A Martial Arts Forum

Especially for Black Belts the task is to increase the basic knowledge and awareness of skills, which have for the most part “already been learned.” Black Belts arrive at their respective ranks with one level of understanding and ability, much like earning an undergraduate degree. Next comes the review of those skills known - within the context of specific situational scenarios. The goal is to solidify understanding of the principles via applications that demonstrate the viability of the particular skill within various contexts. Context learning, i.e., Learning more of why the skill has value. Appreciating the motivations by which the skill was initially created. Examining your own personal emotional, physical, and mental approaches to using that skill. Stuff like that.

Along the way to Black Belt “Habits” are developed. These habits are reflected in how the black belt learned the skills required to achieve their rank. Some skills are learned “instinctually,” as opposed to/by analytical process. Which is to say, if you are good at something you may learn it without actually learning why it works for you. Another way of saying it is that some skills come naturally. Others skills come by way of “compensation,” i.e., getting it done anyway possible. These skills may not be technically perfect…but through adjustment, they’re made to work in some form or other. Most of what a black belt of average to good skills knows is learned structurally - as practiced movements - or behaviors - that may or may not be associated with a situational context. Sometimes moves are learned to be done without any real “feel” at all. Those are the ones that are most likely to be lost to you in an emergency.

Examining these skills again, with context applications, will reveal how well that knowledge is known. In point of fact, once you know a movement so well, that it doesn’t require thought - you can use the “free-time” to discover more about the skill that perhaps wasn’t apparent before - when you had to concentrate on the mechanics. When you are “free” to move beyond thought - you have more time to move ever more creatively.

That’s the stuff of mastery.

However, this process is inherently Humbling. Because we learn more about what we Don’t know, on the way to adding more to what we Do know. Life is funny that way.

My job is to lay out the course of learning, and hopefully to put in enough spots where the student can say: “ah ha” - and discover new levels of understanding about that skill, via “experience exposures.”

One more word on this…before I become too confusing: Learning to do the moves without a contextual basis is a lot like dancing. It’s movement based on balance, push off, timing, steps, distance, etc. Which is very much a part of the move…but doesn’t include the emotion of aggressive intent, i.e. combat! Up against an adversary with an “aggressive intent” a whole other level of awareness and reaction is called for. Lacking that level of awareness is where the “freeze ups” occur.

The bottom line: You can learn something - by necessity - sometimes much quicker than by technical analysis alone. Hence the term; necessity is the mother of invention…!

Along the way you discover more about yourself - and Self Discovery is the very definition of growth. Enough said…..

Oss.