Patterns and Habits

Patterns, that which form the kata. Why patterns in lieu of just practicing combination which if you look closely are also smaller patterns of physical movement. Could it be that the ancients understood intuitively how the brain and human actions learned, retained and recalled specific actions without thought.

Looking at fundamentals of "habit or patterns" which both apply in this instance for the patterns tend to instill in humans those habits that become automatic, without though and are perceived as instinctive. The brain experts theorize that the part of the brain responsible for this is the "basal ganglia." A small nub of material located inside the brain near the top of the spinal column.

In laymens terms and from a total not a brain specialist/expert view all human habits and patterns everyone uses every single day of our lives comes from a neurological processes, i.e. "urges," in lieu of what most think are well-researched thoughts. The brain initially flares up in a variety of brain area's when we first encounter something but after a period of repetitive encounters and responses centralizes in the basal ganglia where the urges drive the actions.

Therefore my theory is that realizing that to achieve the kind of perceived instinctual actions in response to stimuli especially when the actual experience of combat is not available one must train the brain to respond and the best teaching method in lieu of actual experience, multiple experiences, is to train using patterns to achieve habits or urges that rise up faster than light speed when the basal ganglia receives signals already encoded, etc.

I can see why it is easier to develop a hand full of combinations for those patterns used repetitively in practice tend to come instinctually in a fight but the rub here is when someone wanders outside the patterns and habits of either attack or defense to freeze the brain while all the normal reasoning thoughts try to find an adequate answer.

It solidifies the understanding I have that learning the patterns and habits is necessary but once you achieve a certain level of proficiency you must change them dynamically to achieve a greater association that would either bypass the freeze or at least break it to survive the fight, combat or predatory attack. Now, the answer as to how that is done is a bit more involved and cannot be taught in a blog post.

Looking at the snapshot of the basal ganglia and its purpose in other area's you can see how it might be referred to as the "lizard brain."