How do you train for the "real deal"?

[Convergence]

Without putting a sparring partner in the hospital or beating the daylights out of some unsuspecting individual walking down the street, how do you train for the "real deal"?

Humbly,

Convergence


"Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility." - Proverbs 18:12

[Chris McKinley]

Every morning, I wake up, go outside, and rub my face in gravel. Then, I promptly go back to bed...because it's far too early.

[Ginger Fist]

Without putting a sparring partner in the hospital or beating the daylights out of some unsuspecting individual walking down the street, how do you train for the "real deal"?

--by engaging in micro laboratories, san sau, at about 75% full speed works well. it has 2 the have element of risk 4 both people. partner should be = or higher skill level. painful, dangerous, productive.

--go watch any professional athlete practice, not warm up or compete, different mind at these times.
they move about 60-75% full speed. go watch a professional dance troupe practice, same deal. at about 75% real speed the speed is close enough 2 full out 2 have positive value.

--4 m.a. it has 2 have risk, it is conditioning 4 the nervous system. u don't want 2 kill off the surge of energy, us want 2 become used 2 it so it becomes ur ally.

--this type of stuff should b done in small bouts.
no more than a handful of seconds at a time. then rest, relax, point out errors in movement that just happened, correct error thru repeat of sequence at about 50% real speed back up to about 75% real speed. then go on to next san sau bout. repeat 4 as long as ur mind is able to focus 100% on the exchange. stop 4 the day when u or ur partner's mind starts to drift off task. quality not quantity and more is often worse than stopping be4 mind drift.

[DelicateSound]

.......... has pretty much dedicated his life to this stuff, and he's done it pretty well. His book Watch My Back is a good read (if a little commercialised).

At his school he trains like he would fight on the street - two people get "padded up" and one plays an attacker the other plays Mr. Joe Average. The idea is to get the mind prepared for confrontation, the attacker swears, spits and generally goes psycho :D This replicates as accurately as possible a street situation.

I've not done much of it myself, but I can see the principle behind it - most people go to pieces on the street.

If you're interested in this stuff, Geoff Thompson's stuff is a good start. Go to www.geoffthompson.com (http://www.geoffthompson.com).
He is the Grand Ultimate S h i t