SUDDEN

 by Phillip Starr

 There's a real difference between what I call “sudden” and what is referred to as “speed.” Speed is the velocity at which a given technique travels. Certainly, speed is an important factor in maximizing the destructive force of a given technique but such force is just so much wasted effort if it never impacts its intended target. One of the main reasons that your techniques may fail to strike their marks is lack of suddenness.

The word “sudden” is defined as, “...without warning, unexpectedly, occurring without transition from the previous form or state...” When you face your opponent (whether you're in some kind of formal fighting posture or a natural posture) and an opening appears, you must take advantage of it immediately. Your movement must be completely unexpected and occur without warning. This sounds easy enough to do but, like most other aspects of the martial ways, it isn't...not by a long shot.

Unless you've trained specifically to eliminate a common problem known as “telegraphing”, you're probably unconsciously doing it. In so far as martial arts practice is concerned, a “telegraph” is a physical signal that you're about to execute a given technique. Some telegraphs are rather large and obvious while others may be relatively small and harder to detect. There are two highly effective ways to determine if you are “telegraphing” your techniques.

One method involves practicing in front of a full-length mirror that allows you to view your entire body, from the top of your head to your feet. Face the mirror and deliver your technique as quickly and as powerfully as possible (it's pointless to practice to move quickly if there's no “bang” in your technique...). Watch yourself very closely. Study your reflection and be honest with yourself. Look for any small signals (professional poker players call them “tells”) that occur just prior to the technique; a drop of the shoulder(s), shifting weight, setting your jaw, a twitch of your hand, tightening your lips, raising your eyebrows, even the flaring of the nostrils is enough to warn an opponent that you're about to attack.

A second practice method involves the cooperation of a partner. He will stand in front of you and watch closely as you perform your technique(s). If he sees a “tell”, he'll inform you. You can also have him hold a striking pad within striking range. Your objective is to strike the pad suddenly and powerfully. If your partner sees your attack coming, he should pull the pad out of range and tell you about your “telegraph.”

Some of my students who were fortunate enough to train with very senior martial arts instructors remarked that the instructor, although rather advanced in years, was able to move with such speed that they simply couldn't avoid his blows. More often than not, this strange phenomenon is often the result of extensive practice to eliminate “telegraphing”; the senior's technique appears suddenly and without warning, which makes them seem to be extraordinarily fast. Such skill can and should applied not only to individual techniques, but to whole body movements as well. It can be done only if you move from your dantien (“tanden” in Japanese), which is an area in the lower abdomen. Training to move in this fashion is fully explained in my book, “Martial Mechanics.”

It is my opinion that “suddenness” is more important than speed alone. As you age, your speed will decrease bit by bit but your ability to move “suddenly” won't. This isn't to say that you needn't train to maximize your speed; on the contrary, do so!!! Just remember that speed alone isn't enough. Learn to execute your techniques and body movements swiftly and abruptly so they become the personification of the word, “sudden.”