Just HIT'EM already, for God's sake!!!!

[Royal Dragon]

Been thinking alot lately. In the past 18 month's - two years or so, I have been really working on structure, rooting and body mechaincs. Probably because I lost so much when I blew my back out. I know that we often spend uncountable amounts of time working on this stuff, but in all that work, and all that labor, does it really matter? I mean, wouldn't we be better off just working on hitting our opponent all that time? MMA guys don't do ANY stance work, but most of them can mop most of us up. They just hit, graple or whatever against real opponenets. Wile many of us are doing "footwork" drills for hours in the park, they are actually working skills with oponenets.

Last Summer, I spent literally HOURS doing drills in the air across a hot asphalt parking lot. Theses drills are very similar to the actuall self defence techniques used in that system, if not identical. Rather than doing all that, wouldn't just drilling the techniques with a partner be more effective training?? I mean, it's the same movement anyway, and partner drilling gives you the advantage of actually HITTING an opponent (Even if the power is pulled for safety), plus all the distancing, and spacial awareness needed to actually use the technique..............right?

So what's the point of doing countless hours of drills in the air, that are just like your techniques, in a class that has other people doing the same thing, when you can get more by pairing off, and working with a real person? Am I missing something, or is there some sort of benifit from stepping & punching the air for 2 hours before you pair up for the last hour??

I say just hit'em already for GOD'S sake!!!

Comments, thoughts anyone?

RD

[Merryprankster]

Well, Duh.

[Shaolin-Do]

I spar.

[Laughing Cow]

RD.

What you are saying is quiet right.

At the same time can you get a partner as easily as that and always available and willing?

IME, there needs to be a balance between both and each student has to find that balance for himself.

Some things are better trained in solo practice and others in partner practice.

Cheers.

[Shaolin-Do]

Go find a bar.
Have a few drinks.
Have a few more drinks.
Find a fight.
Try your arm breaking techniques.
Or eye gouges.

Devastating pelvic chops?
knee kicks.
Try my magnificent style of the golden pinky.

[Royal Dragon]

Well, Duh.

MP, Thanks I feel better now. I can understand maybe 20 minutes of a footwork or other drills in the air, or maybe some techinique drills in the air for the same amount of time, to warm up maybe, but to go like 2 hours always seemed pointless to me. I can see if I'm alone, training by myself, but when there are other people in the class, it does not make sense to me.

I'm a big beliver of taking one skill, and working the stuffing out of it, I just question the logic of doing that alone, in the air when there are people right there you could do it on, and work it with.

[joedoe]

Solo practice gives you the opportunity to get the gross movement right. Partnered training allows you to fine tune it so that it works against an opponent.

[Royal Dragon]

Here's another one, when I was first learning, we used to do like 1000 kicks at a time in the air. My record actually, is 1800 in 40 minutes. We used to do this like 2-3 times a week. Now yes, it made me a great kicker, but after a wile, wouldn't it have been better to kick a bag? I mean, you'd get the same cardio benifits, along wiht the feel of actually hitting something, and the ability to learn to penatrate and all. So why do so many "So called" traditional schools kick in the air so much? What's the point?? Am I missing something?

I can see at first, till you can get your leg over your head, do 1000 or so, but after that?? Why go on solely in the air?

[Suntzu]

IMO… solo practice is important… for like 10 - 20 minutes… any longer is a waste of time… the rest of that time could be better spent doing other things… weight training… resistance training… 2 person drills… sparring… hanging out with friends…

[ewallace]

You probably won't see to many grapplers choking the air for two hours in a parking lot. It's just not very practical and they would look funny too.

[fidon]

Yeah, single hand techniques should be practised to improve the accuracy and correct movements however i think that in lesson time the instructor should have a look and go through your single hand techniques and then fix them up if need be. I agree that the rest of the time should be spent playing jongs with an partner at least, cause you can train all that other single hand stuff at home anyway. But as they say "Perfect practice makes perfect".

[Royal Dragon]

Personally, I love my solo practice. I just think it's a waste if there's partners avaliable.

[Suntzu]

"Perfect practice makes perfect".

depends on what you are practicing.... practicing 'perfect' technique for the most part will NOT translate in the midst of a confrontation... IMO ofcourse...

[Judge Pen]

Do any of you all practice "Two Man" (or woman if you prefer) sets? I find that they can be great to guage timing and distance especially if you have different people of size and reach to practice with.

[Nichiren]

No offence but you fight as you train. What are you going to do if a guy jumps you, start doing solo drills?

Is this a troll response or what ;-)

/Cheers