Psychological Aspects of Fighting techinques
All fighting techinques systems have teams of movements (Katas, Forms, etc.,), as well as various drills, to build up physical strength, various techniques, simplicity of movement/agility and also to provide the mind. - boca raton
Based on the cultural, historical and philosophical background of the person martial arts styles different factors of the art are emphasised. The movements/ approaches to some systems tend to be more circular, others choose a straight line principle and some fall somewhere in the centre. In a few systems growth and development of a solid striking force is emphasised and a few elect to concentrate in trapping and grappling techniques.
"One cannot claim they can allow us "The perfect fighting techinques system".
Some systems endeavour to maintain the opponent at a distance among others should you prefer a much closer proximity. And so the list goes on! Any approach has its advantages along with its disadvantages. Thus, unless one can develop extra legs and arms, one cannot claim they can are suffering from "the perfect martial arts system".
Fighting techinques systems also emphasise, to numerous degrees, the need to get the mental areas of the art. The strategies vary from undertaking the forms utilizing an imaginary foe to maintaining an attitude of battle readiness (intent) whilst practising with your sparing partner, to sparing full contact, to sitting meditation, Qi Gung, etc.
It's possible to write forever about the various aspects of the art. However, My goal is to restrict the remainder of this short article towards the mental areas of fighting styles.
The Benefits of Qi Gung & Meditation
Personally, I have benefited greatly from practising Qi Gung and sitting meditation. I found them extremely valuable in developing internal strength, a strong stable stance, and calmness of mind. However, maintaining a mindset of battle readiness, using an imaginary opponent or imagining your sparring session is made for real, even though they assistance to develop the mind, they don't go far enough to get ready you to get a real combat situation.
Normally, in my experience, what happens is a fighting styles student either never experiences real combat or he/she is eventually considered advanced enough to enter full contact sparring. Most full contact sparring sessions are supervised and also have rules. However, generally, what are the results to someone facing a complete contact fight is that they become very focused on hitting their opponent, everything they have learnt flies from the window and the whole thing becomes a mess.
"It is entirely different if somebody efforts to hit you legitimate... "
If you fight full contact of sufficient length you could eventually commence to get accustomed to it last but not least learn to stop panicking. About the streets there aren't any rules, no-one stops to see if you might be hurt and if you need to do harmed the battle still keeps on. It really is entirely different if someone else tries to hit you the real deal, they do not await you to definitely do your counter, usually do not behave in a prearranged predictable manner , nor follow any rules.
In western boxing sparring full contact may be the sole method accustomed to train fighters. It is also common practice generally in most other martial-art systems. Whereas many people are naturally capable of face adverse situations similar to this plus some others may eventually normalise to real combat through such exercises, you can still find students who may be demoralised in the prospects of "losing it all" in a full contact fight. The impression of being confronted with someone coming at you isn't pleasant as you would expect. I understand of several fighting styles practitioners who were either so demoralised that they threw in the towel fighting styles or chose to overlook the facts and concern themselves with doing the forms/katas, etc.
You don't need to Reinvent the Wheel
However, it need not be that way! The techniques and exercises which already exist may be utilised and additional adapted to get over this difficulty in a a lot more efficient way. In Chen Tai Ji the forms are performed with the emphasis put upon a knowledge with the posture plus the Qi flow. In Wing Chun if the forms are performed more complex students are required to produce a knowledge of the entire body. Sometimes, in Wing Chun boxing, the forms are carried out slow as though they may be Qi Gung forms in order to develop this awareness or even develop the Qi flow. and so are all the other methods described above.
"Without a calm clear mind... you should have little potential for success in a real combat situation."
One must not lose sight of the causes and intentions behind all these training techniques. These folks were created in order to provide the mind and make preparations it for battle. Without a calm clear mind, regardless how good your techniques, you should have little potential for success in the real combat situation.
Regain the Initiative
You may have a great stance, a powerful punch, the aggression however, not a chance to have a cool head whilst calm. Without that calmness of mind( the spirit) you will end up in big trouble. Once the thoughts are not calm the Qi moves up, your brain clutters up, your stance will weaken. It is sometimes complicated to floor a moving, thinking target which hits you back although you may have solid punch. The mind has to stay sharp and clear to be able to outmanoeuvre the opponent.
What goes on generally in most combat situations is your mind becomes fixated on your opponent. You watch his moves and then try to do you know what he is going to do, etc. Simply speaking you lose the awareness of your personal body and psyche. Additionally you quit the initiative in your opponent by waiting for him some thing so that you can react to it. You have to learn to respond rather than react, to be aware of your personal Qi, body, posture, etc. The primary reason for Chi Sao in Wing Chun is all about developing that type of awareness and sensitivity, not developing hands understanding of touch as some practitioners manage to think.
A great Partner Exercise to Practise
Try this out! Look for a partner and have him to spar together with you. Ask him to try to actually strike you and you just defend yourself by blocking the attacks. Concentrate on him and his moves; react to his attacks and movements. I can confidently say you'll not really feel comfortable. You'll find yourself constantly on the defensive, psychologically as well as physically, and eventually you will end up hit a great deal.
Now do the same thing again, however, this time, prior to starting, take the time to unwind your brain, then start to lift up your awareness of your own personal movements, body posture, Qi and psyche. Maintain this mind-set whilst your sparing partner attacks you. Provided you can maintain this state of mind I am positive you will find yourself responding to the attacks with full confidence. Your Qi will stay low, your stance strong and psychologically you've got the upper hand. You'll also find yourself parrying most, if not completely, the attacks as well as putting your sparring partner around the defensive.
It is possible to only feel, sense and experience your environment through your own senses. By concentrating on your opponent your mind becomes disconnected and you are no more "centred". As I mentioned earlier, everything We have said already exists in most martial art systems. It just takes to look for them through eyes and minds not clouded by the limitations we put upon them.
A workout in Awareness
There is also a fitness that can be done that will help you develop this awareness. Find a quiet place and sit yourself down comfortably. Close your eyes and start by feeling your left toes. Discover them and all the feelings included. Extend your awareness in your left foot (toes, ankle), your left calves up to your thigh and hip till you know the feelings inside the whole of your left leg. Then extend your awareness in your back, belly, chest, in the back of the throat and neck, back of your visit the crown of your head and down that person, and ears. Then you definitely extend your awareness for your left shoulder, down your left arm in your wrist, palm and fingers.
Go on to extend your awareness further in your right shoulder, down your right arm, wrist, palm and fingers. Still extend your awareness for your right thigh, leg muscles, ankle and toes. You ought to easily be conscious of your entire body. This does not mean centering on a certain point, all that you should be is usually to be conscious of the emotions and sensations inside you. Now extend your awareness to the sounds reaching you from your surroundings. Regardless of how faint, just discover them, but do not attempt to listen to them. After you have done that, slowly open the eyes and, in the same way, notice what is in your visual field. After that you can browse around whilst maintaining this state. Practise this for 10 minutes at first after which extend the duration to 30 mins.
This exercise will help you develop a sense of awareness you need to have in combat. You'll be able to attempt to access and maintain this state in your sparring sessions and when performing your forms. Although a lot of people do report to feel relaxed next exercise, this is not a relaxation drill. Neither it's hypnotherapy. The procedure in hypnosis relies entirely on different mechanisms. - boca raton