Formidable Fighter: The Complete Series: Formidable Fighter

By Martina Sprague

Martial arts, combat, fighting, whatever you call it, goes hand-in-hand with courage, toughness, dedication, and focus. What sets the formidable fighter apart from other martial artists is that he or she approaches the training with the intent to develop an edge that allows him or her to dominate the opponent physically and psychologically. The goal of the formidable fighter is to retain the initiative by interfering with the opponent’s ability to counter an attack or defensive technique.

The greater physical shape you are in, the less likely you are to sustain an injury, because your body is better prepared to handle the stress of combat. Superior strength and conditioning give you an edge that can act as an equalizer against a bigger opponent. Powerful punches and grips are the product of proper training and conditioning. Good training also makes allowances for failures and prepares you to win.

On the field of battle, you command the fight by force, not finesse. The formidable fighter knows how to approach a scenario with the appropriate mindset that allows him or her to act rather than react and beat the opponent to the punch. Know how to play the cards you are dealt. Martial arts techniques are not complicated; it is the surrounding situations and how we think about them that complicate how we use them.

Formidable Fighter: The Complete Series is the print version of the full series of 14 e-books, and includes also a bonus section; a quick reference to all concepts discussed in the text. The book is a variation of the previously published book (now out of print), Combat Fitness for the Elite Female Martial Artist, also by Martina Sprague, revised to be particularly suitable also for the male student.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Martina Sprague
• Release date: Apr 20, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386246817

Martina Sprague

Martina Sprague grew up in the Stockholm area of Sweden. She has a Master of Arts degree in Military History from Norwich University in Vermont and has studied a variety of combat arts since 1987. As an independent scholar, she writes primarily on subjects pertaining to military and general history, politics, and instructional books on the martial arts. For more information, please visit her website: www.modernfighter.com.

Book preview

Formidable Fighter

The Complete Series

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The Formidable Fighter Series is a series of booklets for martial artists desiring to learn the concepts that create formidable fighters in the training hall, competition arena, and street. Each booklet is between 5,000 and 10,000 words in length and includes fighting scenarios, training tips, and illustrations. Since the advice is not style specific but explores the underlying concepts of personal combat, it is applicable to students of most martial styles. If you follow the instruction and tips in the Formidable Fighter Series, you will learn how to develop your physical strength and mental tenacity and triumph as a fighter in the training hall, ring, and street.

Copyright 2012 Martina Sprague

No parts of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the author.

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Disclaimer

Always use caution when practicing the martial arts. The reader assumes full responsibility for injuries incurred by doing the exercises in this manual.

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Acknowledgements:

The author wishes to thank the following persons for posing for the photographs contained in this book:

Patrick Gallegos, Keith Livingston, Kym Lockhart, Tera Lockhart

Image source for horse logo (slightly adapted) on back cover: CoralieM Photographie, Wikimedia Commons

Table of Contents

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Introduction

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Book 1– Mustering the Forces

Arrival

Lineup

Basics

Technique Practice

Forms Practice

Sparring

Review and Home Practice

Points to Remember

Debriefing

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Book 2 – Physical Preparation

The Benefits and Problems of Size

Training the Lower Body

No-Cheat Squat

Frog Hop

Squat-Thrust

Chase the Rabbit, Eat the Dirt

Lower Body Combination Exercise

Extra Credit

Training the Upper Body

No-Cheat Pushup

Pushup Training Tips

Inverted Row

Dumbbell Endurance Punching

Pullup

Pullup Pyramid Progression Schedule

Training the Midsection and Back

No-cheat Situp

Mountain Climbing

No-Rest Leg Raise

Skydive and Ocean Swim with Fins

Cardio Training

Running, Sprints, and Pushups

Running Uphill

Jump Rope

Instructor Tips

Points to Remember

Debriefing

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Book 3 – Hard Hitting, Strong Gripping

Training with Intent

The Best Technique

Choosing Your Fighting Art

General Impact Training

Impact Striking

Impact Kicking

Impact Blocking

The Effects of Movement

Hurt Your Opponent, Not Yourself

The Realism of Physical Contact

Unpredictability and Chaos

Close Range

Working Against Weight

Takedowns

Getting Up From the Ground

Joint Control Holds

Griping Strength

Pressure Points

Visualization Exercises

Points to Remember

Debriefing

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Book 4 – Winning Matters

The Truth about Fighting

The Need for Unarmed Fighting Skills

Being First

First When Grabbed

First When Struck

First When Taking Balance

First in Time

First Mentally

Playing Rough

Determination and Mindset

The Unpredictability of Fighting

Never Give Up

Points to Remember

Debriefing

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Book 5 – Pressing the Attack

Establishing Dominance

Closing the Distance

Controlling the Fighting pocket

Relentless Pursuit

Pressing for Positioning

Pressing the Long-Range Kicker

Pressing the Grappler

Defensive Pressing

Points to Remember

Debriefing

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Book 6 – Force and Single Strike Damage

What is Force?

Speed and Power When Kicking

Straight Power 

Kicking an Opponent on the Ground

Weapon Selection

Target Precision

The Palm Strike

Attacking the Throat

Eye Gouging

Attacking the Groin

Attacking the Tailbone

Attacking the Head

Head Butting

Leverage Techniques

Joint Locks

Takedowns

Grappling

Points to Remember

Debriefing

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Book 7 – Force Escalation

Technique Enhancement

Simple to Complex

Primary and Secondary Techniques

Force Escalation When Standing

Force Escalation When Fallen

When a Technique Fails

Points to Remember

Debriefing

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Book 8 – The Bodyweight Challenge

Points to Consider When Using Bodyweight

Bodyweight and Movement Coordination

Bodyweight When Striking

Bodyweight When Kicking

Bodyweight When Jump Kicking

Bodyweight When Blocking

Bodyweight in Joint Locks

Bodyweight When Pinning and Controlling

Bodyweight in Forearms and Shins

Bodyweight in Chokes

Bodyweight in Ground Battle

Bodyweight and Stability on the Ground

Bodyweight When Striking and Kicking on the Ground

Bodyweight When Reversing Positions on the Ground

Bodyweight in Defense and Movement on the Ground

Points to Remember

Debriefing

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Book 9 – Controlling the Counterattack

Establishing Contact

Timing

Long vs. Short Range

Controlling the Natural Weapons

Eliminating the Hands 

Controlling the Counterattack in Takedowns and Throws

Controlling the Counterattack through Pain Compliance

Controlling the Counterattack in Ground Battle

Controlling the Counterattack on the Street

Points to Remember

Debriefing

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Book 10 – Managing Failure

It Works Because . . .

The Unexpected Failure

The Standardized Training Failure

The Positional Failure

The Tunnel Vision Failure

The Target Failure

The Defense Failure

The Takedown Failure

The Throw Failure

The Joint Lock Failure

The Weapons Failure

The Discourse Failure

The Visualization Failure

Points to Remember

Debriefing

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Book 11 – Managing Pain

Pain as a Motivator

Pain in Joint Locks

Multiple Points of Pain

Pain in Strikes and Kicks

Pain in Blocks

Pain and Natural Handles

The Pain of Bodily Weakness

Psychological Pain

Points to Remember

Debriefing

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Book 12 – Gross vs. Fine Motor Skills

Adaptation of Technique

Hard, Fast, and Final

One Weapon, One Target

Gross and Fine Motor Skills When Moving

The Low Kick

The Knee, the Stomp, and the Spur

Motor Skills in Joint Locks

Response Time

Staying Calm

Mastering Fear

Aggression vs. Carelessness

Points to Remember

Debriefing

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Book 13 – Fight or Flight

What Determines Fight or Flight?

Is the Attack Real?

How Far Should you Go?

Fight or Survival?

Who Dictates the Fight?

Points to Remember

Debriefing

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Book 14 – Finishing the Fight

How Much Force is Too Much Force

When Your Life is at Stake

Your Genetic Inheritance

Attack or Wait?

When the Fight is Under Way

Finishing With Strikes and Kicks

Finishing With Takedowns and Throws

Finishing When Out of Steam 

Points to Remember

Debriefing

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Bonus Section – Exit Strategy

Introduction

Mustering the Forces

Physical Preparation

Hard Hitting, Strong Gripping

Winning Matters

Pressing the Attack

Force and Single Strike Damage

Force Escalation

The Bodyweight Challenge

Controlling the Counterattack

Managing Failure

Managing Pain

Gross vs. Fine Motor Skills

Fight or Flight

Finishing the Fight

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Afterword

Introduction

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"At length some feet shall stand on heights now unattained; why not thine own?

Press on, Achieve, Achieve!!"

—Unknown

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The martial arts are great for relieving frustration, staying fit, and building confidence, but many people have visions beyond a healthier lifestyle. They want to compete in front of a large audience, they want the ability to protect themselves and others, and they want to be respected for their skill and advancement of the art and sport. It has been said that size and strength in the martial arts don’t matter because it’s all in the technique. My view differs. I have found that those with muscular strength and endurance, THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO FIGHT A DECISIVE PHYSICAL BATTLE, consistently have the upper hand over those of lesser stature and strength, or those who choose to fight an elusive or honorable battle, regardless of technique and gender.

Most people can be both capable combatants and physically strong, but not without training. The yes, I can, attitude is not useful if you don’t also explore the preparation needed to succeed. Martial arts done with foresight and intent are not a one-size-fits-all activity, and being part of this select group requires commitment and work. Some people have an advantage due to their size, build, physical preparation, intelligence, and desire. As we all know, however, old habits die hard. You must therefore take the first step by not accepting substandard training.

Being fit means being physically and mentally ready. Furthermore, the word martial inherently means to go to war, to fight. To be considered combat, the martial art you study must stress combat and not be done purely for aesthetic reasons. The martial arts are rooted in fighting, and if we remove the war element from our training, we will merely be studying an art and not a martial art. The ability to communicate combat presence in the face of threat and to outfight a bigger opponent requires physical strength, confidence, and commitment. When asked about your goals upon signing up for a martial arts training program, it is appropriate to state that you wish to learn self-defense or fighting (note that self-defense is not passive and often comprises fighting), rather than learn a new philosophy or seek a family recreational activity. There are of course many benefits to the study of the martial arts, such as health and fitness, a sense of belonging, and building of confidence; however, when engaged in competition or in a life and death struggle, these qualities are secondary to winning.

Today is the day to start seeing yourself as elite. There is no secret martial art technique that works for a weak person against a strong opponent. Yes, there are eye pokes and groin strikes that don’t necessarily require much physical strength, but you must still be in position to pull off such blows without getting your hands tied up in the process. For the true student of combat, the goal is not merely to survive the encounter, but to triumph! How do you triumph? You triumph when strangers in the audience shake your hand and say you are the best fighter they have ever seen; you triumph when other martial artists seek your advice and beg you to spar with them; you triumph when they fear you because they know that you are dangerous; you triumph when you understand that you must use your skill judiciously. This book is about getting an education in the physical aspects of the martial arts. Think of taking charge, toughening up, and emerging as a formidable fighter, regardless of whether your goals are self-defense, competition, or combat knowledge in general.

The doors to proper training are open to men and women alike, but without education and knowledge these doors can be difficult to find, and once you get there, it could require a hard knocking. Use this study as a roadmap to make your training more profitable by building a solid foundation for strength, dedication, determination, commitment, and confidence. With every technique you do, ask yourself, would it work in a real scenario? What do I need to do in order to make it work? Not necessarily, how do I need to change the technique, but how do I need to change myself in order to make the technique work? Remember that your studies are meant to bring you skill in combat. Start by educating yourself on modern training methods.

Although the fighting arts encompass what you find on the streets of modern society, they also include the whole spectrum of physical conflict from competition in the traditional Eastern arts and the Western eclectic styles, to the real combat experienced by our men and women who fight hand-to-hand on foreign battlefields. When you know that you can hang with the toughest, it gives you an edge. Don’t sell yourself short. You are capable of much more than you think. Technique training is only part of your education, and the techniques examined in this book are merely a sampling of what you might encounter. It is the will to train with intent and a combative mindset that makes the difference. When you give your full effort every time, not only will others admire you, you will come away with a clear understanding of what it takes to fight and win. Now, set the stage; the arena is yours.

Formidable Fighter Series

Book 1

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Mustering the Forces

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Mustering the Forces, the first booklet in the series, sets the stage for the training that is to follow, so that you can step up and break the barrier that prevents you from reaching your full potential. Martial arts, combat, fighting, whatever you call it, goes hand-in-hand with courage, toughness, dedication, and focus. What sets the formidable fighter apart from other martial artists is that he or she approaches the training with the intent to develop an edge that allows him to dominate the opponent physically and psychologically.

Motivation is simple. You eliminate those who are not motivated.

—Lou Holtz, 1937- , American Football Coach

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All of us do not have equal talent, but all of us should have an equal opportunity to develop our talent.

—John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963, 35th U.S. President

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It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.

—Albert Einstein, 1879-1955, German-Born Physicist

How do you tell if a person is a successful martial artist? Does a black belt around his or her waist indicate success? Does an instructor patch sewn onto the sleeve of his uniform indicate success? How about a trophy for the Grand Championship, does it indicate success? At the base of this argument lie the definitions of martial artist and success. For the purpose of the Formidable Fighter Series, a successful martial artist has the physical strength and mental tenacity required to gain the respect of a bigger opponent.

To achieve this kind of physical and mental strength, you must train with intent. Doing so is often difficult in a traditional setting, however, because of ignorance and lack of education among students. As a result, we accept substandard performance as the norm. For example, we practice techniques with no or only minimal physical contact. We kick the heavy bag with less power than we can muster. So what should you do? Start by avoiding weak efforts. Don’t cheat on the exercises regardless of whether they compose pushups, squats, jumping jacks, bag work, forms practice, sparring, or just coming to class motivated and ready to go. Dig down deep and you will discover that you have the mind, heart, and fortitude to succeed.

The no-cheat pushup is done with your knees off the floor, no sagging or arch in your back, and your upper and lower arm at a 90-degree angle.

All parts of the Formidable Fighter Series focus on building up and educating the martial artist on how to achieve the fitness required for performing martial arts techniques successfully in a real confrontation in realistic time. Since we all practice different styles of martial arts with different variations of techniques, including traditional and modern styles, stand-up fighting and grappling, we will focus on concepts that you can apply to whichever style you study. These include:

1. Mustering the Forces

2. Physical Preparation

3. Hard hitting, Strong Gripping

4. Winning Matters

5. Pressing the Attack

6. Force and Single Strike Damage

7. Force Escalation

8. The Bodyweight Challenge

9. Controlling the Counterattack

10. Managing Failure

11. Managing Pain

12. Gross vs. Fine Motor Skills

13. Fight or Flight

14. Finishing the Fight

Let’s get started!

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Arrival

When arriving to class, be on time and ready to train with your mind fully focused on the workout. If possible, arrive early enough to have a few minutes of time to loosen up and get your mind ready before class officially starts. I have found it helpful to arrive about twenty minutes early and sit in my car outside the door for a while, preparing my mind for the workout. I like to be ready on the mat (or floor) at least five minutes before class starts.

Intense self-defense training involves working close enough for significant body contact to occur. You might even get somebody else’s dirty shirt over your face. Make sure you are mentally prepared for this.

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Lineup

Many martial arts schools have students line up according to rank at the start of class. After official opening, reading of the creed, or bowing in, there is usually some form of warm-up. The warm-up is your first opportunity to practice the physical exercises covered in the Formidable Fighter Series. Start by following along with the person leading the warm-up and strive to maximize the strength benefits. If other students cheat, it is no excuse for you to do so. START BY PLACING YOURSELF IN A LEADERSHIP POSITION AND LEADING BY EXAMPLE. Yes, you can lead even if you are not the instructor. People naturally follow the person they trust and admire, regardless of whether he or she is officially titled or communicates leadership through verbal or body language. Taking the leadership position doesn’t mean that you butt in and take over somebody else’s warm-up routine. But it does mean that you communicate through actions where you stand. Know how you compare to others in warm-up and strength exercises and strive to rank near the top of your group.

If you do warm-up by taking turns with other students, when it is your turn show some enthusiasm, do the exercises the way you want everybody else to do them, watch for slackers, and encourage those who are not following along properly. Resolve to spend one hour, or so, a week on the Internet researching details about warm-up that you can share with other students. It is easy to fall into a rut and do the same exercises every time. (How many different ways can you do jumping jacks? Research and surprise your peers.) Researching and sharing your knowledge with others establishes your leadership reputation and shows your peers that you are educated and take a positive approach to learning. For example, you might learn that the hamstrings are a muscle group that is easily injured. Explain to the class what the hamstrings are used for (to flex the lower leg, as when walking, running, or jumping), relate it to the martial arts (needed to throw a spur kick with power), and find an exercise that strengthens the hamstrings (leg curl with a resistance band or partner providing the resistance). These sorts of details spice up the lessons and provide meaning to routine work. If you are the instructor, it is especially important that you teach something during each exercise, even in warm-up. For example, explain why muscles are termed quadriceps, triceps, or biceps (quad = four, tri = three, bi = two). Warm-up should not be a mindless rut.

Show your leadership skills by educating the class on routine work, such as stretching exercises.

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Basics

Now that you are warmed up and ready, you will start working on particular exercises, or the instructor might take you through the basics. We normally term the techniques that are our foundation basics. If you study a stand-up art, they might include stances, strikes, kicks, blocks, and footwork. If you study a grappling art, they might include breakfalls, ground movement, and technique simulations such as joint locks and escapes. When practicing basic stances, strikes, and kicks in front of the mirror, fight the air with an attitude. For example, if you study traditional karate, keep your knees bent when standing in the horse stance. The horse stance is supposed to build strength in your legs and increase your stability. You will achieve neither if your legs are straight. Look at the class in the mirror and play a silent game: Drop your stance one inch lower than the top student in your class.

To develop leg and stance strength, start by standing in the squat for two minutes three times a week. Your thighs should be parallel with the floor. Place a staff across your thighs as a visual indication of your form. If the staff rolls off your thighs, you have not dropped low enough.

Use the mirror to check your appearance. If you had to fight a clone of yourself next, would you be intimidated, scared, or apprehensive? If you don’t look like you want to be in this game, it is time to FIX YOUR STANCE SO THAT IT COMMUNICATES COMBAT PRESENCE TO YOUR OPPONENT. Lower your chin toward your chest, focus your eyes on your opponent, and keep your guard ready to defend against incoming blows. If you are a grappler, the same principles apply: Your stance, whether standing or on the ground, should communicate to others that you are ready to take on whatever challenge lies ahead, and that the person attacking you will be sorry for doing so. Stance practice has purpose; this is not a time to relax and let your mind wander. When you are in the bathroom getting ready for bed tonight, observe yourself in the mirror and ask: Am I intimidating enough to ward off an assault before it begins?

Play with your fighting stance in the mirror until you get so frightened that you wouldn’t want to meet a clone of yourself in a dark alley. Which of the fighters in the picture looks most ready to engage her opponent?

Next, you might be engaged in striking, kicking, and blocking practice in the air. Again, visualize your opponent or observe yourself in the mirror to ensure that this part of the training doesn’t become a mindless rut. It is not only a matter of going through your paces; each strike, kick, or block should be done with intent. For example, when doing the inward block, remind yourself of what you are blocking (your opponent’s arm, between the wrist and the elbow), and ensure that you tense at the proper moment to absorb the power of your opponent’s strike had the block been for real. When throwing a series of combination kicks, use each kick to advance toward your imaginary opponent while maintaining your fighting looks as practiced in stance training. A SERIES OF KICKS IS NOT JUST AN EXERCISE IN BALANCE, FLOW, AND GYMNASTICS; IT IS ALSO AN EXERCISE IN AGGRESSIVENESS AND PRESSING YOUR OPPONENT TO RETREAT. Make sure you understand the combat relation of each exercise. When practicing breakfalls, use the momentum of each fall to get back to your feet as quickly as possible, facing your opponent and ready to take charge of the fight. If your opponent tackles you the moment you get up from the fall, how will you proceed to ensure success?

1. Practice the basics on focus mitts. Throw each strike or kick with enough power to inflict damage had it landed on a real target. You are not just hitting a mitt; you are hitting a precise target such as your opponent’s nose, temple, or jaw. Make sure the mitt holder is prepared to absorb the impact of your strikes before initiating the exercise. You can start with partial power to get an idea of your partner’s readiness.

2. When you and your partner are in tune with each other, increase the power while maintaining your fighting demeanor as practiced in stance training. Don’t assume that one strike will end the fight.

3. Reset into your stance in preparation for throwing a second and third strike. Experiment with how many strikes you can throw in rapid succession before exhausting yourself.

4. Take a step forward with each strike or kick you throw to communicate that you are in control of the fight. The mitt holder should take a small adjustment step to the rear with the impact of each blow. When you trade off and become the mitt holder, be prepared to absorb the impact of the blow on the mitt and encourage your partner to throw his or her strikes with intent.

When practicing the basics on a live partner, throw strikes, kicks, and blocks with less power to avoid injury. You should still throw the techniques with intent and aim at a realistic target (your opponent’s nose, for example). I frequently observe strikes aimed several inches to the side of the target during practice. If your partner’s strike is inaccurate, remind him or her to correct the aim. Make your blocks realistic enough to prevent your opponent’s strikes from reaching the target. You can start at a slow pace, and encourage your partner to take it up a notch as you get in tune with each other’s power and style.

So what if you take it up a notch, and a strike or kick lands flush on your nose? Chances are it won’t do any significant damage, as long as you and your practice partner have communicated beforehand and decided to use control and not strike with full force. But it will probably teach you a valuable lesson. When you feel the impact of your partner’s fist on your nose and your eyes begin to water, it might stun you at least a little. You know now that had the strike been thrown with full force, it might have set you back significantly, limited your ability to defend yourself, or knocked you out. The valuable lesson is that you must PRACTICE WITH AT LEAST SOME CONTACT TO UNDERSTAND HOW A FIGHT WILL AFFECT YOU PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY. On your drive home after class, think about what you would have done had the blow been for real; for example, had your nose been pouring blood while your opponent was grabbing you, shaking you, pulling you into his car, or hitting you again.

Since we are on the subject, let’s talk about blood. If you hit your practice partner inadvertently and draw blood, it is okay to apologize, but there is no need to make an overly big deal of it. A simple, I’m sorry, is enough. When you bring a bit of realism into your training and start striking with light contact, minor accidents will happen. It is recommended that you take certain safety precautions, such as wearing a mouthpiece. Courtesy, kindness, and injury prevention should also be demanded even in a rough fighting school. Although some people argue that a well-trained martial artist can pull his or her punches, never hit his practice partner, and still strike with full power and follow-through in a real confrontation, I encourage you to research and form your own opinion regarding this issue. Personally, I maintain that you can’t develop proper muscle memory and effective self-defense skills, unless you practice with at least semi-realistic speed and power.

If you start bleeding in training (we are talking minor bleeds and scratches here, not a pint of blood from a broken nose), when you have stopped the blood flow, resume your training where you left off. If the injury is very minor, first finish the exercise you are working on before tending to the injury. In a recent medieval sword class, I took a slash to the bridge of my nose and knew instantly that the cut was enough to cause bleeding, but I pretended that I knew nothing about it until the instructor butted in to look at the injury. He cleaned it, applied a Band Aid, and sent me back into battle. Ignore minor scratches and wear your purple hearts with pride. How else will you prevail in a real encounter?

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Technique Practice

Now that you have gone through warm-up and basics, most schools do technique practice, forms practice, or sparring. We will deal with technique practice first. Your instructor might demonstrate a technique, such as how to defend yourself if struck, grabbed, thrown, or wrestled to the ground. To demonstrate the technique with clarity, he or she needs somebody acting as the attacker and will probably choose one of the students. Next time the instructor asks for a volunteer, make a point to be the first to raise your hand. Your readiness to act as the aggressor communicates to the instructor and other students that you take the training seriously and are looking for real self-defense skills.

When it is time to break into groups and engage in partner practice, make an effort to pair up with different students, and with a bigger, stronger, or more experienced student at least half of the time. Then practice with seriousness and intent. Remember stance practice? Stay focused, look like a fighter, look like there is no other place you would rather be, and attack and defend with speed, precision, and intent. If you are the more experienced martial artist, offer your knowledge to your practice partner by encouraging him or her to practice the techniques with greater speed, power, and intent. See how many times you can do the technique within the prescribed practice session. Do not stand around and talk during technique practice.

Practice your techniques with precision by touching the target. For example, if a technique calls for an eye-rake, physically place your hand on your partner’s face. Don’t just simulate the technique by coming close. When it is your partner’s turn, he or she should do the same to you. Exercise care with your partner’s personal effects, such as eyeglasses. Consider how eyewear could affect your success with the technique.

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Forms Practice

I often see students losing motivation or endurance during individual forms practice. In other words, when they are told to work on their forms by themselves for the next twenty minutes, they work for just a few minutes and then slow down, talk to their peers, or otherwise slack or lose focus. If individual forms practice is a normal part of your program, I suggest you think about beforehand how to handle the situation so as to gain the most benefit for the time spent. For example, before going to class, tell yourself: Tonight is forms practice, and I will start by doing all of my forms in order once. Next, I will do the form I have learned most recently, or the form I am currently working on once, after which I will do each move or technique in this form five times separately to stimulate muscle memory. If there is time left over, I will practice the moves on the heavy bag or BOB dummy (Body Opponent Bag, a training mannequin specifically designed for use in the martial arts), or I will ask a partner to act as the dummy to allow me to correlate the techniques in the form to a real scenario.

If another student asks for assistance, do your best to help him or her while using the training techniques you are employing for yourself to make this student’s training more profitable. For example, after your fellow student has learned a move in the form, act as the training dummy for this student and allow him or her to practice the technique on you to develop insight, timing, and appropriate footwork. Encourage the student to do the techniques with focus, intent, precision, and speed as if he or she were fighting a real opponent. These principles apply any time you are teaching another student or a full class, for example, if you are an instructor running your own school, or if you are an assistant instructor at somebody else’s school. When you are the teacher, you are also the leader and others look up to you. Don’t let them down. Lead by example. Yes, as the instructor you might be in a position to tell students to do pushups and other physical exercises, but your reputation will dwindle if you don’t also do the exercises right along with the group you are teaching. If you avoid all exhausting physical training in the classes you teach, you will become known as a wimpy martial arts instructor, and students will stop coming to your classes and seek fulfillment elsewhere.

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Sparring

Fear, apprehension, anxiety, sweaty palms, dry mouth, weak knees, whatever you choose to call it, is okay when gearing up to spar. It is when it prevents you from stepping onto the mat or into the ring and facing your opponent in battle that it becomes a problem. In my younger years, I flew airplanes and parachuted from altitudes as high as 10,000 feet above the ground. People used to tell me I was brave. But bravery, or COURAGE IS THE CONQUEST OF FEAR; IT IS THE SPIRIT OF ACTING WITH CONFIDENCE DESPITE THE DANGERS, real or otherwise. Since I would rather fly airplanes, skydive, jump naked into the icy North Sea, or speak in public, than face an enemy in combat, whether in practice or for real, my courage as a fighter is greater than my courage as a pilot, skydiver, swimmer, or public speaker.

Provided that you are not working on specific skills in preparation for a test or tournament, if you have a choice between forms practice and sparring, choose sparring. If you have a choice between technique practice and sparring, choose sparring. I say this because sparring is normally done with greater speed and intensity than forms or technique practice. Strikes thrown at realistic speed require timing and courage to defend against and counter; sparring places you closer to the real deal. Sparring does not have to be a game of tag while wearing footpads and gloves. Sparring can also simulate street attacks and defenses in a state of simulated chaos. The concept I’m trying to get across is that the techniques used in sparring are usually spontaneous and fail to give you complete protection. Sparring therefore gives you a clearer indication of your skill and readiness to defend yourself in a real confrontation.

Sparring with somebody bigger and stronger than you is good practice; it gives you a reality check and hopefully a clear indication of the need to develop physical strength and mental tenacity.

Will a kick to the groin or a strike to the eyes do the necessary damage against a bigger opponent who has grabbed you by the throat and is slamming you against a wall? Strike with accuracy before you get into this situation, you say? Easier said than done, you will discover when you start training in realistic time.

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Review and Home Practice

The lesson wouldn’t be complete without an effective review session. At the end of a class, additional cool-down, stretching, meditation, or reading of the creed is often done. Take this time to reflect on your training, even if only for a few seconds. Use the drive home for additional reflection, or plan a home practice review session.

Your martial arts training should be on your mind also between classes. Thinking about the martial arts helps you feel motivated and prepared for the next class. Try to schedule a more extensive review no later than the day following the class, and an additional shorter review in the morning of the day of the next class. An effective home review session can include the practice of any new material you learned in class, as well as general practice of techniques you have learned a long time ago. If possible, invite another student to your home to participate in the review. Share your knowledge and opinions with others to induce excitement about learning the fighting arts.

DISCIPLINE, when training in the fighting arts, IS YOUR GREATEST FRIEND AND PROTECTOR.

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Points to Remember

1. The formidable fighter places himself or herself in a leadership position and leads by example. People naturally follow the person they trust and admire, regardless of whether he is officially titled or communicates leadership through verbal or body language.

2. Use the mirror to check your fighter appearance. If you had to fight a clone of yourself next, would you be intimidated, scared, or apprehensive? If you don’t look like you