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Training vs. Learning…
It seems that far too many confuse the learning phase of combative development with the training phase and unwisely treat the two as one in the same. Let me assure you that they are not the same thing and until we distinguish one from the other in our own training environment ones true combative development will remain seriously at risk.
I will use the analogy of the “Boxer” as my example in putting forth my thoughts to the reader on this topic of discussion. When a Boxer first learns to fight he learns the jab, cross, various hooks and uppercut. Than he learns to combine these punches in various combinations to maximize effect. Than he learns upper bodywork; slipping punches, covering, catching and parrying. Than he learns about footwork, range, speed, timing, power and recovery. Finally he starts his physical conditioning while putting everything together for optimum effect while working the focus mitts, speed bag, double end ball and heavy bag.
After the Boxer has learned his craft and starts to train for fights in the ring he does not “relearn” his art again. Rather he starts his training phase with the realistic intent to develop and prepare for live bouts against uncooperative opponents. He does this by stepping everything up to real time; working the mitts, sparring, working the heavy bag and speed bag. He puts himself in the same environment in which he will perform the actual event and trains with much intensity to contend with everything which will present itself in that environment. In training he may wear headgear to protect against cuts but the intensity of the punches as he bangs on his sparring partners will be heavy and delivered in real time while facing the consequences for his actions.
As he trains for his fight he allows his training to brush up as close to the reality of the actual event as is possible. He allows the rules that govern that actual environment to govern his training environment in like manner. He jumps rope and runs daily constantly pushing himself beyond self imposed limitations while partaking in other calisthenics and cardiovascular training all for the sake of getting into an acceptable fighting condition. When he spars with his sparring partner in the ring he knows that for every punch thrown one will come back just as the actual event would have it and therefore he is forced to recover while using deception to sneak his deadly intent in at awkward unexpected times.
As he trains for his fight his aggression and intensity increases which will deliver him to the actual event fully prepared and capable to perform at maximum effect, not by relearning and training slow and out of rhythm with the actual event. When you saw Tyson train for his fights he was frightening and possessed great speed and power. He was very intimidating and made quite the spectacle and would permeate fear in his opponents based on what they perceived during his training sessions for the upcoming fight.
Now I pose this question to you; when you train do you “relearn” what you have already learned? Or do you take what you have already learned and make it combatively effective while making yourself ready for that which you are training? Remember that unlike a Boxer the actual event that you are preparing to confront have neither rules, limitations, boundaries nor restrictions (street). So if any are found in your training environment I dare say that you are not preparing to fight for your life but rather to give a demonstration of sorts. We seek not to become masters of drills and techniques but rather masters of the combative situation and anything that the situation will introduce.
After I have gone beyond the learning phase and move into the training phase my complete objective suddenly shifts as it becomes apparent that I must prepare myself in defense of the harsh realities of the very thing for which I am training to contend with. So the combative environment itself and all that is found there in becomes the very model for which I should parallel in my training environment. If I am expected to be held accountable for mistakes made in combat than I must be held accountable for those same mistakes in my training environment in like manner.
Another analogy that I like to use is that when we construct a building we erect scaffolding to support our efforts until the building is complete and firmly standing on its own accord. At this point the scaffolding has served its purpose and must come down, as it can no longer be of service to the construction of the building now having been made obsolete. Likewise after we have learned what ever technique, concept or principle through drill form we no longer need the drill or the semi-compliant environment which was used to instill its valuable lessons. As the function that was packaged within the drill to be learned is what is of importance, more so than the drill itself.
To become effective we simply must train the things which we previously learned and actualize there true effect in combat. In training these things we do not allow our abilities to stagnate in drill form, rather we take those techniques, concepts and principles learned and in breathing life into them we actualize their true measure of combative effect in preparation of meeting the harsh realities found on the field of battle. Allowing what we have learned to evolve and take its natural course in proper combative development.
Learning prepares us to become combative, training allows us to fully actualize that combative preparedness and fighting reveals combative effect or inadequacy. Preparation can only take us so far which leaves our abilities and only our combative abilities to take us the rest of the way. Regardless of how well we have prepared for combat in training only by engaging in the actual event itself will reveal to us our true combative effect. With this valuable input we can than adopt the actual combative situation as our teacher and only than gain valuable insight in this realm of chaotic reality and how to best deal with it. Only by how we choose to train will we be able to bring order out of chaos and survive a crisis situation with our lives.
I learn… I train… I fight… I teach… not confusing any one phase of combative development with any other. Each has a designated task to be achieved and each has to be delved into in order to gain what each has to offer in developing combatively with effect. When someone watches you train does it come across to that spectator that you are performing a demonstration choreographed and rehearsed for limited effect? Or does your training environment and movements convey to that spectator that you are preparing to deal with a vicious street attack where death or life hangs in the balance of what you think that you will do and what you actually will do when you are caught unexpectedly off guard?
When you “learn” take as much time as is needed to learn well as these are the building blocks to success and we need to be well versed in our capabilities if we intend on surviving life threatening crisis situations. When we “train” we owe it to ourselves to train for effective combative development holding ourselves accountable for all things we do in battle and the actual event itself should be used as the very model for our training environment. When we “fight” we should have a strong resolve for survival and no distraction should be so great as it is allowed to break our focus and concentration in battle. When we “teach” we convey all lessons learned to our students and become great sources of knowledge and experience for our students, based not on what we have heard of but rather what we have seen and actually experienced.
Learning is the concrete and labor necessary in building a road, training is the vehicle best used to travel that road in reaching the desired destination, fighting becomes the many unexpected hazards encountered while traveling that road, with survival being the destination where that road leads. How do we create a warrior? We teach, encourage, guide and train a man of great potential, and after he has realized that potential we than introduce him to the harsh realities of combat and let the situation chisel away everything not of a warrior.
I hope that this will help some of you on your personal journey of self-realization and that it will reinforce your level of commitment in developing combatively effective for the right reasons. Remember guys when we train as if our lives depend on it, we will fight as if it does as well.
Good training to you all, Ciao.
Guro Dave Gould.
It seems that far too many confuse the learning phase of combative development with the training phase and unwisely treat the two as one in the same. Let me assure you that they are not the same thing and until we distinguish one from the other in our own training environment ones true combative development will remain seriously at risk.
I will use the analogy of the “Boxer” as my example in putting forth my thoughts to the reader on this topic of discussion. When a Boxer first learns to fight he learns the jab, cross, various hooks and uppercut. Than he learns to combine these punches in various combinations to maximize effect. Than he learns upper bodywork; slipping punches, covering, catching and parrying. Than he learns about footwork, range, speed, timing, power and recovery. Finally he starts his physical conditioning while putting everything together for optimum effect while working the focus mitts, speed bag, double end ball and heavy bag.
After the Boxer has learned his craft and starts to train for fights in the ring he does not “relearn” his art again. Rather he starts his training phase with the realistic intent to develop and prepare for live bouts against uncooperative opponents. He does this by stepping everything up to real time; working the mitts, sparring, working the heavy bag and speed bag. He puts himself in the same environment in which he will perform the actual event and trains with much intensity to contend with everything which will present itself in that environment. In training he may wear headgear to protect against cuts but the intensity of the punches as he bangs on his sparring partners will be heavy and delivered in real time while facing the consequences for his actions.
As he trains for his fight he allows his training to brush up as close to the reality of the actual event as is possible. He allows the rules that govern that actual environment to govern his training environment in like manner. He jumps rope and runs daily constantly pushing himself beyond self imposed limitations while partaking in other calisthenics and cardiovascular training all for the sake of getting into an acceptable fighting condition. When he spars with his sparring partner in the ring he knows that for every punch thrown one will come back just as the actual event would have it and therefore he is forced to recover while using deception to sneak his deadly intent in at awkward unexpected times.
As he trains for his fight his aggression and intensity increases which will deliver him to the actual event fully prepared and capable to perform at maximum effect, not by relearning and training slow and out of rhythm with the actual event. When you saw Tyson train for his fights he was frightening and possessed great speed and power. He was very intimidating and made quite the spectacle and would permeate fear in his opponents based on what they perceived during his training sessions for the upcoming fight.
Now I pose this question to you; when you train do you “relearn” what you have already learned? Or do you take what you have already learned and make it combatively effective while making yourself ready for that which you are training? Remember that unlike a Boxer the actual event that you are preparing to confront have neither rules, limitations, boundaries nor restrictions (street). So if any are found in your training environment I dare say that you are not preparing to fight for your life but rather to give a demonstration of sorts. We seek not to become masters of drills and techniques but rather masters of the combative situation and anything that the situation will introduce.
After I have gone beyond the learning phase and move into the training phase my complete objective suddenly shifts as it becomes apparent that I must prepare myself in defense of the harsh realities of the very thing for which I am training to contend with. So the combative environment itself and all that is found there in becomes the very model for which I should parallel in my training environment. If I am expected to be held accountable for mistakes made in combat than I must be held accountable for those same mistakes in my training environment in like manner.
Another analogy that I like to use is that when we construct a building we erect scaffolding to support our efforts until the building is complete and firmly standing on its own accord. At this point the scaffolding has served its purpose and must come down, as it can no longer be of service to the construction of the building now having been made obsolete. Likewise after we have learned what ever technique, concept or principle through drill form we no longer need the drill or the semi-compliant environment which was used to instill its valuable lessons. As the function that was packaged within the drill to be learned is what is of importance, more so than the drill itself.
To become effective we simply must train the things which we previously learned and actualize there true effect in combat. In training these things we do not allow our abilities to stagnate in drill form, rather we take those techniques, concepts and principles learned and in breathing life into them we actualize their true measure of combative effect in preparation of meeting the harsh realities found on the field of battle. Allowing what we have learned to evolve and take its natural course in proper combative development.
Learning prepares us to become combative, training allows us to fully actualize that combative preparedness and fighting reveals combative effect or inadequacy. Preparation can only take us so far which leaves our abilities and only our combative abilities to take us the rest of the way. Regardless of how well we have prepared for combat in training only by engaging in the actual event itself will reveal to us our true combative effect. With this valuable input we can than adopt the actual combative situation as our teacher and only than gain valuable insight in this realm of chaotic reality and how to best deal with it. Only by how we choose to train will we be able to bring order out of chaos and survive a crisis situation with our lives.
I learn… I train… I fight… I teach… not confusing any one phase of combative development with any other. Each has a designated task to be achieved and each has to be delved into in order to gain what each has to offer in developing combatively with effect. When someone watches you train does it come across to that spectator that you are performing a demonstration choreographed and rehearsed for limited effect? Or does your training environment and movements convey to that spectator that you are preparing to deal with a vicious street attack where death or life hangs in the balance of what you think that you will do and what you actually will do when you are caught unexpectedly off guard?
When you “learn” take as much time as is needed to learn well as these are the building blocks to success and we need to be well versed in our capabilities if we intend on surviving life threatening crisis situations. When we “train” we owe it to ourselves to train for effective combative development holding ourselves accountable for all things we do in battle and the actual event itself should be used as the very model for our training environment. When we “fight” we should have a strong resolve for survival and no distraction should be so great as it is allowed to break our focus and concentration in battle. When we “teach” we convey all lessons learned to our students and become great sources of knowledge and experience for our students, based not on what we have heard of but rather what we have seen and actually experienced.
Learning is the concrete and labor necessary in building a road, training is the vehicle best used to travel that road in reaching the desired destination, fighting becomes the many unexpected hazards encountered while traveling that road, with survival being the destination where that road leads. How do we create a warrior? We teach, encourage, guide and train a man of great potential, and after he has realized that potential we than introduce him to the harsh realities of combat and let the situation chisel away everything not of a warrior.
I hope that this will help some of you on your personal journey of self-realization and that it will reinforce your level of commitment in developing combatively effective for the right reasons. Remember guys when we train as if our lives depend on it, we will fight as if it does as well.
Good training to you all, Ciao.
Guro Dave Gould.