THE SNOWBALL EFFECT

 by Phillip Starr

I have very much enjoyed attending various seminars over the years. Many, if not most of them featured styles that were very different from those I practice. In some cases, they involved wholly different arts! For instance, different styles might include Fut-Ga, Praying Mantis (tanglang), or Changquan (long fist). Different arts altogether could encompass subjects such as judo, arnis, or aikido...

You might wonder why I would be interested in participating in such events. Well...first, I ensure that the featured instructors are highly skilled individuals who have practicd and taught their respective arts for a considerable time. Then I can be pretty well assured that I'll get what I want out of the workshop.

And what might that be?, you may ask. It isn't necessarily that I'm especially interested in learning any of their techniques or forms, per se... what I'm really keen to learn is PRINCIPLES. If I can pick up just one new principle, it often has what I call a “snowball effect.” So learning a single new principle is more than worth the effort (and the cost).

I look at it this way; we're all human and we're all built alike...we share the same skeletal and muscular structure as well as nervous systems. Techniques are performed in accordance with certain principles, and the same holds true for movement (of the body). I know of no one who can lay claim to knowing all of the various principles of both technique or movement, so I'm always ready to learn what I can.

Then when I learn a new principle (which I'll call “A”), I study it carefully... “If 'A' works for this kind of movement, would that hold true for 'B' (a different type of movement)?” And then that might give rise to “C”, and so on. It's very exciting but it's something that should be attempted only by those who have a couple of decades of practicing a given art under their belts.

SHOWING THE TRUTH

 by Phillip Starr

I believe that it is through the assiduous practice of martial arts that we see our true selves as we really are; martial arts act like a mirror, which reflects our egos, fears, and shortcomings. This is, I think, why many people give up training. Not only do they see their image and deficiencies...so does everyone else. Our flaws are laid bare for all (our classmates and instructors) to see. And for many people, that's simply unbearable.

Training tests us in many ways. Sometimes, breaking through one particular barrier isn't terribly difficult but others appear larger and stronger. We grit our teeth and give it all we think we've got but sometimes, that just doesn't seem to be enough. So we endure and it's all we can do to hang by by our fingernails until the storm passes. These “storms” expose our “shadow side”; that part(s) of us that we normally hide from everyone else as well as ourselves.

We may try to keep them under wraps (which we normally do), but any attempt to do so only reveals what we're trying to do! Weaknesses such as poor attitudes, envy, self-pity, criticism (of self or others), insecurities, and anger bubble to the surface where they're readily seen.

The fact is that we've lived with these "shadows" for so long that we've developed our own personal ways of handling them.  They've become a part of us - habits, if you will - and we've become so accustomed to carrying them around that we don't even notice them until we get involved in martial arts training, which is really very different from most other physical activities because we're dealing with the basest form of human relationships...a punch in the mouth.  We have to learn to respond appropriately to physical attack while we must simultaneously "be with ourselves" under gradually increasing levels of physical and emotional pressure.

Before long we must face the ways in which we typically handle this and other forms of stress; how we armor ourselves against them, how we withdraw (into ourselves) or attack aggressively and what we see may not be pleasant.  We're exposed not only to ourselves but to all of our classmates as well.  The way we defend ourselves under great pressure (as when a partner tries to punch us in the face) shows us how we work to survive in daily life.

As Wilhelm Reich said, your body acts as a "prison" that holds "you" (or what you perceive as "you") in place.  Although you can see an open door before you, you are held back in your "prison" by your limiting beliefs, attitudes, and so forth.

     A skilled and caring instructor will see immediately what you see but he cannot present you with an instant "cure."  All he can do is encourage and guide you and you must listen. He's been where you are.  Your chosen martial art can be used as a vehicle to explore those things that you find undesirable in yourself - your fears, what threatens you, feelings of inadequacy and inferiority, and so on.

You face your opponent (your training partner) and he becomes you.  You project your fears, your weaknesses, and even your strengths onto him and confront them as you practice fighting.  And as you strive to "not lose", it isn't really your opponent who you are trying to defeat.  It's your "shadow side."  This is why practice fighting is so very important because in actual combat it's the same thing.  Your opponent, whether he's just a training partner or a real assailant, is a mirror.

     I believe that the willingness to face our "dark side" and striving to understand and eventually overcome our weaknesses, fears, and the many things about ourselves that we would rather keep stashed away is what makes a true warrior.  You must begin by being bold enough to admit the truth of what you see about yourself.  Then you must be strong enough to resolve those aspects of yourself that you find undesirable.  This can be accomplished through correct martial arts training but it isn't easy and many students will quit training in order to avoid having to face themselves although many of them, perhaps even the majority of them, are unaware that this is the reason they're quitting.

Facing your shadow side is a necessary part of martial arts training and progress. It isn't easy to do but don't shrink from it...break through!

RELAX!

 By Phillip Starr

You probably hear your instructor say it repeatedly...”Relax! You've got to relax!” What exactly does he/she mean and WHY is it so important? Isn't a little tension normal? Or maybe even a good thing? Let's take a look at the subject because if you're ever to have any hope of acquiring a high level of skill, you're going to have to understand and consequently, be able to do it!

First off, the correct word for this condition in Chinese is “song” (松), which translates roughly as “loose.” It doesn't imply that one should become “wet rag” relaxed or flaccid; rather, one should be loose, flexible, and elastic, and use no more muscular effort (to accomplish a given task) than is absolutely necessary. There is no residual tension stored anywhere.

Of course, it also applies to your mind. Remember that your body is but an outward expression of your mind; if your mind is tense, so your body will also be tense. The mind is relaxed because it isn't attached to anything. Deep, rhythmical abdominal breathing helps foster a relaxed mind.

Tensed muscles don't move very fast. In fact, they're an impediment to quick, smooth movement. This is one reason why, in punching for instance, the fist is NOT squeezed tightly at all. To do so creates unnecessary tension in the hand, wrist, forearm, and even the shoulder. In so far as handling various weapons is concerned, it's the same; the weapon shouldn't be gripped tightly at all. The hand(s) should maintain a proper grip (all of the fingers grip the weapon, none of them hang loose) at all times but prior to delivery of a strike/cut, the grip isn't tightened because that impedes proper handling of the weapon and hence, correct, precise technique. If the grip or any part of the body is tense, too many unnecessary muscles become involved. This results in flawed technique (although it may LOOK good, it's wrong) as well as fatigue.

Coaches and instructors in all activities – from baseball to combat shooting – constantly remind players and participants to RELAX...both body and mind. Relaxed (song...remember song?) muscles REACT FASTER than tensed muscles. If you watch (a video) of an experienced, well-trained group of special forces operators or SeALS clear a “shooting house”, you'll notice that they're not tensed up at all...in fact, they're very relaxed. That's one of the reasons why they can respond so efficiently to threats. If your reaction time is giving you problems, unnecessary tension may very well be the culprit.

Learning to relax when standing still, performing basic techniques, and performing your set is one thing...but doing it under pressure is another. By “pressure”, I mean the very real possibility that you might catch a punch in your mouth... It's more a mental exercise than physical. If your body tightens up under pressure, it's because your mind is fearful and has caused it. This is where two-person routines are most helpful but they should be practiced only AFTER you have learned:

1. To stay relaxed in a static pocture. Completely relaxed.

2. To perform basic techniques while maintaining a relaxed condition.

3. To perform your forms while being relaxed. NO tension!

And that's going to take a while...maybe 2-3 years at least.

Once you can do those things and maintain a relaxed condition throughout, ONLY THEN should you attempt the tw-person routines. Each one should be practiced regularly until you can do it and stay relaxed at all times:

1. 3-Step Fight

2. 1-Step Fight

3. Freestyle 1-Step Fight

   

You're looking at several years of practice... especially if your training partner attacks powerfully, doing his best to strike you! Then the threat is REAL and your mind darned well knows it. Teaching it (and consequently, your body) to remain relaxed under this very real pressure is going to take some time. Don't try to hurry it. Ever. This is one reason why SeALS and other special operators train constantly, regardless of how much experience they have.

This is the key to understanding what the famous lawman of the Old West, Wyatt Earp, meant when he explained how to survive a gunfight...

“You have to take your time...in a hurry.”

THE REALITIES OF SELF-DEFENSE

 by Phillip Starr

Real-life self-defense scenarios are usually considerably different from those that are presented in our martial arts classes as well as self-defense courses. You may need to adjust your self-defense training:

*Nowadays, people don't “square off” in fighting stances before the fight ensues. Fights generally begin at very close range...

*Punches (from your opponent) come in flurries. No one throws a single punch and then just stands there, looking at you like a lost dog. And grabs are ALWAYS followed or combined with a strike of some kind. Nobody is going to simply come up, grab your wrist or lapel, and then just look longingly into your eyes...

*Don't rely on a single blow to end the fight. We may train for that skill, but there are too many variables involved to rely totally on it. See Murphy's Law*...

*DO NOT attempt kicking to the head (unless the opponent is on the ground), NEVER try some kind of cute jumping kick...these will get you killed. Anyone who says different has never been in a real fight. Joint-twisting techniques MAY work, but only if they're preceded by an effective strike. The same is true for throws. And once he's down, don't let up on your attack! This isn't a schoolyard fistfight; there are no rules and nobody is coming to help you.

*Be prepared to get hit – because you very likely will, and you've got to understand that a punch in the face isn't the end of the world. You must be able to take a blow and keep going.

*Always assume that the enemy has a weapon that he may use...because there's almost a 100% chance that he does. You must train to defend yourself against weapons such as knives, handguns, and the like.

When it comes to self-defense, I have only two modes. If the opponent isn't threatening my life, he'll just spend some quality time in a local hospital for some time. If he threatens my life, I will take his life without a second thought. Period. I don't believe in landing a punch and then calling it good and having a beer with the guy. Saturday night fights for fun are out.

*Murphy's Law: If anything can go wrong, it will..and at the worst possible moment.

OFFENSE OR DEFENSE?

 By Phillip Starr

Let's face it; the vast majority of martial arts instructors have never been in an old-fashioned, no-holds-barred, knock down-drag out street fight or bar brawl. Although I can't and don't encourage anyone to deliberately seek out such a thing, it is well to listen to those who have been there – whether they're martial arts enthusiasts or not.

At the present time, street fights often happen unexpectedly and occur at close quarters. The attack is usually preceded by a grab of some kind or a push, and attack never consists of a single blow; punches are fired off in a flurry, with the head and face being the primary targets.

This is not to infer that we should discontinue basic 3 and 1 step fight routines. In fact, they're more important than ever but the reason(s) for practicing them absolutely must be understood. They are NOT intended to teach us how to fight; they're practiced to teach you how to apply various techniques. Actual fighting in self-defense is another matter.

The first thing to consider is mindset. Many, perhaps most, martial arts followers feel that they should adopt a kind of “defensive” mindset. I think this is a serious error. In Vietnam, the Marines found that the old way of responding to an ambush just didn't work – they'd either hunker down and return fire, and/or work to flank the enemy. The cost was just too high. The answer? Charge straight at the aggressors and cut them down! And it worked...with much fewer casualties than they'd have had otherwise. Self-defense works the same way; maintain an “offensive” mindset. Attack the attack.

Many streetfights begin at very close quarters and are often initiated with a grab or a push. Trying to apply classical -step routines to such situations is like trying to play chess using the rules of checkers (with your opponent actually playing chess). We have to adapt our classical routines to fit the new circumstances. This is what martial arts are about and how they have always been intended to work. However, the principles upon which the techniques don't change; they're what make the techniques work properly.

Karate and gong-fu are not arts that are made of static, fixed postures; actual fighting is dynamic and constantly changing and we must be able to adapt to any changes that occur. Otherwise, we're confining ourselves to functioning within the confines of a rather small box...we have to break out of the box!

NO SECRETS, NO SILVER BULLETS

 by Phillip Starr

If I just had a nickel for every poor soul who wasted time searching for a “martial arts silver bullet”; secret techniques or styles that could defeat all other forms...I'd be a very wealthy man. Although such fantasies don't exist and never have, there are plenty of hucksters out there who are more than willing to lay claim to possessing some “secret” knowledge and attract as many wannabe masters as possible so that they can separate them from their hard-earned money.

Certainly, there are principles that have long been forgotten or ignored and that's why I have written several books on them – so they won't be lost – but there are no “secrets”, per se. There are only basics that have been practiced and polished to an extremely fine degree.

Be very wary of anyone claiming to possess secret knowledge or skill with secret techniques or style of martial art. If they offer to teach you such things for a fee, you must run (do not walk) to the nearest exit! I have heard of “masters” (some who are quite well-known) who, for an extra fee, will happily teach students special forms or techniques that they allegedly learned as “closed door” disciples of their teachers (this is especially true of gong-fu stylists). Some of these “teachers” even offer to make you a special “closed door” disciple... if you can afford it.

Enter the world of internal Chinese styles and qigong... Let me begin by saying that simply standing in a particular position and waving your hands and arms around WILL NOT turn you into an invincible gong-fu master, help you learn to “master” the movement of your qi, or improve your health one whit. Learning from someone who promises such things will, however, assist you in losing weight (from your wallet). Qigong and learning how to emit qi (whether it is for healing or martial purposes) doesn't involve any kind of “magic” whatsoever.