#dusil

Martial Arts • Fighting Science • 8 • Yin ☯ Yang of Fear vs. Confidence

Aside from technique, one of the most difficult aspects to combat is overcoming fear. Fear is incredibly debilitating because it limits the student from achieving their maximum potential. A lot of positives can be derived from the human survival instinct, but in combat sports, the following reactions create weaknesses:

Fear in a combat situation results in: Closing eyes, Holding breath, and…

Martial Arts • Fighting Science • 5 • Yin ☯ Yang of Empty vs. Full Cups

Entering a new dojo or training facility requires humility and respect. Maybe the instructor is young or small in stature – don’t judge a book by its cover. You are a guest in their gym. Respecting a new gym requires courage and confidence. You are admitting to everyone that you don’t know something, but are willing to spend the time and effort to listen and learn.

Learning is about checking…

Martial Arts • Fighting Science • 4 • Yin ☯ Yang of Technique vs. Instinct

As discussed in lasy week’s post, combat training is about learning new degrees of freedom – adding new maneuvers or techniques that have never been tried before. But how to learn a new move well enough that it becomes natural, or instinctive? Enter the 100-1000-10000 rule:

Mechanics• If you do a technique 100 times you will understand its mechanics. Your brain will comprehend how to do it…

Martial Arts • Fighting Science • 3 • Yin ☯ Yang of Fighting Styles

Each martial art has a set of pre-defined techniques. These are typically defined by the founder as a collection of traditional moves. In progressive styles, these techniques evolve over time.

I like to refer to a fighter’s portfolio of movements as “degrees of freedom”. New degrees of freedom adds to a student’s portfolio. For example, a boxer has two basic striking tools: their fists. Although…

Martial Arts • Fighting Science • 1 • Yin ☯ Yang of Technique vs. Power

In combat sports, it is often stated:

“9 times out of 10, Technique beats Power”

This statement is poignant from a few perspectives. First of all, the conspicuous avoidance of a perfect score. Any good fighter can be knocked out by an average fighter. We’re not perfect beings. Through life, we may strive for perfection, but we also need to be practical.

That leaves us with 90% of the time when…