On Kata, Drills and Technique Based Scenario Training

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

Humans like patterns, it makes things easy and easy to learn but we need to understand in the art of self-defense these very training tools can lead to an inappropriate and ineffective self-defense stance in that rare event we face an adversary intent on the attack. 

“We must not try to maintain excessive control over subordinates since this will necessarily slow our tempo and inhibit initiative. We must not attempt to impose precise order on the events of combat since this leads to a formularistic approach to war (self-defense). We must be prepared to adapt to changing circumstances and exploit opportunities as they arise, rather than adhering insistently to predetermined plans that have outlived their usefulness.” - War-fighting, MCDP-1

 Take note of some high-lighted text in the above excerpt from the Marine Corps publication on war-fighting, a publication derived from Colonel Boyd’s work on patterns of conflict, the OODA loop and other efforts of his creation of the modern art of war. It is this very thing that most karate and martial practices use to teach practitioners about fighting, combatives and self-defense. It is not about being the wrong way but about not moving past this initial form of training and education into a more dynamic model that takes all of this into consideration to train for self-defense, fighting and combatives. 

Kata are patterns and are thought of as unchangeable especially to the hard corps traditionalists of Asian Martial Disciplines. Since success in the Boyd-cycle, the OODA, depends on tempo, rhythm and persona initiative adhering to such strict requirements stifles initiative, creativity and the ability to change and adjust and create. 

Technique based self-defense training also takes out the ability to create especially in changing chaotic adrenal effected moment to moment situations because it is also based on a rigid adherence to patterns thought unchangeable, i.e., blasphemous to change belief system. These  very systems are taught, tested and used to promote through the imposition of precise order and a formulaic easily detectable method that also kills creativity and instinctual intuitive actions and reactions with tempo, rhythm and changeable ability for each situation and moment. 

Yes, these models and modes are most excellent to teach things like fundamental principles of defensive multiple methodologies such as physiokinetic sub-principles like structure, alignment and power generation but they are novice level beginner tools that must be transcended to achieve strategic and tactical advantage over an adversary.  

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