Flying Crane said:
This is what I am also thinking. It seems that a position can be properly "indexed" (I hope I'm using this term properly) only under very strict and specific circumstances. When the parameters of the situation change, which they will certainly do very quickly and repeatedly, then the position is no longer properly "indexed", whether we are talking specifically about the chin placement, or any other piece of the pie. Given this dynamic nature of combat, I am thinking that it is impossible to maintain "proper indexing" during the encounter. As I stated earlier, while this study of the minutia may reveal certain truths, I often wonder at how much of it can really be applied in an actual encounter. I think we can only do our best and trust our skills, but understand that nothing about it will be perfect. Surviving the encounter while taking as little damage as possible is the real goal and that is the only true measure of whether or not we did it "correctly".
Of course, you are correct, but the human body is a special type of living machine with special capabilities. The discussion centered around the unloaded static neutral bow, and the properly ĀIndexedĀ posture for a positive execution of the stance.
In reality, the human body has the ability to move fluidly between structurally ĀsolidĀ and a loose connectivity or a ĀdisassociatedĀ structure mode. This ability is what gives the human machine its fluidity.
The idea is to understand the underlying mechanisms that allow you to call upon either as needed for dynamic human interaction.
In Martial Science, much like other sciences, there is a direct cause and effect to all activity. Martial Science draws on many different scientific disciplines, but all are in some way related to one another through the conduit of human anatomy. There exists a significant cause and effect interaction between all the many parts of human anatomy whether static or in motion. In any examination of the many martial postures and their transitions, the efficacy of its many positions are predicated upon, among many factors, weight distribution and an exacting posture relative to the physical activity at hand, and load.
The relative position of the feet to each other, and their movement, also significantly determines whether structural integrity is created or maintained. LetĀs discuss for a moment structural integrity in posture, movement, and weight distribution. Any variations in these categories beyond proper anatomical posture can diminish or enhance effectiveness on multiple levels offensively or defensively.
How you move your body in its entirety, the arms, feet, and even the head in particular, in martial science affects the stability of the complete body for a variety of reasons. For most, this probably is not news. However, what is probably ĀnewĀ information to most is that some of the basic things taught in most Āmartial artsĀ fall quite comfortably into the negative and inefficient category. Surprisingly their effectiveness can be demonstrated to be much less than perceived. That is, when these things are tested in the light of reality, they fall well short of their well-intended goals. Lets us define efficiency relative to human physical activity in general, and martial science in particular.
Essentially, the ĀhumanĀ machine is a large gelatinous bag punctuated by multiple directionally dedicated and articulated appendages, connected by loose and flexible tissue. This semi solid shape is supported by an articulated and rigid substructure we call a Āskeleton.Ā This necessary substructure skeleton, supports the human body as the primary load bearing entity, but also simultaneously provides it with mobility and sustains its general shape. It also supplies the major structural frame for anatomical rigidity or solid structure on demand.
This relationship between the sub-structure frame, (skeleton) the connecting tissues, (ligaments, muscle, tendons), and the containment vessel epidermis (gelatinous bag) have a constant and perpetually active interaction relationship from one jiffy-second moment to the next. The Āsystem softwareĀ or brain, constantly monitors all external stimuli from thousands of body sensors in general, and certain ones in particular through the autonomic nervous system. This utilizes a mechanism called Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation, (which functionally includes the Golgi Organ) and subsequently makes thousands of minute adjustments every millisecond to allow the machine on one level to function intuitively, and on another, to take directed commands from the central processing unit simultaneously.
By its very evolutionary design the human body unit operates in one of two non-destructive modes, operating either efficiently, or inefficiently. The inefficient mode I have termed ĀDisassociated Anatomical Movement.Ā In order to accomplish this, this extremely complex machine has an inherent ability to ĀdisconnectĀ or create a more loose and flexible relationship between its many articulated parts, expressly for the purpose of performing movements and/or postures not necessarily anatomically structurally sound, but necessary for fluid human movement. Therefore, by the very nature of the body, not all movement is necessarily effective, efficient, or even structurally sound, even though it may be performed quite easily. This is the reason humans do not move like ĀrigidĀ robots or automatons.
Most modern martial arts place a heavy emphasis on immediate satisfactory results, and therefore usually are conceptually driven, allowing practitioners flexibility to achieve immediate short-term goals of questionable or elementary effectiveness. Unfortunately, these arts usually have levels of efficiency defined by some ranking process, and they include belts despite the lack of knowledge and quantifiable basic skills. Martial Arts clearly have taken on a business life of their own. A look in any martial arts magazine will yield pages of books and videos for those who believe they can actually learn this way and virtually teach themselves to mastery.
When any physical activity is taught with only an emphasis on conceptual movement or motion with no regard for anatomical structural requirements and physical mandates, than inefficient movement is the most likely results. The reason this can be confusing is that most martial ĀartsĀ instructors teach from this aesthetic perspective emphasizing the Ālook, or even "sound" of a movement over the proper anatomical ĀexecutionĀ to obtain the desired results.
A lack of knowledge has created a plethora of interpretations as numerous as there are Āinstructors.Ā Thus, the western term Āmartial artĀ is indeed accurate because of this interpretive aesthetic perspective. Art, (in this instance artistic movement and postures) is clearly subjective, whereas martial science and its proper anatomical movement and postures are not. This explains why one Āmartial artĀ can have so many different interpretations from instructor to instructor, school to school, and even student to student.
This methodology is also inherent in cultural based martial discipline ĀdoĀ (way) type ĀartsĀ that choose to emphasize a cultural and artistic methodology over an efficient anatomical results driven perspective. It is also, an unintentional byproduct of modern, eclectic, commercial, self-defense arts that lack sufficient foundation material beyond their conceptual design, as well. At least the traditional ĀwayĀ arts emphasize consistency of movement and execution from student to student.
Oddly enough some of the most effective of these modern types ĀartsĀ are Āstripped downĀ bare bones courses that at least allow participants to be ĀattackedĀ and retaliate against a person dressed in protective armor for a more realistic assessment of perceived skill development. This methodology also has the effect of introducing a level of ĀAdrenal StressĀ to training that is also missing from most martial arts self-defense instruction.
Subsequently, training in improper movements like stepping backwards into any stance as an example, is an ĀinefficientĀ methodology that is readily revealed in realistic practice and application. Using this most basic of footwork to obtain a stance causes the body to go into its loose ĀdisassociatedĀ mode to achieve the objective. The architectural human frame is designed to locomote forward partly deriving its balance from the swinging of the arm opposite the forward moving leg. Although the body can walk and move rearward, it does so inefficiently and in a definite disassociated mode.
As an example, when you walk backwards your arms do not swing naturally and balance is more difficult as a result. Additionally, moving forward aggressively without the ability to move your arms creates the same ĀdisassociatedĀ condition. The principle area affected in all of these situations begins with the ĀPrimary Disconnect Mechanism,Ā the pelvic bone. The same holds true in any lateral movement as well.
However the converse of stepping backwards to meet resistance moving in the same direction as youĀre stepping, is stepping forward when you are being pulled forward. Both of these movements are inefficient and must have correcting mechanisms to regain structural integrity.
Stepping rearward without the mechanism makes alignment impossible. Stepping forward however because the body functions to locomote forward naturally may create alignment, but only predicated on either how far or how many times you step, or if an additional correcting mechanism is involved.
Therefore to teach any execution that by necessity requires inefficient movement forward backward or laterally, first there must be recognition of these absolute anatomical facts, and second a mechanism must be designed to compensate, re-connect, or re-associate the body unit into singular structural integrity for efficient transference of power, or to resist body mass driven assaults. Additionally as previously stated, proper weight, distribution and postures are also mandated based on anatomical parameters, not aesthetics.
Other good examples can be found in various forms of footwork taught in most traditional and non-traditional arts alike. Lateral and forward movements where feet move toward one another create similar results of instability and structural disassociation as Āstepping back.Ā Although all of these activities are a staple of most arts, anatomically speaking, such maneuvers lack structural stability, absent a necessary compensating mechanism.
This is why I wanted to start steering the discussion towards some actual movement.
