Thursday, June 1, 2017

Be Precise Consistently - - Chief Instructor's Blog June 2017


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