What skills do you focus on?

[Samurai Jack]

Alright, so maybe I¡Çm about to ramble a bit here, but so what. It¡Çs what the forums are for right? So I read this article (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=558) from the magazine section and I really liked it. It got me to thinking about the progression of my own training, and what my ultimate goals are for my MA practice, for the personal Kungfu I¡Çve been working to develop during this lifetime. I really agreed with the author that kungfu is really about personal development, and exploring yourself as a whole and total person.

The actual methods used for training the individual can vary pretty widely, but MA practice as a whole is generally accepted to be about something larger than the actual skills developed. In other words, no matter what aspect of training the student chooses to specialize in, be it forms, conditioning, sparring, meditation, self-defense, or what have you, each of these skills can be used to bring the practitioner to a level of self-awareness that exceeds what he could have achieved without training.

So I guess I¡Çm just curious about what sort of specializations the various practitioner¡Çs of the arts have chosen as training specializations for their MA practice. For example, I¡Çve been working on iron fist skills (learned during my kungfu days) and body conditioning as a focus for the past few years. I also work very hard at the technical aspects of my art through practicing two-person kata and sparring (randori) while in class. I look at conditioning as being sort of a physical meditation. The harder I work at the various exercises, the greater my level of concentration. What do you guys do?

[FooFighter]

Samurai Jack

There are three aspects to my own martial training: 1. technical training, 2. attributes training, and 3. Competition. In the future, I am planning to attend a competition be it martial or a test of strength. What I am currently focus on is development of my martial attributes which also enhances my general health and well being through CST tecnhology.

From my own observation is that most folks can not take what they learned from martial training or attribute training and work it into their personal lives. I believe there is surely a bridge enhances both martial and non-martial performance. For example, it much like how some folks can not apply their religious experience (church/temple) into their interpersonal secular lives. It seems difficult to find a bridge between two worlds. So my fcous is also to creatively develop a better bridge in learning how to apply my martial training into my non-martial life.

[Dash Iros]

well, since I am very thin and my arms aren't very strong, I focus most of my training in my legs and in abdominal exercises. I also do some meditation when i have time

[Chief Fox]

My first focus point would have to be over all health and fitness including strength and flexibility as well as cardio vascular fitness.

Second focus point is "Control". Using control when I spar, controling my own actions. Controling my emotions. I think along with this comes Chi devlopment and meditation.

Third focus point is forms and Tai Chi. I look at forms practice and Tai Chi as ways to develop the above.

Forth focus point is Sparring and application of technique. I've discovered that I really enjoy this part and I've noticed as I develop the above that my sparring gets better.

Fifth focus point is weapons. Specifically, the broadsword, staff, spear and straight sword. I just think this stuff is fun.

[SevenStar]

since I compete, I have to keep up with my cardio. That is a definite focus, no matter how much I hate it. I was running and jumping rope, but the doctor has basically banned me from running for a while since I fractured my shin. To take the place of it, I've been hitting the elliptical machines. I still jump rope, but have been doing it for less time, since I'm not supposed to be doing that either. The rest is accomplished through bag and padwork, BWE, sparring and drilling.

The next major focus is footwork and movement. sidestepping, slipping, bobbing/weaving, etc. I word this with focus mitt drills, thai pad drills and sparring. Coach has a belly proctector that's pretty thick, and one drill we do is he will throw punches, and I have to slip inside and land body shots - multiple. He's still swinging while I'm inside, so I have to stay mobile, then punch my way out when I disengage.


My next focus is technique variation. I have my core set of techniques that I use, but when I am trying to expand on that, I focus on only using the particular technique that I am working on. Naturally, I still use other techniques, but I make sure that I use my decided upon technique at every opportunity, so that I can put it into muscle memory. for example, when a mid level roundhouse is thrown, I usually either block it or catch it. Another less used option of mine is the cut kick. I focus on cut kicking whenever the opportunity presents itself. This adds to the unpredicatbility factor.

I have a decent amount of strength, so gaining more isn't really a priority, however I do at least maintain what I have. I am in the gym lifting daily. That is pretty much all I do in that area.

[FngSaiYuk]

For the long haul, I'm still trying to evaluate my ideal balance of raw power, to stamina, to technique, etc...

In the near term, I'm gonna be focusing more on cardio to keep up w/my new found Muay Thai training.

Once I feel I've got enough stamina I'll prob work on sensitivity and internal training while continuing the Muay Thai.

Of course any of this can change depending on what other info I dig up or whatever other opportunities pop up in the meanwhile.