Don't be too smart

"Martial arts are for smart people" I have heard some laypersons say.

When you actually start sparring at a dojo you start realising that your intellect is not of much use, though. 


Sure- knowledge plays a huge part in your success as a martial artist, but we do not just seek to accumulate knowledge, but also to develop our minds. This is done by subjecting ourselves to training that does not only challenge us emotionally as well as mentally.




I have realised at a very early time in my training that a lot of my performance has suffered not because I have not given it enough, thought, but actually because of thinking too much. We as humans are capable of thought and it is wonderful, but it also interferes with our intuitive responses.


While you are thinking you are not actually seeing what is right in front of you. A lot of details that can be sensed intuitively get drowned out by the noise in your mind that you have created yourself.

Regarding acting on what you perceive I shall only say that thinking and talking about the appropriate response is all good and well during training, but in the actual moment you will need to switch that all off so that you can act.


That said about thinking...

Now- about overriding your learning ability-

Your smart self will tell you that you cannot fight a person who is much bigger than yourself. It will quickly give you previews of having your face bashed in, your bones broken and all manner of painful images and sensations.

Chances are that some of the above may come from actual experience. Those experiences have most likely taught you to avoid fighting- pretty much how falling off a horse teaches you not to get on a horse again.

Well- from a lazy point of view avoiding these situations may be correct, but we gain a lot more if we take the current situation, look at it, and see what opportunities it presents. Shut that nagging voice up inside you so that you can see when that huge fist is coming for your face. Ignore those premonitions of doom so that you can actually topple him when he is off balance. And when you are on the horse- pay attention to your being on the horse instead of inviting another fall with your unpleasant memories!

When you have accomplished this mastery over your own mind and emotions you will not really become stupid, but rather become balanced. :)


  Have a great week ahead, everyone!


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Blindfold training

Image
Now here's something I have not yet written about. :D I have been interested in the Zen side of Japanese martial arts since the age of 16. It was about at this age when I began with Qigong as well. As a young karateka back then I did not have the confidence, strength or aggression of my classmates and looking back- I think it was a good thing. Because of that classes scared me. Now- had it not been to exposure to the mental training techniques provided to me by Zen- I would not have seen this hostile dojo environment as the ideal testing grounds for the things I have read. This is one major factor to which I attribute my development as a martial artist. One very important training tool that has always served me well and that continues to do so to this dat is Zen Meditation. This, in itself, has provided me with a number of benefits about which I can write in detail. One of those- was the development of intuition and sensory acuity. It is actually wonderfu...
Read more

Tai Chi Movement #3- Wave Hands like Clouds

Image
I have just started searching for examples of this movement on the internet and realised that among all the people doing Tai Chi out there I might just be the only one who would apply Cloud Hands the way I do. I have found different variations of the movement itself as well. This makes my writing about my version and its application a bit unfair as you will be missing out on some really elaborate applications. Now- how I always did this movement is starting from a posture like the Lute Playing posture like the picture below- or the Spread Wings posture like this: From either one of these ready postures I then rotate my front foot and let my body follow while my leading hand makes contact with an imaginary thrust and I then complete the rotation by passing the attack while I guide its force past me with minimal effort and my free hand follows the blocking hand to wind up for an outward strike. When the rotation and step is complete I shift weight ...
Read more

Learning a Martial Art- some basic guidelines

Image
I think we have by now come across a couple of people who are studying some martial art or the other on their own. Back when I tried doing it at the age of 10 I used a book and later more books followed. Well- even after I did join an actual dojo more books followed even then... People are quick to say that you can't learn a martial art from a book. That is understandable. I for one know that you can't work as a lawyer if you have only gotten your law degree. In fact- few people feel as incompetent as a bright graduate starting out as a candidate at a law firm. The main reason why martial arts can't be learnt by reading alone is that experience plays a large part in developing the skills that any martial art has to offer. Knowledge is not enough. Nonetheless- self study is possible. We may argue about to which extent, but the history of Chinese and Japanese martial arts feature instances where people studied a scroll or a f...
Read more