What does it really take to create a warrior?
Published: Tue, 01/14/14
Second Advanced Weapons Class last night. It is good to be
teaching the Axe again on a systematic basis. Quite a bit of
effort is going into practicing the Trel basic. It is a strange
exercise which is not too difficult to perform as a drill once you
have practiced it a few times, but it is very hard to find the
lines within the series of movements. When I am teaching this
drill I feel almost guilty because I remember what happened when I
was learning with Ivar in the first year of so of my Stav training.
To put it bluntly I could go through the motions but I
couldn't really do it properly. Looking back I pretty much
gave up on even trying for several years. I just concentrated on
very regular personal practice of the four basic cuts with the axe.
Then I came back to the Trel drill and found that it was not a
problem any more. Practicing the Trel drill is still a challenge
of focus, concentration and co-ordination of course, but I know
what I am looking for so it usually comes right. I feel a bit
guilty in the sense that I am teaching something that really
can't be taught except as a series of moves. The actual point
of the drill is only going to be found when there has been
sufficient personal practice. This practice will eventually bring
the practitioner to the point of seeing the web for themselves.
Teaching advanced martial arts is really very simple. There are
really three factors that need to be in place. Firstly, a basic
system of training, which should really be remarkably simple. For
example, there are only really three cuts with the axe to be
practiced. Secondly, a teacher who can show you what you really
need to know and guide you towards seeing what is really important.
Thirdly, personal practice, both in class under supervision and in
partner work with other students and alone, which is when the
process of transformation into someone who can see the web actually
happens. It sounds a bit dramatic to call this process
'creating a warrior' but if a warrior is someone who has
the determination to follow a path and overcome in the battles he
or she meets along the way then that is the purpose of training in
Stav or any other real martial art. Of course the battles may be
with such deadly enemies as the giants of boredom, demons of
self-doubt and the monsters of distraction. Sound familiar?
Overcome these foes in your training and who knows what you will be
capable of in 'real' life?
regards
Graham
PS I have been given the Stav system of training, I am willing to
teach it and I am in the process of creating a place for teaching
it, that is my bit. For your bit, if you want to know how to do
the stances, see the lines and apply the five principles, you need
to take advantage of the training opportunities I am setting up.
Have a look at the courses I am organising for the spring here in
Somerset http://somersetstav.co.uk/courses.html