There a few things that create more commentary than instructional videos of self-defense techniques. The question of whether or not something works is hotly debated. These discussions/arguments rarely follow a logical order. Conclusions are not arrived at. Most comments are repetitive and reductive. The purpose of the T.A.B.B.E. Test is to enable the Peer Review … [Read more…]
The last post was laying the groundwork for this one. I thought starting with the universally acknowledged evils of micromanagement would make this post more palatable. Instead, Danny Martin gave a very capable defense of an unpopular and nearly indefensible position. Truly well done. Jumping into this anyway, because it is important. Criticism is … [Read more…]
“I want to learn some self-defense moves!” What self-defense instructor has not heard that request? When an instructor teaches a student a physical self-defense “Move” (or technique), he or she is engaging in problem solving. The instructor is providing the student with a theoretical solution to a future problem. This situation is analogous to … [Read more…]
In combatives, you’ll hear people talk about the principles of a system, or principles-based training. That’s fine and dandy right up until you ask a senior practitioner exactly what those principles are. If you’re lucky, you’ll get crickets. If not, you’ll get the normal word salad of someone who has been pinned down in … [Read more…]
Hopefully, this will be the last of the introspection posts for a while. But I committed to writing close to the bone: Another reason the new book hit me so hard was that the process (my life process for the last several years) has violated my own epistemology. My society has a common belief about … [Read more…]
And today’s question was about ‘footwork’ — specifically what is footwork (followed by all kinds of “This style says do it this way, but this style says this” silliness from marketing driven ~cough cough~ ‘knowledge’ and claims about what style has the best footwork. *** Footwork = mobility. Mobility = well all kinds of … [Read more…]
There’s a difference between an ‘expert’ and expertise. One is knowing, the other is about being able to do. (A lot of people are experts about teaching about a subject, but aren’t actually doing what they’re teaching about). PART I How many self-defense experts have never used their skills? Nor are they in a field … [Read more…]
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
There are things about fighting that are very difficult to learn without fighting. There are things about an assault that are difficult, maybe impossible, to learn without being on both ends of an assault. Martial arts training is largely about trying to preserve and pass on skills without the side-effects of using the skills. You … [Read more…]
One of the things I missed from being raised in ranch country was the work. No running water, we (I) packed it from the creek in five-gallon buckets. Enough for all household use and enough for all the animals that were penned and couldn’t get to the creek themselves. The first two years, until dad … [Read more…]