If you are still struggling with the basic form, you are not alone. Your responses to last week’s blog got me to think, how did I get here?
In the old days, learning the basic form is like a ritual. That is just one of the “must go through” steps. My sifu teach one move (or part of one) each time and you simply repeat it over and over again – understanding it or not just do it. I really don’t think that is the most efficient teaching method – it is a great method for filtering though – those that want it stay, those that don’t leave. During that period, protective gears are still in its infancy and is expensive and I sparred with my friends bare knuckles with light contact. That was when I almost got my teeth knocked out one time during sparring. During the period, class is also once per week but I train everyday so I am ready for the next move / corrections the next week.
During my earliest days of teaching LHBF, I start from the form, body mechanics and various engines in parallel. We did a lot of drills and repetitions. We also sparr with gloves. That was the time when the classes were on Sunday mornings at 7AM or earlier, outdoors in the open throughout the years – rain, snow or shine. The early mornings was a natural filter – you won’t even think of going if you don’t want it.
That approach was not without its success, everyone are reasonably strong and can stand on their own in most ways. However, I realize that they are missing the subtlties of the style, especially the soft aspect. Furthermore, I feel that physically, they could have done a lot more if only I started them in their younger days – one of the reasons for the evolution in martialgym instead of pure LHBF.
We have also gone through days we said given the limitation of time, lets just practice using the fastest and most direct approach – straight explosive punches – leaning more towards the Hsing-I approach. It certainly have its merits, people can deliver a solid punch within a few months of training. However, the simplfied vocabruary is not without its drawbacks – lack of adaptability to different situations. I also start to ask myself “what makes LHBF unique and special”?
Now, we practice indoors, with a nice gym, with protective mats. I have improved in my ability to explain some of the more complex bio-mechanics. We have weekly blogs to address the mindset challenges. We now cover both drills as well as the traditional form. We are making huge progress in some areas. However, the slow form seems to be boring in comparison. The obvious question is whether the old linkages/training methods are still relevant? What do you miss if you forgot it? How can you make the material useable for your goals?
Exercise
As you see, we have swung from one side of the pendulum to the other and you have experienced both to a large extent. The truth is that there isn’t a single method that can solve everyone’s personal challenges – you have to take an active part in this journey. Ultimately, the most important part is your passion, willingness and commitment to work and experiment is key.
Go through some past articles of why you need to train slow, tips on training at home, etc and send me the links of those that you think is most relevant. Ultimately, it starts from wanting it and making it happen and the first step start from you.
(Justin – even though you just started, it is worthwhile playing with the keyword seartch function of the blog. Find an article from the past that is can help you.)