Adapt or die!
Published: Wed, 10/10/12
been working away from home for the past couple of weeks and I
don't have a portable computer I can easily use. I came back
from Bristol to teach the class last night although only Hugh came.
At least that gave us a chance to do some in depth unarmed
training. Some interesting things came out of the session. The
main one was that although it is one thing to know what to do in
the way of techniques. It is relatively easy to practice striking,
kicking grabbing drills etc in the form of Kata what is much more
difficult to learn is what to do to have maximum effect. At any
one moment a body is either stationary or moving, it is either
rigid or flexible, if moving it is either going forward or
backwards. If you are attacked the line of attack is either on the
centre-line or circling from another line leaving the centre line
for you to use. These are the situations and to be effective one
needs to be able to adapt to the situation as it is and exploit it
to one's own advantage in the moment. It is dangerous to be
locked into techniques because we may do something very well but it
may have nothing to do with the actual situation we are dealing
with.
Techniques are quite easy to learn if you are willing to put in the
practice and you need some technique as a vehicle for training.
But as Ivar has always said there are no techniques in Stav, only
principles. So when you need to deal with a situation you need to
make up your mind what level you are working on and then adapt to
the situation to bring about an appropriate outcome. So on the
Trel level you make up your mind to escape and then do it. On the
Karl level that you will drive the opponent out of your space, on
the Herse level that they will be brought under your control etc.
I can teach this stuff and I am becoming more aware all the time of
what is needed to bring about the awareness and fluidity needed to
be truly adaptable and responsive. This is why I attend training
with experts who can test me and force me to evaluate what I do, so
I am learning all the time too. I will write more about this as I
get time and make more training DVDs but they really are no
substitute for learning face to face.
I believe today is last day for sign ups for the USA course
http://iceandfire.us/products/ and in the UK the next course is in
Salisbury on the 20th of October
http://www.iceandfire.org.uk/train.html