Technique and Control

        Last night's conversation at the end of class had me connecting some dots that have been seemingly scattered in my brain with no visible pattern.  Control was the topic, specifically when practicing applications or techniques.  This past year I have had the privilege of being a human punching bag (kidding), training partner for Todai Don Bjorkquist for his 5 applications.  Furthermore, that made me privy to conversations about technique and control, that I would have otherwise never heard.  

        Now, because of this I have missed out on being able to practice my own skills for the curriculum in class; but does this bother me?  No.  Why?  Because I get to absorb all of the insights from people with way more experience than me; I get to be apart of the process of seeing how these applications are used and their universality; and I get to see the subtle tweaks that make them even more powerful.

        When practicing techniques, or coming up with your own applications, one of the most important parts is to have control.  I'd say universality and adaptability are tied for second.  As Sifu Brinker explained, control isn't just about not injuring your training partner by pulling your punches, it is about being able to make contact and not hurt them.  To elaborate more on this, I'd say having control is also about being able to know where your opponent is at all times, and having that sense (usually through contact), of where they are and what they are trying to do.  I also think a large part of control is knowing your strengths and limits.  For example, if you have difficulty going to the ground, then you probably shouldn't be taking your opponent to the ground, for you will have lost control of the situation and put yourself at risk.  Also, it can be dangerous to take your opponent to the ground if you do not have that control all the way down.  Another point on control is guiding your opponent to where you want them to go, usually by using their own momentum against them.  There is a caveat on this one, as to not force your opponent into the technique you want.  Again, the key word here is guide.

        Having been the person on the receiving end of these applications I got the unique experience of feeling when a technique was solid, when it wasn't quite there, or when it wasn't working/could be a danger.  When a technique is solid, I feel my control of the situation go out the window and I'm at the mercy of the person on the other end.  When a technique needs more work, I can feel like they could control me, but I still have room to fight back and break free.  When the technique isn't working, it feels like I could stand there all day, sipping my coffee and waiting for something to happen.  Point is, when the other person has control, it is instant, Spidey senses are going off that you are in trouble.

        All of this thought has had me thinking of the techniques that I will one day have to come up with and perform for my grading.  What are my strengths?  What are my weaknesses?  How does my body like to move naturally?  What am I forcing; or what do I need to train more at to make it feel more natural?  Do I feel like I'm at the level of control where I can make contact and not hurt someone?  It is a lot to think about.  Lastly, it make me think of my spirit to intent.  I like the people I train with, and the Kwoon is like a 2nd home to me.  So, is my spirit aligned with my intent when I am practicing techniques?  As gentle as I am, I'm a big guy and I know it wouldn't take much for me to do some damage.  At the same time, I feel in the right situation, yeah, I probably could follow through and not pull my punches.  Then there is a part of me that holds a lot of empathy for people, even ones who try to do me harm, because I know that they are already hurting.

        Guess where I am trying to go with this is control must first come down to myself.  I must have control over myself, my emotions, and my actions.