This past Saturday, I skipped my usual group classes to practice some Tai Chi outside. One of the other more senior students was there, and offered to practice the 24 Step tournament form with me.
I took a spot behind him and to his left, so I could follow his moves, but mainly so I could match his tempo. I'm trying to really get this down well and make it smooth, so I really wanted to keep a slow deliberate pace.
We practiced together for about 30 minutes, and during that time we began to lose our shade from the nearby tree. I started noticing our shadows on the ground as we moved. At one point I thought to myself, "this is really cool-it's like we're flying in formation or something."
It was a good day of practice, capping off a week where I really noticed some growth. In that moment, I really felt strong and graceful-maybe in my mind's eye I was flying.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Steps
I'm really pleased about the improvements I've noticed in my strength, balance, and movements over the last couple of weeks in class. In addition to my regular Tai Chi practice, I've been going to a lot of the Choy Li Fut basic classes for exercise and conditioning, and we're currently learning a form in our Qi Gong class which involves a lot of (slow motion) pivots and kicks. We've really been drilling on this a lot over the last few weeks, so I've had a lot of practice. I notice that my balance is better, and I am able to extend and hold the kick without as much trouble as I had before.
I still have a lot to learn and work on, but, I'm pleased and excited to actually see some results. Sometimes it can be very frustrating and you feel like you aren't progressing or learning anything, but if you really pay attention to the little things, you'll see that you've actually come a long way-the progress is just in very small increments sometimes.
Several years ago, I met and chatted with a master gunsmith from Texas named Alex Hamilton. Mr. Hamilton was talking about the nature of his work in general, and mentioned an assignment he'd had in gunsmithing school. The story seems an appropriate analogy for my recent progress:
As an exercise and practice in cutting and shaping metal through using various types of files, each student was given a two-inch square block of solid steel. The assignment was to reshape this cube into a perfect smooth sphere by removing metal with an assortment of coarse and fine metal files-all hand work, no machining.
When I look at myself and perform my forms and exercises now, I can see the cumulative results of a lot of small changes. The sharp corners have been knocked off, and something (and someone) different is beginning to take shape.
I still have a lot to learn and work on, but, I'm pleased and excited to actually see some results. Sometimes it can be very frustrating and you feel like you aren't progressing or learning anything, but if you really pay attention to the little things, you'll see that you've actually come a long way-the progress is just in very small increments sometimes.
Several years ago, I met and chatted with a master gunsmith from Texas named Alex Hamilton. Mr. Hamilton was talking about the nature of his work in general, and mentioned an assignment he'd had in gunsmithing school. The story seems an appropriate analogy for my recent progress:
As an exercise and practice in cutting and shaping metal through using various types of files, each student was given a two-inch square block of solid steel. The assignment was to reshape this cube into a perfect smooth sphere by removing metal with an assortment of coarse and fine metal files-all hand work, no machining.
When I look at myself and perform my forms and exercises now, I can see the cumulative results of a lot of small changes. The sharp corners have been knocked off, and something (and someone) different is beginning to take shape.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Is "Practical Pistol" Shooting A Martial Art?
I’ve been studying martial arts (Tai Chi) since last June, and one thing I’ve noticed is there are a lot of similarities between traditional martial arts practice and my 25 or so years’ experience in the practical shooting sports. The Tai Chi forms are a world unto themselves, but conceptually I noticed similarities between what I’ve done on the range over the years, and what I’m now doing at the martial arts school-focus, concentration and awareness, balance, weight transfer, and so on. Sometimes when I was struggling to “get” something, I’d relate it to a skill I used in shooting (“this stance is like what I do when I’m shooting around a barricade”), and that would help cement the idea in my mind. It seemed natural to relate this to what I was learning in my classes.
As time went on, I began to wonder if in some way, I’d really been a martial arts practitioner and student for a long time, just in a different way. I began to wonder-is practical shooting (defined as competitions sanctioned by the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) and International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) ) evolving into a martial art in its own right?
The more I considered it, I noticed a number of key areas common to both practical shooting and traditional martial arts, and specific similarities and differences. The main things that come to mind are lineage/ past masters, formalized competition and ranking vs. applications, conditioning, and traditions and etiquette.
Lineage and Past Masters: Traditional martial arts knowledge was typically passed directly from master to student through face to face teaching-in some cases, the student would actually live with the teacher during their studies. As interest in martial arts grew outside of Asia, larger and more formal schools were formed, which still trace their lineage back through a line of past masters. In a similar fashion, practical shooting has a lineage of past masters-Ed McGivern, Rex Applegate, Jeff Cooper, Ray Chapman, John Farnham, Chuck Taylor, Massad Ayoob, and Clint Smith are some who come to mind. Cooper has probably had the greatest influence, due to his scholarly approach, his establishment of practical competitions, and through his school at Gunsite. Most of the people I’ve listed were influenced one way or another by Jeff Cooper and the “Modern Technique”, as he called it.
Since practical shooting as we know it developed during the 20th century, the one on one student-master relationship wasn’t necessary to the knowledge transfer(although it is still the best). Many of the pioneers of practical shooting wrote books and articles in firearms magazines, describing their methods, techniques, and equipment. Some opened shooting schools to share their methods and knowledge with students. As video and online technology developed, these media opened other paths for the practical shooting masters to disseminate their knowledge and share their experiences.
As time went on, I began to wonder if in some way, I’d really been a martial arts practitioner and student for a long time, just in a different way. I began to wonder-is practical shooting (defined as competitions sanctioned by the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) and International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) ) evolving into a martial art in its own right?
The more I considered it, I noticed a number of key areas common to both practical shooting and traditional martial arts, and specific similarities and differences. The main things that come to mind are lineage/ past masters, formalized competition and ranking vs. applications, conditioning, and traditions and etiquette.
Lineage and Past Masters: Traditional martial arts knowledge was typically passed directly from master to student through face to face teaching-in some cases, the student would actually live with the teacher during their studies. As interest in martial arts grew outside of Asia, larger and more formal schools were formed, which still trace their lineage back through a line of past masters. In a similar fashion, practical shooting has a lineage of past masters-Ed McGivern, Rex Applegate, Jeff Cooper, Ray Chapman, John Farnham, Chuck Taylor, Massad Ayoob, and Clint Smith are some who come to mind. Cooper has probably had the greatest influence, due to his scholarly approach, his establishment of practical competitions, and through his school at Gunsite. Most of the people I’ve listed were influenced one way or another by Jeff Cooper and the “Modern Technique”, as he called it.
Since practical shooting as we know it developed during the 20th century, the one on one student-master relationship wasn’t necessary to the knowledge transfer(although it is still the best). Many of the pioneers of practical shooting wrote books and articles in firearms magazines, describing their methods, techniques, and equipment. Some opened shooting schools to share their methods and knowledge with students. As video and online technology developed, these media opened other paths for the practical shooting masters to disseminate their knowledge and share their experiences.
Competition/Ranking vs. Applications: Practical shooting competition was developed as a testing ground for shooting techniques and equipment. Jeff Cooper felt that a competitive atmosphere was the best environment for discovering what worked and what didn’t, for shooters and equipment both. Is point shooting faster than aimed fire? What type of holster is truly practical for both all-day wear and speedy presentation?
In the early years, the focus was entirely on what was “practical” – what would work best in a gunfight, giving you the best odds of survival? A lot of thought, analysis, and experimentation went into all the aspects of the game, from guns, ammo, holsters, shooting techniques, to specific modifications to the pistol itself.
Human nature being what it is, the shooters who thrived most on the pure competitive aspect of practical shooting soon began developing gun modifications like compensators, weighted grips, and other changes to the handgun to control recoil and allow faster “splits”, or time intervals between shots. In a sport where accuracy, speed, and power are equally weighted, these modifications offered an advantage and soon became common, leading to the “race guns” seen in the hands of elite shooters today.
As competition and participation increased, it became necessary to develop a classification system, ranking shooters by ability, as determined by their scores on standardized “classifier” events. Just as one would test for a black belt in karate, or the next sash level in the Chinese martial arts, shooters fired a required number of classifiers for the record, and then were ranked by ability, from D class to Grand Master (IDPA uses the traditional military style designations of Marksman, Sharpshooter, Expert, etc.).
As competition intensified and the sport grew, more debate occurred over whether the sport was still “practical”, and true to its real world roots. It became commonplace to hear conversations along the lines of, “you’d never leave cover without reloading in a real gunfight, etc.” This debate still goes on, but much less intensely. IDPA caters to the more “practical” contingent (who at one time were referred to as “Martial Artists” in a less than respectful tone). USPSA has diversified by creating divisions (Limited, Single Stack, Production), which required use of more basic, less heavily modified handguns.
The line between competition and applications is much less clear in practical shooting than in traditional martial arts. If you study a martial art like Choy Li Fut, it’s apparent from the beginning that you are learning/practicing blocking, punching and kicking for the purpose of striking someone (or avoiding being punched or kicked). You can spar with a live opponent. Obviously, this is impossible in practical shooting, but there are applications which transfer directly from the monthly club match to the street or your home:
- Foremost is handling your firearm under stress. Everything is on the clock in practical shooting, and it’s important to your score to shoot an event in the least time possible. This imposes a stress on the shooter that you wouldn’t get in casual target practice, or the traditional military style “bullseye” shooting game. Also, some courses of fire include moving targets, which increase the stress and challenge.
- Shooting multiple targets, and firing from unusual positions also test the shooter’s skill and ability to adapt and still make an accurate shot. These skills could transfer directly to a tactical situation. In my practical shooting career, I have shot events in a blacked out room with a hand held flashlight for illumination, fired through windows, doorways, and tunnels, and from behind walls. I’ve also fired guns from in and around cars and trucks, from a boat suspended on springs to simulate floating, and from a parachute harness suspended 8 feet above the ground. (OK, that part is not too practical, but it was fun)
So, while practical shooting competition is not tactical training (there are legal and political reasons you wouldn’t want it to be), there are skills learned and developed in its practice which would help you in a real-life self defense scenario. The late Jim Cirillo, who spent much of his police career on the NYPD involved in high-risk operations with the department’s Stakeout Squad credited his competition experience with helping him to survive numerous gunfights.
It’s also worth noting that a number of shooting techniques and equipment developed in practical shooting competition are now taught to and utilized by the military and law enforcement. .The Aimpoint optical sight you see on a soldier or Marine’s rifle today was the “next big thing” on the competition circuit about 1990.
Conditioning: Practical shooting does not require a lot of physical strength or ability, although it does help. Many of the top competitors are devotees of CrossFit, weight training, and running, as well as traditional martial arts. In contrast, the traditional martial arts student develops strength as part of their lessons and practice. The conditioning is integral to the study and practice-Tai Chi stance training, punching a bag, and slow motion snap kicks all serve to develop the martial artist’s fighting skill as well as condition their body.
Traditions and Etiquette: Traditional martial arts have a long tradition, and much more specific etiquette than practical shooting. There is an etiquette to conducting oneself on a shooting range, but it is largely devoted to safety, which of course is paramount. The Kung Fu studio or the dojo have specific rules and etiquette that students, instructors, and sometimes even visitors are expected to follow. One big difference between shooting and traditional martial arts relates to the martial arts tradition of showing respect to practitioners of different styles. Practical shooting, and the shooting sports in general, fall far short in this regard. Devotees of a certain grip, stance, or other technique will “preach” passionately about their shooting “doctrines”, ignoring the fact that their method may not be suitable for everyone, or that the shooter they are lecturing may be much more skilled and accomplished, despite using technique they consider outmoded or not sufficiently “tactical”.
So, the question remains-are these shooting games legitimate martial arts? I can only offer my opinion, and that is, in their own way, they are. As police officer, firearms instructor and author Massad Ayoob puts it, “We all agree that a shooting match is not a gunfight – but we all have to remember that a gunfight is a shooting match.”. Regular practice of these sports is a valid way of developing and maintaining some of the skill needed for this most serious of endeavors.
A big "Thank You" to my shooting buddy Esther Tsai for reviewing this piece and providing editing comments.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Saturdays And A Place For Me
For a while now, I've reflected on how much I'm enjoying my martial arts training, and what it's come to mean to me. I typically attend classes three days a week, but I especially look forward to the classes I do on Saturday, which consist of two basic Choy Li Fut* classes, and a class in Qi Gong movement and meditation.
I've been pondering how to put this coherently into words, and a question Saturday from one of the instructors pulled everything into sharp focus, like operating a camera's zoom lens. He asked each student how they were doing, and how their day had gone so far (my first class is at noon). When he came to me, I replied that I was doing well, and was glad that it was Saturday. He asked me, "Why? Are your weeks difficult or troubling?"
I replied that they were sometimes, but mostly that I was glad it was Saturday, because that meant it was time to come to White Dragon. That's when things pulled into focus for me-yes, I am glad it's the weekend, yes, I'm challenging myself, learning new things, and enjoying it, and yes, I'm enjoying the people in our school community-my "Kung Fu brothers and sisters," as our head instructor likes to say.
But in that moment, the gut-level reason for my enjoyment of martial arts, and why I look forward to Saturdays (and my twice weekly night classes) sharpened itself to a point and pulled clearly into focus:
I needed someplace to go, just for me.
If you were to logically examine what my life has been over the last 3-4 years, this might not seem to make any sense. With all that was going on, the last thing I needed was another schedule commitment, especially during my weekend time-or so it seemed. I was involved in a stressful project at work, which demanded a lot of overtime and travel to the project site. My mother-in-law was in failing health, which meant my wife spent as much time with her as she could. This meant that I was responsible for handling almost everything at home in order for her to be able to care for her mother, along with providing emotional support to my wife. A close friend was experiencing a rough time personally, so some of my time and emotional energy was devoted to them as well.
My weekends were supposed to be time for me to recharge, not to "have to be somewhere". Yet I was finding that, when I did have free time on the weekends, I wasn't doing much of anything, and sometimes when I headed back to work on Monday, I'd feel somewhat sad and frustrated, like I had missed something.
All that started to change when I started my Tai Chi classes. It was something I'd wanted to do for a while, and since I wanted to get in as many classes per week as I could, I decided I would make time on Saturdays to attend. I found myself looking forward to class, especially on Saturdays (I enjoy the weeknight classes, but sometimes getting there is a bit of a "push" schedule-wise, so I need to unwind and prepare myself mentally more than I do on Saturdays). My weekends now had a little structure, and I found that I liked that.
Beyond that, I began to feel like I was part of a community-something bigger than myself (even though my training was for my benefit and enjoyment). I felt welcomed and encouraged from the beginning. That isn't always the case with activities like this-it's natural that people with common interests will form bonds, but at times this can lead them to feel (and act) like the martial arts school, the gym, yoga class, shooting range, etc. is their "private club", and newer people tend to get ignored. I've never felt that way at White Dragon.
Our head instructor likes to talk about our school community, and our "Kung Fu brothers and sisters." The more time I spend there, the more I appreciate it, and want to do my own part in making everyone feel welcome. I feel like something really special has been created there, and we all need to respect and nurture it.
So, Saturdays are different for me now. I don't devote the entire day to training, but my day is definitely built around it. I've got time for other things in the morning, and after I get home in the afternoon, clean up, and eat something, I've still got free time left for other activities and duties, or just for quiet time at home. But the core of the day is my class time. It's a comforting routine that I've come to look forward to, and hate to miss.
So, yes, Mr. C-I'm always glad it's Saturday.
*(Choy Li Fut is the other martial art that's taught at our school-it's what most people would think of as "Kung Fu". Since our school stresses the martial aspects of Tai Chi along with the health benefits, it's all kung fu to us. Although my training emphasis is on Tai Chi, I am allowed to attend lower level classes with the Choy Li Fut students. I find it's good for conditioning; like an aerobic kickboxing class, only more intense and focused on technique, and it's helping with my balance as well.)
I've been pondering how to put this coherently into words, and a question Saturday from one of the instructors pulled everything into sharp focus, like operating a camera's zoom lens. He asked each student how they were doing, and how their day had gone so far (my first class is at noon). When he came to me, I replied that I was doing well, and was glad that it was Saturday. He asked me, "Why? Are your weeks difficult or troubling?"
I replied that they were sometimes, but mostly that I was glad it was Saturday, because that meant it was time to come to White Dragon. That's when things pulled into focus for me-yes, I am glad it's the weekend, yes, I'm challenging myself, learning new things, and enjoying it, and yes, I'm enjoying the people in our school community-my "Kung Fu brothers and sisters," as our head instructor likes to say.
But in that moment, the gut-level reason for my enjoyment of martial arts, and why I look forward to Saturdays (and my twice weekly night classes) sharpened itself to a point and pulled clearly into focus:
I needed someplace to go, just for me.
If you were to logically examine what my life has been over the last 3-4 years, this might not seem to make any sense. With all that was going on, the last thing I needed was another schedule commitment, especially during my weekend time-or so it seemed. I was involved in a stressful project at work, which demanded a lot of overtime and travel to the project site. My mother-in-law was in failing health, which meant my wife spent as much time with her as she could. This meant that I was responsible for handling almost everything at home in order for her to be able to care for her mother, along with providing emotional support to my wife. A close friend was experiencing a rough time personally, so some of my time and emotional energy was devoted to them as well.
My weekends were supposed to be time for me to recharge, not to "have to be somewhere". Yet I was finding that, when I did have free time on the weekends, I wasn't doing much of anything, and sometimes when I headed back to work on Monday, I'd feel somewhat sad and frustrated, like I had missed something.
All that started to change when I started my Tai Chi classes. It was something I'd wanted to do for a while, and since I wanted to get in as many classes per week as I could, I decided I would make time on Saturdays to attend. I found myself looking forward to class, especially on Saturdays (I enjoy the weeknight classes, but sometimes getting there is a bit of a "push" schedule-wise, so I need to unwind and prepare myself mentally more than I do on Saturdays). My weekends now had a little structure, and I found that I liked that.
Beyond that, I began to feel like I was part of a community-something bigger than myself (even though my training was for my benefit and enjoyment). I felt welcomed and encouraged from the beginning. That isn't always the case with activities like this-it's natural that people with common interests will form bonds, but at times this can lead them to feel (and act) like the martial arts school, the gym, yoga class, shooting range, etc. is their "private club", and newer people tend to get ignored. I've never felt that way at White Dragon.
Our head instructor likes to talk about our school community, and our "Kung Fu brothers and sisters." The more time I spend there, the more I appreciate it, and want to do my own part in making everyone feel welcome. I feel like something really special has been created there, and we all need to respect and nurture it.
So, Saturdays are different for me now. I don't devote the entire day to training, but my day is definitely built around it. I've got time for other things in the morning, and after I get home in the afternoon, clean up, and eat something, I've still got free time left for other activities and duties, or just for quiet time at home. But the core of the day is my class time. It's a comforting routine that I've come to look forward to, and hate to miss.
So, yes, Mr. C-I'm always glad it's Saturday.
*(Choy Li Fut is the other martial art that's taught at our school-it's what most people would think of as "Kung Fu". Since our school stresses the martial aspects of Tai Chi along with the health benefits, it's all kung fu to us. Although my training emphasis is on Tai Chi, I am allowed to attend lower level classes with the Choy Li Fut students. I find it's good for conditioning; like an aerobic kickboxing class, only more intense and focused on technique, and it's helping with my balance as well.)
Monday, January 7, 2013
Up Off the Couch
After Thursday's class, I was thinking about how effective (read, "painful") the Tai Chi stance training was. So Sunday, while I was enjoying the NFL playoffs on TV, I decided to get in a little more training. I would get into the Horse Stance or one of my Tai Chi stances during commercials (or the endless replays) and hold the stance as long as I could. I also followed some tips a classmate gave me, and worked on my balance with all my weight on one foot. One thing you learn pretty quickly doing this is that you're not perfectly symmetrical-you can balance better on one side of your body better than the other. It will be a worthwhile goal to even this out, so even if one side still feels stronger than the other, neither one will be wobbly.
"As long as I could" turned out to be less time than I wanted it to be, but it's more than I could have done even a few weeks ago.
"As long as I could" turned out to be less time than I wanted it to be, but it's more than I could have done even a few weeks ago.
Saturday Training
This Saturday, we had our 3-hour "Mega Class" at White Dragon. This is an event the school just started; the first Saturday of every month will be "Mega Class" day. I wasn't able to participate for the whole thing (Had some chores to do in the morning, and also had my first lesson of 2013 scheduled during the 3-hour period). I'm not sure I could have made it through the whole 3 hours, as I'm still getting my strength back as I recover from my winter cold.
I did an interesting mix of things during the class, both Tai Chi related, and some basic Choy Li Fut kicking/punching exercises, a lot of which were new to me. I probably looked pretty silly doing some of the drills, but I was working hard and that felt good.
The more I do this, the more I realize how crucial your lower body and leg strength it is to martial arts (and so many other activities). Tai Chi is deceptive because you're moving so slowly, but it works your legs really well. Since I've started in the basic kicking/punching classes, where you spend a lot of time in the Horse Stance, that's just ramping up my leg strength (it hurts, but I know I'm getting stronger).
After the Mega Class, I went to my regular Qi Gong class, which quieted things down. We've been working on an elaborate sequence of movements over the last few weeks, but set that aside for some breathing/stretching and standing meditation. I was pleased that my legs didn't hurt through this exercise; occasionally I can get a little wobbly during standing meditation, and my legs and feet often get sore. Didn't have any of that this time, which made me happy.
All in all, a very satisfying two-hour workout. Next month, I'll be sure and stay after for the monthly showing of a cheesy Kung Fu movie.
I did an interesting mix of things during the class, both Tai Chi related, and some basic Choy Li Fut kicking/punching exercises, a lot of which were new to me. I probably looked pretty silly doing some of the drills, but I was working hard and that felt good.
The more I do this, the more I realize how crucial your lower body and leg strength it is to martial arts (and so many other activities). Tai Chi is deceptive because you're moving so slowly, but it works your legs really well. Since I've started in the basic kicking/punching classes, where you spend a lot of time in the Horse Stance, that's just ramping up my leg strength (it hurts, but I know I'm getting stronger).
After the Mega Class, I went to my regular Qi Gong class, which quieted things down. We've been working on an elaborate sequence of movements over the last few weeks, but set that aside for some breathing/stretching and standing meditation. I was pleased that my legs didn't hurt through this exercise; occasionally I can get a little wobbly during standing meditation, and my legs and feet often get sore. Didn't have any of that this time, which made me happy.
All in all, a very satisfying two-hour workout. Next month, I'll be sure and stay after for the monthly showing of a cheesy Kung Fu movie.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Back At It
I'm back to posting after a long absence, and back to my martial arts practice after staying away for about a week due to a winter cold. All of my plans for extra classes/practice during my holiday time off vanished in a fog of clogged sinuses and headaches.
Prior to getting sick, I had ramped up my number of classes, to get in more conditioning work. At our school, all students are allowed to attend the lower level classes, regardless of your main discipline. The additional classes I'm attending focus more on the basic movements and techniques of Choy Li Fut (what most people think of as "kung fu"), and are an excellent upper/lower body workout.
Went back to class for the first time Thursday night. I was glad I went, but the 90 minutes of classes took a lot out of me; I could definitely tell I'd been sick. Getting back on track at school and on the blog.
Prior to getting sick, I had ramped up my number of classes, to get in more conditioning work. At our school, all students are allowed to attend the lower level classes, regardless of your main discipline. The additional classes I'm attending focus more on the basic movements and techniques of Choy Li Fut (what most people think of as "kung fu"), and are an excellent upper/lower body workout.
Went back to class for the first time Thursday night. I was glad I went, but the 90 minutes of classes took a lot out of me; I could definitely tell I'd been sick. Getting back on track at school and on the blog.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)