YOU'RE AS GOOD AS YOUR TRAINING.

Hopefully your training doesn't suck.

Last week, I was directed to a story on cagepotato.com about a high-level ranking test posted on Youtube.com that was...laughable.  The backlash was so great that the video was taken down by the posers... I mean, posters at the World Martial Arts Association. 

Now the fact that there was no contact in the sparring is acceptable, considering at 5th Degree Black Belt Level one would assume that the high caliber of technique would be devastating if delivered, and simulated hits scored would be recognized by both Tori and Uke. But this was sparring with NO INTENT.

Obligatory Bruce Lee reference.

The endless chain of side kicks to nowhere had no intention of hitting their target, prompted no technical response, and exhibited no mastery of execution. AT 5TH DEGREE BLACK BELT LEVEL. I've seen more inspired novice level rank certification. Clearly this school is what is commonly referred to as a "McDojo".

So enough ragging on those guys, let me get to the lesson in all of this.

There's a famous legend about Japanese sword master Miyamoto Musashi wherein he defeats the whole Yoshioka sword school.  The students hoped to ambush Musashi who had killed one of their Masters and they feared that if word spread of the defeat, that their school would be ruined. 

So he killed them all and their school was ruined anyway.

There's a short story that I stumbled upon just before all this happened that is pretty apropos. Kwoon by Charles Johnson similarly tells a story of a school whose teacher is embarrassingly defeated by a student and the repercussions on the school. It's a great read.

People seemed to like the "Ninja Ambush" analogy that I used for training in an earlier post. (Be on special lookout for "Andre"...) That was mainly a metaphor for the level, intensity, and intent of one's training regimen.  There are many ways to train in the martial arts, and many different goals that people hope to achieve through their training. Focused, serious, intensive training, no matter the goals, will produce the best results.  Musashi had no formal training, but the intensity and thought that he put into his discipline enabled him to take down a school of "formally trained" swordsmen. 

There is an implied mastery of fighting when someone mentions martial arts belt status. Of course, since the arts are martial.  But there are people who study the arts for a healthy activity, for forms and demonstration, as well as for TV and film performance.  That is perfectly acceptable and has become a natural evolution of the arts.

  Shaolin Kung Fu was derived from exercises that monks practiced to keep them alert during hours of meditation.  Fighting arts evolved from these techniques.  All that being said, if you aren't studying the arts to master fighting, DO NOT SPAR OR PRESENT YOURSELF AS A FIGHTER. I don't remember ever seeing a fighter present himself as a world-class forms demonstrator (Although I am SURE that it happens), so for people who don't fully examine fighting to feel as if studying the martial arts intrinsically instills one with fighting prowess, it is self delusion.

So here's the positive spin to put on all of this. The following is in reference to fighting-centered training, but it can apply across the board in some cases.

1) QUESTION YOUR TRAINING: Seek the purpose of your techniques and movements.

"What is this punch for?"

"Why do I throw the kick from this position?"

"Is this useful for a larger opponent?"

These kinds of questions are necessary for full digestion of knowledge.  A teacher who is comfortable in their art will have no problem answering these kinds of questions.

2) TRAIN IN THE CONTEXT OF YOUR GOALS: Why are you training?  If it's for fitness, is it working?  If it's for demonstration, how does it look? If it's for fighting, is it defense or competition?  Be honest with your intentions and you can achieve the goals in your training.

3) TRAIN OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE: This is, in my opinion, the most common shortcoming of martial arts training.  It's like when your cooking skills are limited to instant ramen noodles.  It's probably the first thing that you learned to cook, and if you got that down and figured that your cooking abilities were sufficient for life, I hope you stay in college forever.   

This is where cross-training comes in.  Bruce Lee was an early proponent of mixing the martial arts and getting rid of the "classical mess" of traditional training. The UFC was born from the Gracies' desire to show the shortcomings of other styles by competing against them.  Brazilian Jiujutsu dominated for two reasons: A) Most martial artists of the time RARELY bothered to train outside of their chosen discipline, and B) No one had really heard of BJJ.  So when you put the inflexibility of the mind and technique of a fighter against a new, unfamiliar situation, you get a whuppin.  The Gracies' built their style challenging other styles in open combat.  They constantly pushed the limits of their style and changed and evolved to deal with the new information.  Fighters entered the Octagon afraid of the small, unimposing Royce Gracie because they had no idea of what he could do.  Royce was calm because he had a pretty good idea of what opponents brought to the table.

"If you can't beat 'em, join 'em"

So if you only train in a style that only trains within itself, what good is your training against the rest of the unpredictable world?  How do you beat Brazilian Jiujutsu? You learn Brazilian Jiujutsu. Train with fighters from other schools and styles.  Learn the techniques AND the philosophies behind them.  Welcome defeat, so you can taste it's bitterness in practice, and not fear it in contest.

戦場で道場の笑いに泣く

Senjō de dōjō no warai ni naku

"cry in the dojo laugh on the battlefield"

Sure it's nice to be a 5th Dan Black Belt in a school where everybody kisses your ass.  You know what's not nice? Catching a whuppin on that same ass in front of that same school.  Either in person, or online.

-Lone Wolf