Individualize

Often, practitioners question why they do certain things and why these certain things do not seem to work for them when they just watched it demonstrated. Whereas it may be a case of strengthening the basics, there will come times when what is prescribed as a means to employ technique may not work in our reality — thus, leading to frustration and confusion for any level of student.

Regardless of art or system we all learn concepts — concepts for action/reaction situations. Although all have their methods, at times, these concepts we learn as a whole do not seem to be the method of choice for certain students to confront a particular attack. Often students experience only one view of a technique and little guidance or encouragement to find their own means of interpretation is offered by instructors to further explain the movement and ease the students’ confusion. As students and instructors, we need to take from these concepts certain ideas and approaches and apply them to our individual movements and thought process. Once the basics are grasped and a certain level of proficiency is achieved, it becomes the responsibility of the practitioner, indifferent of level, to enhance personal technique by incorporating these personal approaches. As instructors, it is our responsibility to the growth of the student and to the art/system, to encourage students to find or develop that personal attribute in them and allow it to shine through in their execution. Build on the student’s strengths to thus further their understanding and confidence level.

There are many techniques, many ways these techniques are demonstrated, many ways to perform them and many people who aspire to learn them. To say one technique approach is right and another approach is wrong is close-minded. Techniques come in all shapes and sizes, as do the people who perform them. The best technique is the best approach that suits the individual performing them. We all must achieve a constant performance of basic form and posture, rudimentary rules for off balance and control. Once there is a grasp of these concepts, we must take this knowledge and ascertain the correct execution for ourselves. The person demonstrating the technique might be taller, larger built, be able to cover greater ground with only a few steps or may be even smaller in stature allowing for easy access with a lower center of gravity.

At times, we struggle with techniques because we are seeing one person do it in a particular way, and in many cases those individuals have already integrated their personal interpretation of that technique to their own attributes of execution. They do what works for them. And that is what many of us need to do to reach higher levels, both in our understanding and execution.

Take what we know about the techniques and ourselves - take what the instructor demonstrates and teaches and adapt that to what you are capable of doing. Attempt to move toward a better understanding of what you have to offer to the technique by focusing on your strengths. By doing so your lesser qualities will begin to improve. This approach is a never-ending process since we will always be changing, both in thought and skill level. As we become more in tune with our abilities, the better our techniques will become and the better we will become.

We all learn a system or an art. But the style that one demonstrates comes from within. What may be taken for granted in many arts/systems is that there is more than one way to achieve the same goal. There are countless approaches to a single technique and everyone needs to be open to this. This is what makes the martial arts exciting. Still, we all must possess the basic skill level needed to complete the techniques, but nuances in steps, stances, body shifts, etc, all become an individual’s style of interpretation, hence each walking their “individual path.”

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Michael Aloia — March 26^th, 2005 (add comment)