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As I've mentioned elseJournal, I'm going to be conducting a martial arts seminar on pressure points and extracting combat-applicable techniques from katas (forms), for a group of people who have no clue that forms are anything but complicated dances, and whose idea of pressure points are the eyes/throat/solar plexus/groin. I've got one day to give them the basics -- tall order!
I've been doing this particular brand of martial arts for 11 years now, and various other styles for 10 years before that. I am confident in my own knowledge of the material, and in my ability to teach. The one thing that I don't do very often is work with complete newbies, and even then it's with newbies that I know I will probably see again at the next class, or next week, or whenever, so if I overlook something I can "catch them up" then. I realize that there is a lot of stuff that I know on a subconscious level... and there lies the trap I'm trying to be sure I avoid. This is going to be the equivalent of taking a bunch of Jr. High School students who've had basic arithmetic, and introducing them to algebra and geometry... done by someone who is working on the level of Calculus.
I've already talked this over with my beloved![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
gryphonrhi and with alysswolf, and they made some good points. Now I'd like to throw it open to you.
The basic framework I'm planning is to concentrate only on one very simple kata that they already know. The morning session will focus on what to do and how to do it, then the afternoon session will get into the more advanced topics, like why to do it that way.
If you were to attend such a seminar, what things can you think of that you would want/need to see covered in order to help you understand the material?
I've been doing this particular brand of martial arts for 11 years now, and various other styles for 10 years before that. I am confident in my own knowledge of the material, and in my ability to teach. The one thing that I don't do very often is work with complete newbies, and even then it's with newbies that I know I will probably see again at the next class, or next week, or whenever, so if I overlook something I can "catch them up" then. I realize that there is a lot of stuff that I know on a subconscious level... and there lies the trap I'm trying to be sure I avoid. This is going to be the equivalent of taking a bunch of Jr. High School students who've had basic arithmetic, and introducing them to algebra and geometry... done by someone who is working on the level of Calculus.
I've already talked this over with my beloved
gryphonrhi and with alysswolf, and they made some good points. Now I'd like to throw it open to you.The basic framework I'm planning is to concentrate only on one very simple kata that they already know. The morning session will focus on what to do and how to do it, then the afternoon session will get into the more advanced topics, like why to do it that way.
If you were to attend such a seminar, what things can you think of that you would want/need to see covered in order to help you understand the material?
Tags:
Hate to post'n'run.....
An explanation of the difference between what you're about to show me and what I've seen Zena do.
~
Re: Hate to post'n'run.....
Re: Hate to post'n'run.....
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Likely situations where using a pressure point/kata form is more effective/quicker than the "kick the knee" technique, i.e. practical use.
I dunno, I guess I look at it from the perspective of "if I was suddenly taken hostage and there was a knife at my throat" and/or "someone was attempting to physically assault me", what would I do? and go from there.
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I've got three reasons for not wanting to show them an NTK at this point.
1) they'll expect me to show them how to do NTKs, that day. Honestly, I'll be surprised if they manage more than mild "energy" responses after only one day. On the other hand, I probably will do a "regular" knockout on someone fairly early on, which should make an effective "attention-getter"... especially for whichever person I drop! LOL
2) NTKs are relatively slow, and most people's response is to assume that the "victim" was faking. It's also very energy-consuming, which strikes me as something to avoid when I'm having to ride herd on a whole roomful of martial artists ::G::.
3) NTKs require a considerable degree of skill and knowledge. All I'll have time for in one day is the Freshman Orientation, not Senior Class Project. ::S:: Honestly, I think something like that, while impressive, would be ... overload?
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Still fascinated by it all. As I can't be there for the class, do please post what you decide to do, and what the final reaction of the class is!
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I appreciate that!
Unfortunately, with most of these people, they don't know me from Adam, so I'll have to build that trust. This is especially true in light of the fact that, at least for the pressure-point side of things, it can take people a little while to "get the hang of it" -- mostly, they stay too tense, and it causes them to screw up their own techniques. Until they've managed to do it a time or two for themselves, they can get frustrated, and start doubting A) the legitimacy of what they've been shown, and/or B) their own ability to use this new tool.
Fortunately, there are some very simple chi exercises that anyone can do, and have immediately demonstrable effects. One in particular that I like to use is called the Unbendable Arm (http://www.bodymindandmodem.com/CoolKi/Unbend.html). It is particularly impressive when you've got some big muscle-bound guy who suddenly can't bend a small female's arm. ::G:: But regardless of their relative sizes, it shows them that they can do it. Once they've overcome that hurdle, it also usually opens up their mind to other things.
"Wow! That really worked! I wonder what else I can do?"
There's nothing like empirical evidence to shush the nay-sayers! LOL
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and there are times when "kick 'em in the knee" *is* the best response. But it seems to me that if they're going to be practicing these forms anyway, they might as well be able to get a greater benefit from that training time/effort than just a physical workout, and learning to coordinate body movements, breathing, etc.
In the very early stages, that is the main benefit of forms -- coordination, exercise, and practicing the individual movements. However, once you've gotten those things "under your belt" (so to speak ::G::), practicing those same physical movements with the right mental imagery allows you to add a huge number of options you can use if/when confronted by an attacker.
For example, let's say you're one of my students. Every day, we do a training exercise where I throw a particular attack at you ten times, and you give a particular response. We do this every day for a month. If you're walking down the street and someone throws that same type of attack, you're going to *automatically* give that response.
Well, obviously I can't get together with every student every day. However, if I can give them the right information, they can practice that same thing when I'm not there, or any time they want. That's what the forms are for -- practicing things even when you can't get with a partner (because you're using an imaginary opponent), and/or practicing things at an intensity that you couldn't use with a partner if you wanted them to be able to come back and do it again the next day -- such as kicking them in the knee! ::G::
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When I was studying Okinawan Karate lo these many years ago, I was told up front that the katas were more than just a series of cool moves and that they would be training me to perform actual fighting techniques. Of course I didn't stay with it long enough to really apply them, but at least I knew about it up front.
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The comparison that came to me recently was that it is like many of the medeival scribes -- they could reproduce beautiful manuscripts, could do some of the most fantastic calligraphy and illumination... and couldn't read a word of it. In this case, they know the physical movements (i.e. how to draw the individual letters), but no one's ever showed them the context to use them in -- or how to interpret groups of letters as words... then sentences, paragraphs, etc.
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I have little to no knowledge of martial arts, other than the few moves that JC has shown me of the Marine Corps MCMAP and Walt from the self defense classes that he once taught. But if I were you, I'd start with clearly defining the objectives for the class and go from there.
Good Luck
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I'm planning on having several of the books from my library, just on display, for precisely that reason. I'm also working on a new chart to show some "broad brush-stroke" information on what types of points are located in different areas of the body. Oddly enough, I've never seen a chart like this, so I'm having to come up with one on my own. Given my limited artistic abilities, I'm not sure how the final result will look....
Not understanding after the fact can be corrected. There is one person in the hosting school who has some familiarity with the material -- enough to either answer their questions, or relay them to me. ::G::
Unfortunately, misuse after I'm gone isn't something I can do much about. If you have any suggestions for that one, I would certainly welcome them!