Notice: Effective as of July 21, 2010 Donald Crimmins shall be stripped of any and all rank and standings within the Sam-Pai System and is hereby banned for life from said organization.
Some of you may have heard rumblings about a book...well, tis true your savvy Sifu has been relentlessly typin' his little fingers to the bone these past few months and low and behold words seem to be mystically appearing on those pages! (Imagine that?) At this point there is no ETA on a final product, but those who have previewed the thus far finished pages have been very excited!!! Stand by for updates and perhaps teasers from the upcoming project...
Whattaya mean "Focus", Sifu ? by Sifu DangeRuss
Every martial arts instructor I have ever witnessed has implored his students that they should strive to improve their "focus". It's said over and over again, yet seldom adequately explained. Students wanting to do as their teacher bids, screw their faces into tight knots of concentration, and often their bodies as well, in an attempt to please. Often missing the point completely.
Perhaps the problem lies in properly defining what it is we are asking of our students. I have developed a fairly simple approach that has lead to much more positive results. The technique I use is called "External Verbalization". Without explanation, I have a student punch a focus pad several times. Encouraging the student to hit it as hard as they are able. After a few attempts, I have them try it again. This time, while shouting the word, "Punch" with as much force, volume and conviction as they can muster. Most students are pleasantly surprised to feel a noticeable difference in their striking power. I then explain that by shouting the word "punch", as they perform the actual punch, they are re-enforcing the punch from several levels. First, by shouting the word "Punch", they are momentarily forcing virtually all other distractions from their mind. At the moment the shout the word, it is virtually impossible to think about whether or not they left the coffee pot turned on, or if they have enough gas to get home. They have activated a manual over-ride of sorts. In addition, they are abruptly exhaling, and in effect kiai-ing. Finally, they are using the subconscious level of the mind to assist them in their physical task. The mind understands the simple concept of "punch" or "kick" or "palm", by shouting this, it forces it to embrace that idea for the duration of both the shout and the strike itself. Most students at this point have already begun nodding their heads in at least partial comprehension.
I then give them an example of starting out with a strike or block, which ultimately begins with 100% concentration. As the punch is launched, what if their mind suddenly begins to wander and questions if it will reach its intended target? Perhaps that subtracts 10% of its effectiveness. Then the mind begins to question whether or not its intended victim will block it? There goes another 10% of overall effectiveness. On the course of its trajectory, the mind begins to contemplate more mundane topics, such as Is your wrist straight? Subtract an additional 10%. If there were no other notable distractions, we have already effectively reduced the originally pure 100% focused strike to only 70% effectiveness. Our minds work quite rapidly and in fact may contemplate a myriad more things before that blow finishes it's course, such as; what will you do next? Is your stance correct? What am I gonna have for dinner after class ? What effect will this have on that "perfect" strike? Most students are now nodding with even greater understanding. I encourage each of them to experiment with this simple procedure of "Verbalizing" their intended strike.
I then point out that it is also a good study technique, because it causes you to use multiple senses to record the lesson. You "feel", "hear", "speak" and "think" the technique. This re-enforces the learning process, causing you to remember the lesson more deeply.
Most students find this to be a fairly profound revelation. They can intimately feel and understand the differences in their strikes. I then have them perform a slightly more sophisticated combination of movements, applying the same technique. Again, the results are generally quite easy to quantify. At this stage, I point out that you can use your voice as a manual overdrive to even greater ends, by modulating the tone, speed, fluidity and forcefulness of the delivery to impact the same characteristics of any given technique. A few more eyes will brighten with insight.
The final stage of this particular lesson, involves them taking this concept one step further in applying this same thinking to their kata. I personally, not only verbalize, the technique, but even imagine 10 foot tall flaming words appearing to re-enforce the actual strikes. Talking their way through the forms requires them to change their focus. Forming the individual words and images, as well as performing the movements, forces them to be truly in each movement, and not 3 steps ahead or behind. This is often the most difficult step, but the benefits are many. Forcing the students to assign labels to each movement also ingrains the ability to teach the techniques. It keeps them from going faster than they are ready to go. It helps them to understand the benefits of unifying, mind, breathing, body and spirit. I point out, that as they become proficient at this level of focused concentration, that they may gradually eliminate the externalization of the actual words, while maintaining the silent internalization of the spoken words in their mind. This is one of the easiest lessons that I have found to help virtually every aspect of a student's performance. It helps them to understand what it is we are asking of them, when we implore them to "Focus".
On August 28, 2001, the world martial arts community lost one of it's most innovative and vocal of the modern Masters, Founder of Modern Arnis, Professor Remy A. Presas. Professor Presas first captured both my respect and attention in the mid 70's, during a demonstration at Ed Parker's International Karate Championships. The easy, playful manner that he demonstrated while utterly controlling his opponents would leave a very lasting impression on this young martial artist for years to come. Later, when I had the opportunity first train with 'the Professor', it was his easy and nearly ever-present smile that I noticed before anything else. A deceptively disarming smile, which he always delivered enthusiastically, while twisting your limbs in ways which nature never intended. Grand Master Remy Presas genuinely enjoyed what he did. He believed in himself and his art. He believed that it was important to share his knowledge and experience with others. These are the things that separate a very good instructor from a truly Great Teacher. Professor Presas, not only was a superior martial artist, but he was an aggressive and innovative educator. 'The Professor', managed to impart more knowledge in a short intensive seminar, than lesser teachers might pass on in weeks of training. However as much as he passed on, I believe it was but a fraction of his vast wealth of experience. Although I truly mourn his passing, I can honestly say that my own life was much the richer for having known this great man. He will continue to inspire and influence myself and countless others for years to come. I believe that the best way we can honor the likes of the 'Professor', is to continue to grow and feed the Bank of Martial Knowledge, where he and other Masters have invested their experience. They have blazed a brave pathway for us, it is now up to us to move ahead into the unknown. Be creative, investigate and explore. Flex your imagination. The martial arts are a living art. They depend upon open minds and dedicated spirits to flourish and continue to grow and change. That is what people like Grand Master Remy Presas understood. All things change. Life is change. Thank you 'Professor', we will not only miss you, we will remember you always.
