the training blog for ethan time

I can hardly believe it’s been three years since I went to Japan with the Boston group.

On that trip we hung out at the Kashiwa Starbucks, went out eating and drinking, and Paul even sang Beatles songs at that theme bar “The Cave”, I think it was called.

We vented, complained and got an awful lot off our chests.  Chris and Matty even made a pilgrimage to Togakushi!

The main goal of the trip of course, and one that was accomplished, was to get a lot of  training at hombu, Ayase, with Soke and with almost every Shihan that was offering a class.

Ken, Chris, Mike Z, Mike B, Barry, Matty, Paul and Me

It was a very busy schedule.  We’d likely get 2 training sessions in everyday, along with doing the tourist thing.  It was pretty chilly and damp for a few days, but we still managed to walk or ride our way over most of the greater Tokyo area.

I always heard from my training partners and teachers that after people get their godan (5th degree black belt) that odd things begin to happen.  The impression that I got is that it was different for every individual.  I don’t think that very many people attributed this to some supernatural phenomenon, but rather to a new and natural way of perceiving training.

Can you think of a time that you or someone you know had a goal in mind that took a great deal of effort and time to accomplish?  There’s certainly a sense of relief and success when completed.  But I’ve seen many people go into a slump or burn-out after achieving some long awaited goal.  There’s a “is this all it is?” or a “what now?” effect.   I remember even back when I was a 13-year-old kid my kempo karate teacher turned friend/taijutsu teacher, Ken Savage, warned me about the dangers of getting my black belt (in kempo at the time).  I think he’d seen far too many people get some level of rank only to realize that there is nothing magical that happens afterward.  The day after the accomplishment has to be the same as the last; training and hard work.  I think this can be tough for many people.  He cautioned me to just keep going, to keep training.

A major milestone in my own taijutsu training that trip was passing my godan test.   The weekend that we arrived in Japan, Ken reviewed a set of exercises that were quite helpful in putting the test in perspective.  I remembered his warnings from many years ago about people burning out after large accomplishments.  So, just in case I passed the test,  knew that I would just keep training.  Our teacher in Boston had long since devalued rank and the striving to get new rank,  so the rank isn’t what I was thinking about, but more about the symbolic significance of this test, and some of the mystery surrounding it.

Nagato Sensei and me just after my godan test. Feb 19, 2006.

Almost immediately after my nerves calmed down after taking the test, I had a familiar feeling.  I realized that I had passed the test and that today in most ways was just the same yesterday.  I still had the personal responsibility to keep going.

Throughout that 10-day-trip, learning from the Shihan and getting to see Soke again,  I began to put my previous years of training into perspective.  Every now and again I’ve felt renewed focus in my training and this trip gave me one of the most clear and focused vision of what I needed to do to keep my own training authentic.

The next year was quite strange for sure.  A lot of things changed, odd things happened and and martial arts wise I knew more than ever that I needed to direct what I would be learning and where I would learn it.  I didn’t know right away that I would be leaving the Boston dojo.

Even though I left Boston and have gone my own way, I still value my years of training there, my old extended family and friends, the memories of that Japan trip and the camaraderie we had.  I left the Boston dojo because it was time to leave.  Some old friends have misconceptions of why I left, and some have even fueled the flames of confusion.  That’s okay, I still wish you the best.

I truly hope everyone back home is doing well.  Maybe we should make another Japan trip plan?  Maybe the chicken knuckle place is open again…

Most people who think of a cooperative training partner will think of someone who lets them do a technique without making it difficult, while a resisting partner is considered a difficult person that needs to be taught otherwise.

I believe that we study our martial-art in part to improve our skills.  After the initial teaching and introduction of a technique we need a certain level of progressive resistance to become better.  Therefore a resisting partner is a cooperative partner. If our partners refuse to help us to improve by constantly allowing us to perform techniques without any realistic energy, then they are in fact not cooperating with our goals.

A cooperative partner will neither resist your technique during introduction, nor allow it to work automatically during Isolation or Integration.  When there is progressive resistance during training, a senior student working with a beginner will allow more errors to occur - while making small corrections at the right time.  As skill level increases, fewer mistakes will be allowed, and it will be up to individuals to have the proper taijutsu, including excellent posture, intensity, timing, etc.

Key Pointers for  being a good training partner.

Refrain from resisting techniques during the Introduction phase of a learning. You wouldn’t expect a baseball player to hit a 90mph fast ball without 1st learning to swing a bat.  Everyone needs to learn how to move correctly and successfully before learning how to use their new martial-arts skills in a fight.

Pay attention to your teachers’ & coaches’ instructions and help your training partner. It might be time to offer progressive resistance.  Your teacher will have a plan for the students in the room.  It will most likely accommodate all skill levels present.  No matter what your skill level is, you should always be working to help everyone you train with.  They will be doing the same.  When we work together we can improve faster.

Train with a Tribe Mentality. Everyone in your school or academy needs to remain healthy and ready to train.  When members are hurt, the whole group suffers.  Train with progresive resistance.  Back off before damaging others.  Give your partners feedback as needed

What if you could practice full speed against a resisting training partner?

Many people who practice martial arts ask themselves the same question, “Will I be able to use my skills in a real-life violent confrontation?”  Most who study sport martial arts don’t have this question after a certain amount of training because they are constantly testing themselves against trained, determined attackers.  This will most often happen in a ring with rules, but we in traditional martial arts practice daily with rules as well (we usually agree not to gouge each others eyes out for real, or kick each other in the groin on purpose.)

Those of us coming from traditional martial arts urselves a favor to leave the “deadly” techniques to our kata training, and practice everything else against progressively resisting training partners [while many of us do this already to some extent, I think this should be implemented more systematically].  We can Introduce techniques, Isolate individual elements, and Integrate them into our regular and randori practices.  When we practice certain elements of martial arts full speed against resisting training partners, and still stay safe, the folks at SBGi* would call this part of training Alive.

Kata Training

Kata (pre arranged fight scenarios) are examples of what we consider ideal body movement.  They can be practiced in their entirety or any piece may be isolated and practiced alone.  They are a rich part of our traditions and we learn valuable lessons from them that we can spend our whole lifetime trying to master.

While practicing an entire kata, it is normal to train with a non-resisting, compliant partner.  Training partners should agree throughout training on speed and intensity, all the while keeping in mind that entire kata are designed to teach specific lessons in certain scenarios.  “What if” questions are better answered during Isolation and Integration phases of training.  Also it should be noted that Kata do not have to be practiced with compliant partners, but rules should be agreed on ahead of time to avoid confusion in the learning process.

Except during traditional oriented classes, typically I will use choice-based scenario training rather than working on one single kata alone.

It’s a different issue to take individual techniques out of a kata and isolate them with resistance.  I believe this is necessary and should make up the majority of kata training.

I-Method

Introduce-Isolate-Integrate

The folks at SBGi* have found an innovative way of wording, teaching and practicing their martial art.  This I-Method is another part of training Alive.

Introduce: Teaching the basic movements and skills for a technique.  Usually this is done with a compliant training partner.

Isolate: Taking individual elements of techniques (and kata for our purposes), working on them with varying levels of resistance.

Integrate: Adding techniques to the overall repertoire of usable skills, randori, and for some - sparring.

Randori and Sparring

Here is where we can use our skills and test if our partner kata training is sinking in.  Randori varies from school to school, but usually includes using skills in an unpredictable way with a training partner.  Usually rules or scenarios are applied such as “only grappling”, and of course things like “no eye gouging” etc…

It’s important for students to know for sure that all the skills they’re learning are usable and worth practicing.  With randori everyone is given an opportunity to refine skills in a safe environment.

*I’m not affiliated with Straight Blast Gym, but I’ve found Matt Thornton’s articles and vidoes highly educational and inspirational.  I suggest you do a search for him andlearn from his work.