While training we focus on the basics. We require of ourselves and our students a strong understanding and foundation in both knowledge and application of technique. We tweak angles of execution and discuss our presentation of the art at nausea. This foundation is important, it sets the base for everything else that we have the ability to become. It however doesn’t show us how to become everything we can become. To paraphrase (and probably butcher) a saying, “you can’t solve a problem with the same level of thinking that got you into the problem in the first place”. You have to level up if you want to move beyond the presentation component of the art.
So how do you level up? From the perspective of one who doesn't live in the same city as most of his instructors the answer is easy and difficult at the same time. Easy because you just need to think outside of the box. Contact your friends and training associates. Ask fellow members of organizations you belong to, look on Youtube, discussion forums and facebook to get ideas. Dig back into your mental archives and think about drills or methods of execution you learned at camps and seminars that you never took the time to implement. Don’t just look at your art, look at other systems and disciplines. A great example of this is where Mr. Bob White, of Bob White’s Kenpo Karate incorporates reaction drills picked up from his experience with tennis trainers. They are fun drills; they build applicable skills and they break the monotony that can come with not “switching it up”. Ok, so this sounds fine. Where is the difficult part you might ask? The challenge is going outside of your comfort zone. I think I’ve seen another saying that basically said, “Growth comes when you move outside of your comfort zone.” Commitment to that effort can be challenging when you are on your journey and others don't understand it. Don't expect support in your efforts if they fall outside of other's expectations. Their journey different from yours.
Finally, remind yourself why you are here. To perpetuate the art, to keep Mr. Parker’s flame burning, to provide good hard working people with the tools to defend themselves in an ever growing cruel world. No, you are here to protect yourself, your family and your loved ones with a level of death and destruction that leaves the bodies of your attackers strewn about in the wake of your deadly skills warning others to come and get some if they must.
That is the thin line. We strive to be scholar warriors, to learn the art with the expectation that our awesomeness will repel any would be attacker and those that would dare will burst into flames due to our previously mentioned awesomeness . But let’s look at the universal symbol of this scholar/warrior relationship. The left cupped hand over right fist. Scholar and warrior acting in concert to provide a well rounded martial artist. The scholar embraces the warrior, concealing the treasure (the art) from prying eyes until it is time to come out. But what happens if you remove the scholar? You still have Chuan fa, Kuntao, Kenpo, the law of the fist. So what happens if you remove the warrior? You have a shell with no substance underneath. It still looks like the warrior might be there, but upon closer observation you see there is no mat time, no application, no skin on skin, just a bunch of patches, big talk and physical non-participation. In this regard I’m not speaking of those that have been there done that, and laid the path for others to follow. Our seniors and those that have succumb to the eventual wearing out of body parts from years of abuse (whatever type it may be) had travelled the path and have earned their rest, but I have doubt that most could be as good once as they ever were if the situation called for it and they had maintained a martial presence about themselves and some training so their tools would completely rust over.
So as Mr. White said in a recent AKF Kenpo Spirit Camp, “be honest with yourself”. I also heard this echoed by Guro Danny Terrell during our Pekiti training session, “be honest with yourself”. Where are your deficiencies? Are you light on the "martial" and heavy on the "art"? Are you still searching for that which will make you have "it"? Or is there some other demon that haunts you?
jb
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