tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178262688226237317.post5651878664055295006..comments2023-06-15T04:28:05.100-07:00Comments on The School of Battle: Solo PracticeHugh Knighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16542885684779106386noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178262688226237317.post-82966178924581977102012-01-30T11:32:48.083-08:002012-01-30T11:32:48.083-08:00I see your point. We too practice that from the ve...I see your point. We too practice that from the very beginning, but a novice has a lot of things to learn, and those subtle errors are not easy to correct at day one. Personally, I have taken great benefits from solo practice for things like that (and they're quite a lot): again, one surely has to develop the skill to perceive his own errors, wich is not an easy task.<br />Don't misunderstand me - I'm not saying that solo practice is better than the paired one. Distance and timing senses(and we all know how much they're important) cannot be seriously practiced without an active opponent, but the "form" (correct angles, power without stifness, balanced stance, etc) can. Moreover, there are much more opportunities in daily routines for solo practice than for group training. :)Michelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16597890160531872842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178262688226237317.post-14487870217221555962012-01-30T10:59:29.023-08:002012-01-30T10:59:29.023-08:00Michele, you're quite correct that it is essen...Michele, you're quite correct that it is essential to practice a correct stance so that you can initiate a cut without warning your opponent. This is not, however, something just for advanced students--we focus on it almost from day one.<br /><br />Moreover, it is essential to practice this with a partner who can tell you if you're telegraphing; sometimes such tells are very subtle, and as a teacher, I can tell you that people often have *no* idea they're doing something unless someone else is there to tell them they are. Once again, this is not something well suited to solo practice.Hugh Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16542885684779106386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178262688226237317.post-1419891138275240492012-01-30T10:52:58.128-08:002012-01-30T10:52:58.128-08:00I'm talking about no mistical things - no ki, ...I'm talking about no mistical things - no ki, no chi, no chackra and even not prana or other stuff like that :P Even Archimedes' principles have to be practiced to be of some use in a real situation, and I believe that at some point in one's training there is place for solo practice, and an important one too. I'll try to make an example to avoid further misunderstanding, if my english permits.<br />When cutting downward from an high stance (Jodan\Vom Tag?), one can easily 'telegraph' his initiative by slightly changing his feet ans shoulder's position. It's a thing commonly seen in many historical (either european or asiatic) fencing videos. Developing a natural stance in wich one can suddendly attack without having to shift his weight is not easy and requires to practice the cutting movement many times. This is usually not an exercise for beginners, who have to focus on other things; however, an advanced student should be capable of practicing this thing alone, and using paired practice for further 'testing'.<br /><br />(I'm fairly sure that I couldn't explain me in a decent manner, sorry)Michelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16597890160531872842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178262688226237317.post-70167255712485888332012-01-30T10:09:02.111-08:002012-01-30T10:09:02.111-08:00Michele, that sounds very deep and mystical. I fe...Michele, that sounds very deep and mystical. I feel cheated now that none of my advanced martial practice ever ran into things like that.<br /><br />This blog, however, is about the KdF, and there's nothing deep and hidden and spooky here, and no need for solo training. As we often say, we don't need ki, we have Archimedes.Hugh Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16542885684779106386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178262688226237317.post-80976988686328086602012-01-30T08:54:50.399-08:002012-01-30T08:54:50.399-08:00I was talking about martial disciplines in general...I was talking about martial disciplines in general, not european swordfighting only. There are things that can (and should, sometimes) be practiced alone, most regarding kinetic chains and body control: of course, trying to practice those skills without having developed a significant degree of insight is likely to result in total confusion and bad habits.Michelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16597890160531872842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178262688226237317.post-1213733112886493492012-01-29T12:23:59.114-08:002012-01-29T12:23:59.114-08:00Michele, how will the advanced student know if he ...Michele, how will the advanced student know if he is making a mistake if he practices by himself? You need the interaction created by the bind to tell. Thus, you need a partner. It's about Fühlen and Indes, and those things make no sense whatsoever out of the context of partner practice.Hugh Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16542885684779106386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178262688226237317.post-83978710790677525172012-01-29T11:42:25.596-08:002012-01-29T11:42:25.596-08:00I think that solo pratice has quite an importance ...I think that solo pratice has quite an importance in two phases of an individual's training "path". The first is obiviously at the beginning, under the instructor's monitoring, to take confidence with the basic movements and dynamics of a style, as you say. The second is, in my opinion, after several years of practice, when one gains enough insight to perceive his own mistakes, even the subtlest, slightest ones.Michelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16597890160531872842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178262688226237317.post-64763874731164964162011-06-05T13:51:52.205-07:002011-06-05T13:51:52.205-07:00In martial arts, the wrong approaches and practice...In martial arts, the wrong approaches and practices are almost always more appealing to people who don't understand the art.Hugh Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16542885684779106386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178262688226237317.post-14125676332849726832011-06-05T13:48:35.438-07:002011-06-05T13:48:35.438-07:00So true, Ian, and so sad. It's an example of ...So true, Ian, and so sad. It's an example of how groups like ARMA lead people astray with the flashy stuff--it's wrong, but they don't care, and it sure draws in the ignorant who want to believe them because they think it's cool.<br /><br />As long as the wrong things, like free play, test cutting, flourishes, etc., are "cooler" to hoi polloi, we'll never get most people into studying this art as a true martial art--most of them will simply play games as ARMA does.Hugh Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16542885684779106386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178262688226237317.post-47026419223427762082011-06-05T13:35:55.203-07:002011-06-05T13:35:55.203-07:00Take two as my last attempt was eaten.
Your many ...Take two as my last attempt was eaten.<br /><br />Your many points are why I have simply not been training the last 3 or so years. It's sad, but true. Solo training is fairly worthless. <br /><br />Unfortunately, all the cool stuff that we know is cool, is impossible to do on your own, not extremely flashy, and extremely subtle. This means the majority don't care, they want to do 'flouryshes' and post them on youtube with their videos of how many things they can cut with their sword using poor technique in the context of fighting.Ianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11243930231139249526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178262688226237317.post-13769571000423087912011-06-01T22:11:26.117-07:002011-06-01T22:11:26.117-07:00Hi Eric,
I agree strongly with your statement abo...Hi Eric,<br /><br />I agree strongly with your statement about how partner training must be conducted; this essay was only meant to express the limitations of solo training.<br /><br />I do not, however, believe I am any less enthusiastic than you about pell work. I believe it is a *crucial* training tool and process that must continue all through the student's journey.<br /><br />I am probably less impressed than you by what the pell teaches about measure, though, since all such lessons are necessarily stagnant, whereas partner drills teach the student to adapt and adjust more as a matter of course with and against a living opponent, a process I consider far superior.<br /><br />Thank you for your excellent comments.<br /><br />Regards,<br />HughHugh Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16542885684779106386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178262688226237317.post-54073595882199244122011-06-01T21:41:02.167-07:002011-06-01T21:41:02.167-07:00Hugh, this is a well-constructed argument. I feel ...Hugh, this is a well-constructed argument. I feel that in virtually all athletic endeavors involving active competition against a resisting opponent, the training program must emphasize structured drill practice with a variety of training partners. <br /><br />Obviously, the presence of a willing training partner is not enough. The partners must have an understanding of the scope, purpose, and constraints of each exercise, so they can learn what is intended. <br /><br />It is difficult for the solo novice to self-monitor and thus practice effectively. I am more enthusiastic than you regarding the value of solo hitting / pell work. I believe, given proper context and understanding, that a practitioner can improve footwork, measure, power, and precision, solo at the pell. Training tools such as mirrors and videotape can help one analyze movements, remove "tells," etc. All this said, without a decent understanding of the major points, the solo novice is much more likely to reinforce bad habits than build good ones.<br /><br />As an instructor, I have found that students who consistently show up for class and stay in for the long haul, achieve success.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com