I have mentioned
in class many times that if is it not precise and consistent it is not a
martial art, and commonly just street fighting.
I do not remember where I read, but it is so very true.
But why is it so
important to be precise? Is the way we
teach basics and techniques in our hyung the exact way we would react to defend
ourselves? Absolutely not!
To be precise consistently
takes focus/concentration, discipline, and body awareness. All of these are extremely important in
becoming a proficient and effective martial artist. It also teaches us how to
target appropriately.
It is easy just
to throw a punch and just see where it lands – you do not have to focus or
concentrate or actually pay any attention to what your body may be doing. To actually strike the exact spot you intend
to takes skills and those skills are required to protect yourself.
We teach an exact
spot in basics techniques not because it is the only target that is useful but
it is one and it supports the teachings to allow you to practice focus,
discipline, concentration and body awareness.
Once you are proficient in targeting one location, you should practice
all locations that are effective until those are precise. For example, in forward and attack punches
during basics, our target is your own sternum height. Does that mean the only time we punch is at
the sternum? Of course not. Some other
effective targets are groin, kidneys, lower ribs, and nose. And those targets should be practiced as well
as much as the sternum level.
In hyung, we
teach a specific target and intent when we first teach students the hyung. Again, these targets are effective and
useful, but they are not the only targets of those techniques. However, in the beginning, to practice the
focus/concentration, discipline, and body awareness, it is important to limit
oneself to one. Once you stick the
target every time without wavering, which is usually by the time you reach
black belt, then practicing other targets that are effective is another step to
learning the hyung and aspects of the hyung that are meant to be learned.
Let’s take the
opening move to Pyung Ahn 1. When we
teach this hyung in the beginning, the downward hammer fist is meant to strike
your opponent’s collarbone (who happens to be your same height). This same downward hammer fist could be used
to strike your opponent’s sternum. Another
target is a response to an attempted bear hug from behind where your opponent
tries to pin your arms. As you raise your arms to the prep position to stop the
grab, the downward hammer strike is straight outward to strike the one arm away
and the reciprocal action is an elbow to the ribs (stance will be more of a
sparring cat stance versus our basic cat stance). However, in each case, the targeting should
be precise consistently.
Brian Rainie, a member of our Associations’ Board of
Directors and a fifth Degree Black Belt in our art form, demonstrates and
discusses this topic in his Back Belt Challenge #1. See the Association website: http://hanmookwan.org/BlackBeltChallenges.htm
So, when you
think you have learned a technique or form with precision consistently,
practice a new target that is effective until you are precise consistency, then
move to the next and then next. This is
another reason why learning a martial art can be a life’s journey. You will always have new methods to learn and
conquer. You never run out of material!
Regards,
Kelly
"Excellence is an
art won by training & habituation." ~ Aristotle, (384 – 322 BCE),
Greek philosopher