Unpredictability

The importance of unpredictability cannot be underestimated. Unpredictability is the one thing that will let the practitioner know how good their reflexes are.


I once had a student who was so surprised at his sudden upsurge in his ability to block an unrehearsed series of attacks that he quipped, “I’m possessed!”


Prearranged drills and basics certainly have their place. They build confidence and abilities that I will be covering in detail over the coming months.


However, an active and unrehearsed sparring exercise has the ability to shine a harsh and very clear light on how well one performs under hostile pressure.


Therefore, free sparring has a vital place in a well balanced curriculum. I’d even go so far as to say it is a kind of measuring device that lets the practitioner keep their confidence up but not to an unrealistic level.


Without Prejudice

Daily Traing

I was online reading an article by Steve Pavlina where he describes self-discipline as, ‘the ability to get yourself to take action regardless of your emotional state.’

He goes into some depth on the subject and it’s an interesting article but the basis of it is stated here (taking action regardless of your emotional state).


I thought that was both so common sense and so interesting that I decided to repeat it here.


Daily training is as much about self-discipline as it is about inspiration. The simple tasks I complete during the course of my daily training improve my abilities in both the short term and over the long haul.


I have found that being inspired can be a hit or miss thing. Having the self-discipline to train whether I’m inspired or not builds a confidence in me that allows me to take greater advantage of those times when I feel inspired.

I have also found that upon those occasions that I have been forced to call upon my skills, a daily routine keeps them sharp.


Without prejudice