Wednesday, September 2, 2015

What is the Peak Technique? - - Chief Instructor's Blog September 2015


While going through basics, what do you consider the most important or peak technique? 

Let’s take attack punch as an example.  Is the most important technique the first punch when we kiyup?  The second punch, the punch after we turn (if so, which turn?), the last punch before finish or transition to a different technique?

What about hyung?  Which technique should you concentrate the most on?  Which one should be the most powerful?  Ready?  The technique with the kiyup?  The techniques after a transition?  The last technique?  Finish? 

In class a lot of times we start going through the motion and we “save” ourselves for a technique or rush to get to the technique where we kiyup on or some technique we particularly like.  In doing so, we are not focused, those move/transition, “in- between” techniques are not effective leaving us very vulnerable and unsafe.

A couple examples that come to mind that really reinforce this concept for me are:

(1)   In Pyung Ahn 3, I notice a lot that we rush from the extended spear hand through the turn to get to the outward hammer fist.  In doing so we are probably not grounded and missed out on being able to use at least three techniques (hip move to displace an opponent, elbow strike, and forearm strike) before even performing the hammer fist.

(2)   In No Pe Hyung, sometimes people focus and build up to the board break and then lose all focus for the rest of the form.  I think the person who created No Pe Hyung was brilliant that the board break was not the last move; therefore reinforcing every move is important and teaching us if we build up for just one move, we are vulnerable afterwards.

The reality is that every technique, transition, turn is the most important technique at that moment.  The next technique is inconsequential if you are not focused and perform the technique at hand as if it was the most important.  If you are getting ahead of yourself and thinking ahead, I can guarantee your techniques will not be effective.  Winding up for the “kill” technique or saving energy for that kill technique will most likely get you injured or killed.  It is so critical to stay in the moment and focus on the task at hand.  

It is so important we stay in the moment and not rush to flow from technique to technique but focus on each step as we move however inconsequential it may appear to be at first.  We need to treat each technique, transition, turn like it is the most important and that is the move that will save your life. 

Regards,
Kelly
 
A good martial artist puts his mind on one thing at a time.  The secret of kime [tightening the mind], is to exclude all extraneous thoughts that are not concerned with achieving your immediate goal.” ~ Bruce Lee, (1940 –1973) American-born Chinese Hong Kong martial artist, actor, and founder of Jeet Kune Do, as quoted by Joe Hyams in his book “Zen In the Martial Arts”