technique or training first?

Question

im having a debate, I do martial arts (jujitsu-go shin ryu) and im confused, im slim, healthy and not in bad shape. i dont go to the gym as i live a healthy life style.

when i asked my training partner if we could hire a hall out so we could train more as we only train once a week, he said i should do it at home.

now im not sure about you out there but i have trouble putting people in wrist/arm/shoulder/leg locks when they arent there, and dont get me started on the throws!!!

i dont have room to complete my katas at my house but i run through them in my head all the time.

so can i really improve my martial art by just exercising? or am i right to assume that i need the technique practice too?

but how do you do something like that?

when i asked them this they just said "do your stretches"

can i really improve the art like that or am i right to assume that with jujitsu go shin ryu i need more practicle practice?

thank you very much
xiè xiè nín.
Arigat.

Answer 1

to become a competent martial artist
is about training intelligently

different training will give different results
stetching will make you more flexible and faster
running sprints will make you faster
hitting a punch-bag will increase the power of your punches

work out your strengths and utilize them in your sparring
work out your weaknesses and train intelligently to make them strengths
this way you will become an effective and well rounded martial artist

fitness and exercise will improve some of your raw aggregates
however
technique is the most important thing

without technique you can expend a lot of energy for nothing or even hurt yourself or put yourself in a harmful position
with technique you can expend a few grams of weight and destroy your opponent
but it is not possible to enter the technique fully without training with a partner

how else can you ever know if what you are doing is of any use or really understand the dynamics and subtleties of the movement?


think of yourself as the master of your mansion-(the body)
you attitude should be that the master is home, and from this repsonsiveness you interact effortlessly with the external environment

you cannot have this ease of movement, nor hope to be effective in it without training and experience

you improve your tools-(techniques and movements) and the usefulness of your responses in combat by training
different trainings will improve different aspects of your tools and responses
reflexes, strength, speed, accuracy, timing, placement, weight shifting etc.

however, once you have improved these and while you can improve them to extraordinary lengths

combat is not about the "raw aggregates" but rather about the mental side
the ability to utilize your tools effectively, efficiently and usefully
control of timing, distance, weight of your opponent, movement
can only really be learned through combat experience

it is a great idea to do the mental visualisations, however these need to be translated to the movement as well-(sometimes not always)
often there is either one or the other, do both together at least sometimes
precision in training rewards you with effortless excellence in combat

with any martial art or sport practical application is absolutely essential
it is how you learn the most, the most effectively and the most about yourself and your martial arts
the more you get the better
however, you should also try to vary your opponents to keep your martial arts fresh
otherwise you run the risk of developing a stylised response


hope thats of use to you
consider what it is you want to improve
consider what specific training will improve that

exercise will not improve your technique unless it is focused specifically
it may even throw your technique out by over-developing a resistant muscle group
however it will help to make you healthy
fit and perhaps stronger
which can be useful for your martial arts

train intelligently, with purpose and you cant go wrong

(as a post note i would caution against jogging- (it tightens the leg muscles and develops slow twitch muscle fibre) its a mindless and not particulary useful training

as an example- running or sprinting in bursts (interspaced with stretching) up or down a mountain where extreme sure-footedness is needed is far better

it develops co-ordination, confidence, ballence, and fast-twitch muscle fibre

still it does not develop the mastery of the specific technique you desire

Answer 2

No, you cannot improve your Martial Arts skills by JUST stretching and exercising. However, since you cannot practice kata or techniques without a partner and withour proper room to do it, exercising and stretching is about the best you CAN do. Certainly it cannot HURT.
Also, continue practicing the techniques in your head. There is a very definate link between visualization and actual practice- sometimes the brain cannot tell the difference. If you are doing it wrong, your instructor will correct it in the next class.
Bottom line- it's best to train with a partner in a nice open area, preferrably with padding, and with an instructor. If you cannot get this perfect training conditions outside class, you have to just do the best you can.
Hope this helps...
Sensei Cox

Answer 3

Technique or Training? While studying the martial arts for over 29years now, I can tell you straight off that you need another training partner. You obviously have more desire and drive then your training partner and you can't put one with drive with one that doesn't have that level of desire. You're having trouble with training by yourself, and given your martial style, you need a training partner once again. If you don't have room in your house then let's consider the great outdoors. Visualization is an incredible tool keep that part going strong. You can greatly improve your art by exercising, and you can greatly improve your art through repetition of technique they go hand in hand. You need both exercise and technique practice to advance within yourself and outwardly to express your martial art. How do you do something like that? Find a new training partner, join a school if you don't already belong to one and or find a new school. When you asked 'them'? Sounds like you need a new school given your statement, "When I asked them this they just said 'do your stretches'." You will not reach total improvement until you change the situation by the afore mentioned criteria. As far as technique versus training is like saying, what really paints a wall, the paint or the brush? You can't have one without the other.

Answer 4

You cannot improve your Martial Arts skills by only stretching and exercising. Since you say you cannot practice kata or techniques without a partner and withour proper room to do it, exercising and stretching is about the best thing that you can do. I would add that you continue to practice the techniques by visualising them in your head. There is a very definate link between visualization and physical practice - often the brain cannot tell the difference. If you are doing it wrong, your instructor can correct in the next class. Goodluck & enjoy
Bottom line- it's best to train with a partner in a nice open area, preferrably with padding, and with an instructor. If you cannot get this perfect training conditions outside class, you have to just do the best you can.
Hope this helps...
Sensei Cox

Answer 5

Hi Xie Xie Nin. I train at karate I have been training since the age of 8 and I have not really learnt anything until I watched the world championships in Finland. Now I am learned the Bunkai of my Kata perfecting throws kicks finger strikes ect. But I have the same problem as you. I train at home with a good work out but I too have little space so kata is hard. But I hire a hall out on Fridays and I train along with a guy from my club.

I guess I feel confident when practising kumite to practise with some one else. I guess it's the same with you too. Perhaps you just need to choose another club or find a friend who's committed like you are. I bet your great. Would love to learn jui jitsu.

Answer 6

Because i only have five hours a week to train technique in judo, i try not to waste my class time warming up or conditioning with conventional excersizing. I try to use the time given to me entierly for learning and improving technique, and randori/sparring. Outiside of class i do other excersizing and training to improve my conditioning. For an hour just before class, i box, i joined boxing about five years ago, and now i have no need to warm up for judo besides breakfalls. On my off nights from judo, i do one night of boxing and two nights of kickboxing, neither of these are similar to judo in any way, but they are a great cardiovascular workout and it is a great thing to do. Also, i joined a mixed martial arts (western style) club about three years ago, with thier varied techniques taken from judo, jujitsu and wrestling, it keeps me sharper to adapting to new techniques.
So yes, if you are unable to spend more time practicing with a partner outside of class time, then do other training, join a gym, or just work out at your house, start jogging and running long distances, skipping, improve your flexibility and your acrobatic ability. Read books on jujitsu, train your body and your mind, every second passed is a second wasted, don't sit around whining in your head that you can't do jujitsu, make the best of your situation and improve yourself in other areas, so when you can do jujitsu, you can take in more without wasting any time.

Answer 7

Yea, you need a training partner. Have you reached out to the community to find another place, another gym, another person to train with? Yes visualization is important for sports and martial arts and can help. You do need practical experience though. I suppose you could work on getting into top shape with work outs but I really think 1x/week is low unless this is just a fun hobby. In that case, 1x/week is fine for fun stuff :)
You can try to get a grappling dummy to help a little... but a real live person is always better... sometimes no one is available.

Answer 8

you need techniqe too.

And while it is a valid point that you don't want to be practicing bad technique, you won't know unless you practice, and use it on a fully resisting opponent.

What is your goals in taking martial arts?
I would be extremely suspect of a gym that told you to just "do your stretches" instead of training.

There is not many things you can actually do on your own, but that is better than doing nothing, but it is still not nearly as important as training with a partner that is fully resisting.

Katas arent going to do anything for you anyway so it doesn't even matter if you do those or not. You want to find someone who will trian against you with full resistance and see if you can do what you have learned. If not you might want to find another school.

If you are just doing it for excercise then do whatever makes you sweat most but if you are doing it to learn to fight, then you should be aware of what you are learning and be able to use it.

Answer 9

yeah u can't work on technique by urself if u live in so cal then i would tell u 2 come over and i would train with u but i think exersiceing is also important when it comes 2 martial arts because if the other person works out and is stronger then u then u will most likely lose if u guys are evenly matched when it comes 2 skill. u also don't have 2 stretch all day u can do stuff like push ups sit ups pull ups and all the body wieght exeercises that will get u in the shape needed 4 martial arts.

Answer 10

I stretch as soon as I get up in the morning and before I go to bed at night. I also train for 30 min to 1 hours every night must going through my kata's. You can go through arm locks, bars, sweeps. Just picture your opponent in front of you and go through your steps. If you have a hard time getting to that mind set, get a water noodle and put is in the couch to the "arm" is sticking toward you, it can also be a leg, weapon, etc... Where there is a will and dedication there is a way.