Emptying the Cup

[zen_celt]

I recently started formal training in jujutsu. The sensei is a truly great martial artist and the style is intersting, useful, and has a lot of material and depth to it. Unfortunately, I've been having trouble learning it because I sometimes try to do a technique using a theory or method I got from prior training that, while working (usually), is not the way it is done in jujutsu. Because of this, I feel like my training is stutter-stepping, my movements are choppy, and I have no confidence in my techniques. Granted, I'm not training as much as I should due to a lack of a good training partner, but that is changing.
My current skills are a hodgepodge of MA that I have picked up over the years dojo hopping and moving. I feel that I can defend myself fairly well, but there is no fluidity to what I do, and occasionally, I get stuck because my brain is trying to decide which technique to use in the middle of the movement. I thought that if I take a few weeks or so off from my jujutsu, and refined what I already know, that might help but it also just might make the jujutsu that much harder to assimilate as second nature because the other stuff would be there and fresher...
Basically, I'm at a loss as to how to "empty my cup" and still retain what I know, or even shed completely my prior training and just make jujutsu my art. Any suggestions?
-ZC

[Volcano Admim]

yeah,

forget bruce lee

[chen zhen]

u just gotta evaluate. and be more thoughtful in your training from now on, thinking "is this something im gonna use"?

just think it thoroughly through generally.

[SevenStar]

emptying the cup is a mental thing - that's not your problem. Your problem is physical - de-training. you have to de-program yourself from moving the way you used to. That can be hard. Be persistent though, and in time you'll get there.

[zen_celt]

Chen Zhen- I'm not sure I understand what you're saying. Do you mean, am I going to use the jujutsu or the other stuff? Or are you suggesting I discriminate in what techniques I do train in by practicing only that which is useful?

Sevenstar- How do I do that?
-ZC

[neigung]

Watch the way your teacher moves and imitate his movements as closely as possible and as much as possible.
Think of NLP's 'modeling' and apply it physically.

[chen zhen]

ZC: if u have reached a level where u feel u have too many techniques at your disposal (meaning: u cant decide which to use when) then just start training the ones which fits u the most (evaluate which ones). then after a while u wont feel so confused.
:)

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by zen_celt


Sevenstar- How do I do that?
-ZC

Time. Train your techniques. When you spar, make a conscious effort to only use the techniques you are currently learning. In time, the movements will become more natural to you and will be ingrained into you. Eventually, you will be comfortable enough to use all of your skills interchangably.

[No_Know]

"Unfortunately, I've been having trouble learning it because I sometimes try to do a technique using a theory or method I got from prior training that,..."

What you learned before is Not the Jujutsu this sensei teaches.

There is no I use what I leared/picked-up before.

There is Only what you are told by this sensei (to learn what he has).

With this..Your cup is empty.

You value what you did before. It took work to acquire it. Perhaps you are proud. Whatever you Actually learned you will not loose. But to get this new thing you must allow your body to be disciplined to these different ways that are the Jujutsu this sensei teaches. Do not maintain the hodge podge. That can be picked-up again and added to. But formal training with a t least a good instructor in an interesting and useful discipline might be rare. Do other than waste this opportunity~.

You don't know anything (true or not), you do Not know anything.

With that, you can Now,...Learn.

[Black Jack]

Sevenstar I agree but sometimes I bet the empty cup ideal can be one of ego. Meaning that I would wager that somepeople have mental trouble leaving old styles behind at the door.

Everybody has seen it before, the guy who says after every technique-" but yeah in style x we do it like this, this way you have more power and are more protected and have better footwork and yada...yada...yada."

To me having an empty-cup means when you are in school A's classroom you should be working on what school A is teaching you. When you are in school B you should be working on what schoo B is teaching you. In the end you work it out you put together what works for you.

[Xebsball]

I agree with Volcano

[neit]

i share your troubles

[Mr Punch]

I agree with Seven. And partially with BJ.

It takes time, and with practise you can use all of it.

With me, my primary art had already become hardwired into my reflex movement to the point of standing in a line, bending down at a drinks machine etc. So it became very difficult when I tried to reject this for my secondary art (or more accurately now, my next primary art!!!).


But also I guess I had a touch of the ego thing. One of the reasons my body didn't want to let go, was because I wanted to use what I knew, despite it not fitting in with the new stuff... to prove I could 'do something'.

In the end, it was only when I slackened off my first primary art that my training in the second kicked in.

Now I'm just back at the stage when I suck at everything!

No-know has good points as usual.

[Shaolin-Do]

<- thinks no_know sure is an interesting character.

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by Black Jack
Sevenstar I agree but sometimes I bet the empty cup ideal can be one of ego. Meaning that I would wager that somepeople have mental trouble leaving old styles behind at the door.

Everybody has seen it before, the guy who says after every technique-" but yeah in style x we do it like this, this way you have more power and are more protected and have better footwork and yada...yada...yada."

To me having an empty-cup means when you are in school A's classroom you should be working on what school A is teaching you. When you are in school B you should be working on what schoo B is teaching you. In the end you work it out you put together what works for you.

Good point.