use the same style in a fight, but you learn more.
(I hope I was clear enough in my question)...

 

[terryl965]

Yes you where pretty clear for me, anyway I just re-act to what is being done at that particular moment, you really don;t have time to decide. That is why it is so important to contiually train those reflexis.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Clear enough

You cannot plan for a fight and depending on what is coming at you is how you respond.

I do not think, nor do you have time to think, hmm...which would work better here, Tai Chi or Xingyi...or maybe Sanda?

And even if you just base it on Tai Chi you could end up with the same dilemma. Should I use ward of or repulse monkey...or possibly white crane spreads its wings? You just do whatever comes natural at the time, that is why we train so much and people think we are martial arts crazy.

 

[charyuop]

So basically what you telling me is that all the styles you train once get into you become only one whole fighting system?

 

[The Kidd]

I know learning a good base is a great start then you get the basics down when you start to branch out and study different styles you naturally gravitate towards what is more comfortable for me and what I do well which I hopefully have found out thru my basic style. I have incorporated things from different styles that fit my strengths and are refining those.

 

[INDYFIGHTER]

By training to block punches you gain muscle memory. By training to punch back you gain muscle memory. The more you train these techniqes in class the more apt you are to use them when attacked. I doubt if most trained martail artists go through all the motions in any technique used when actually being attacked. Train enough and the blocks and strikes you train with will become your natural instincts.

 

[bushidomartialarts]

exploring additional styles is another aspect of approaching mastery.

concert pianists will learn, say, violin. not because they plan to start playing the violin, but for what that will teach them about music in general the the piano in particular.

professional football players often learn ballet for much the same reason.

on the other hand, you meet many 'giggers' who'll take six months or a year here, four months there, half a year of the other. they become tough people with some solid combat skills. but i find they keep learning the same lesson over and over again, rather than truly beginning to understand.

just by one and a half canadian cents

 

[Adept]

So basically what you telling me is that all the styles you train once get into you become only one whole fighting system?

Thats the idea!

 

[INDYFIGHTER]

Thats the idea!

I agree. Just more tools in your box.

 

[Shotgun Buddha]

I can understand that people learn forms from differnt styles, but how do you use them?
What I mean is, I am studying Tai Chi and for example there are different ways to "receive" a punch. Many different ways that lead to different situations (some can lead to a broken arm, some lead to arm bars, some lead to pushing away the opponent, some to punch back....and so on).
When you have in your brain different styles how you behave when you get punched? Do you tend to use only one style? I don't see how you can have the time to pick which style to use, so I was wondering if you just use the same style in a fight, but you learn more.
(I hope I was clear enough in my question)...

The probblem you're referring to with which response to choose is called Hicks Law. Basically it means that the more responses your body has to choose from, the longer it takes to pick one.
Fortunately its not too big an issue in alot of cases, because when it comes down to it, you might practice alot of techniques, but there will only ever be a couple that you drill hard enough to hardwire into your system.
So rather than having a huge number of reactions, you just take a look at whay you've learned, figure out which responses seem the most suitable for a situation, and then you drill those more than the other stuff.
That then becomes your default reaction.

 

[searcher]

I think you are on the path to understanding it very well. The multiple styles help fill in the gaps on what you have learned. If they do not help with that there is really no reason to study more than one art. The key is to not think. If you are thinking it will not flow like a river, but like wet concrete. If thinking is in play you have not practiced the techniques enough.

 

[Robert Lee]

Styles are like branch on one tree. That branch is still part of the tree. You have to become the tree. What you I or anyone learns it must become useful and part of what we do. All that we train is not useful for each of us. But some of it is. Style were intended for a method of learning not a promise of mastery. Or we would only have one taught style. We are all different think different and react different. When fighting if that happens we fight not by style but by what we do at that moment that fight in turn will never be fought agin in that way. When one person blocks another might slip and hit. That is whats great we do not think the same. Be it Gung Fu karate Or any grappling art. It offers to us What we asorb from it. You never need to take several arts as a whole. Build a foundation. That gives you an understanding from there you can if so needed Look into other arts Take what you see Will benifit you not somebody else just you. Could have should have is thinking but doing what you do Is that momenet that time.