You are right, in a way. For what I had said earlier was that, was that some time ago, in the past, I had had that problem - until I'd changed my training, thereby resolving it.
I personally do not think it is really an issue, in a real fight I am sure we are all smart enough not to punch our opponent's hands or stop our kicks short of their heads. If it is an issue, I think a simple change in mindset is enough to fix this problem. I enjoyed listening to everyone's opinions on this matter, I will take your comments to heart. Regards, EM. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDuVIs2G66o&feature=email"]YouTube[/ame]
you'd be surprised when the adrenaline hits you, you just fight the way you trained. When you're in the zone and IT hits all by itself, it hits the way you drilled it. Basic Muscle memory. Emil, do you use that much wing chun when you spar?
Dae, you nailed it. Emil, regarding "changing mindset, if it's a real issue," I don't mean to sound antagonistic towards you but, for an instructor, that statement of yours is quite an irresponsible one. The time to solve for that is before it is found out to be a real issue, not after! You've said Lee has been a great source of your inspiration. Mine as well. Well, what do you think he meant by that humorous scene in "Way of the Dragon" where someone finds out the hard way his need to know how to effectively use a weapon (in that scene, nunchaku) before it's a real issue, rather than after, when changing mindsets or whatever, is a bit too late. JKD is a physical science. Science is facts, not preconcieved notions such as "I am sure we are all smart enough." You really need to research the physical science of this. No disrespect intended. I guess this would be the appropraite place for the clip I posted elsewhere. That 2nd half of it says it all - look at the shock on that master's face: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEDaCIDvj6I"]Kiai Master vs MMA - YouTube[/ame]
It has never been a problem for me in my own personal experience, that is all I can say. As I said earlier, if adrenaline is overriding your own control of your actions (i.e. making you involuntarily pull your techniques) then more work is needed on your mental game, in my personal opinion. As Bruce Lee said, the JKD practitioner should train his/her mind to be as calm during a confrontation as it is during any other time. When Sigung Bruce Lee spoke of the importance of muscle memory ("It should hit all by itself") I do not personally believe he was suggesting that we let adrenaline take over and simply let our body do what it wants (i.e. what it remembers from training), but rather that we train to achieve this state of being able to apply our tools instantaneously in response to a threat, but in a relaxed and constantly aware fashion i.e. we do not 'tunnel-vision' ourselves and lose an awareness of where we are in relation to our environment. Your body may be rattling off techniques left, right and centre without any cognitive middle-man to interrupt the process of seeing an attack to responding appropriately, but if your mind is not in the right place (i.e. is confused and dazed by the situation, overriden by chemical/electrical interference from firing neurones - adrenaline dumpage and so forth), then you are in a highly vulnerable state, open to attack. A focused, relaxed mind that can keep the effects of adrenaline at bay whilst still allowing the body to "hit all by itself" is perhaps the most important tool we have to defend ourselves effectively. I hope that makes some sense. That is simply my personal view on the subject anyway. As I said I have never run into this particular problem in my own experience so cannot add much else. Kind regards, EM.
EM, Keep reading on, from other forums and taking the info from there....Because it shows you don't understand, what you just said.....Also, since when did Bruce Lee become your "sigung"......So, now you are a 2nd Gen. Instructor? Who are you training under in JKD? Keep "IT" Real, John McNabney
John, although I like the guy and his clips, I've laid out my view as to where he is off. It still applies to what he just said. I'm curious where specifically you see that he is off in his explanation.
if you are truly being honest with yourself, and you have no problem fighting at full potential when you train without full contact, more power to you. I still believe it would benefit anyone to hit and get hit. to let you in on my personal experience. I was attacked and hit the guy about 5x, and he didn't go down. My head wasn't clouded, I kept it together, and kept hitting him. Since I trained for years without contact, I did exactly that in this altercation. I had to get my head busted open and see my own blood before I could react out of anger and actually hurt him. This experience has changed the way I train, and will continue to train. sorry, i forgot to make a point before i left the office. I hit the guy several times and never hurt him enough to end it. I truly believe it was because i was making contact, but didn't train to make enough contact to knock him out. I don't always train that way, but when i do I make sure we all wear a lot of gear/protection!
Of course, sparring is good for this type of conditioning, the trapping drills however are for the practise of the trapping techniques themselves, in my opinion. When I trap with a partner I aim for full power and speed short of the finishing hit itself. I understand where you are coming from, but as I have said I supplement my practise of non-contact drills (as far as the blow itself is concerned anyway) with heavy bag work and so forth to work on my power. Bodybuilding is a good training tool as well I find for building raw hitting power. I do alot of sparring, pad, bag and other full contact work so do not see the need to put gloves and helmets on my training partners just so they can let me hit them full-on during drill work. Other people drill their trapping this way and that is fine for them but as I said it's not my thing at this time, that's all. I find there are many hidden benefits for also training control of your strikes as well (stopping short of the hit itself during trapping drills). I have encountered many people in my time who have no control over their attacks, being unable to practise drills with a partner without unintentionally punching their nose or kicking their groin. So I think there may be something to be said for this type of non-contact training in the end, so long as you are supplementing the strength and power of your strikes with training elsewhere of course. We can all see Bruce Lee training his trapping the same way in videos online, again supplementing with sparring and bag training where work on power is needed. For example: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxvjVSPOI6I"]YouTube[/ame] Of course this does not count as the final say on the matter, it is good that JKD practitioners continue to find different ways of training and improving on their game. But we are all different, what feels right for one may not feel the same for another. As I said we all train a little differently, so long as the core root is the same that is the important thing. It's good to have diversity in the arts I think. Best wishes, EM. Ps. I am not directing these comments at Mr. DaeHan in particular, just speaking in general. Kind regards.
Don't worry I don't get offended when people thoroughly explain themselves! And i agree with you on people not practicing proper technique and needing to develop control.
Hi Emil nice vids. Any chance you could post some vids of you and/or your students free sparring? Kind Regards Jez
A few months back we hosted Sifu Vunak in San Jose. During our time together, he called me out to do a live "sticky hands" with him wielding a live blade. Needless to say, Sifu could have eaten me alive, like he does in the Enigma video (steak). It's my belief, and sifu Vunak would agree (we talked about it) that we cannot control our emotions - if a loved one dies, I can pretend to be strong, not cry, etc., but the emotion is still there. We cannot train ourselves out of our emotional state - it will always be there. I believe we must realize what will transpire, and use it to our advantage. The live blade certainly scared me, but I knew I wasn't going to get cut (he suggested he hadn't cut anyone in 20 minutes, snicker...) I believe the September seminar in LA will also have some of these same drills. I highly suggest anyone who's been wondering what goes on..... should attend Regarding videos, it's my belief after 26 years of training, footwork is key. My master instructor used to ask me: Would you rather have the perfect punch, perfect kick, or perfect block. I argued with him and said, "perfect footwork..." hence Bruce.
Footwork? Footwork is EVERYTHING! You could be armless and still defeat someone just by superior footwork! Look at how often the great boxers actually fight with it alone, wearing opponents out - Ali, Ray Leonard, Prince Hammed, et al. Footwork is a powerful blue genie in a bottle complete with 3 wishes plus one - broken rhythm, speed, timing, and distance! Of course, footwork's gifts take, well, foot WORK - lots of it! AND THEN SOME MORE!
couldn't agree more, hence my post. It's just surprising how many arts don't "practice" specific footwork drills for offense/defense, etc., or even have it as part of the curriculum.
That was a good post. The emotional aspects of it were interesting as well. A word of caution though; far too often, far too many will not believe something as possible (or not) simply because that has been theirs, their instructor's or whomever's "experience." Unaware that is often due to the perspective from which one is viewing a thing. "Been there, done that, okay, I'm an expert now, that is not possible" Syndrome. Meanwhile someone else is pulling it off..
Although i like footwork i cant agree about footwork being the most important thing guys,circle footwork or ""running away footwork" for example will get you knocked of your feet in Muay Thai,short small steps,having a good sense of distance and timing to deliver your tools is very important, the low kick in Muay Thai is a great weapon to "keep someone in the middle" so you can deliver the heavy body shots with the shin,gradually closing down the range(with good footwork!) to land the knee and elbow ko!
All good comments, I agree, having a good sense of timing and distance is incredibly important. Those are two attributes I consider crucial to any art, and are predicated on having good footwork. I have too many students, early on, that couldn't get out of their own way. Although they "know" being too close means xyz, or too far means abc, their footwork didn't allow them to close the distance without telegraphing what they were doing, or attempting to do. Nor could they get out of the way/move to the side or back without losing either a choice of their weapons, or losing their balance, if only for a moment, thereby not allowing them to "do what they had hoped." Sifu V. likes to say, "get a man going backwards, and he becomes a pedestrian." All good information...All the best
Hey bud, how's things? In other words, footwork - broken rhythm, speed, timing, and control of distance. I thought I'd covered that already - LOL!
