limitations and shortcomings

[Bao]

Let's have a thread that represents something opposite to the "recent progress" thread. Every positive side has a negative, so let's focus on what we found bad with ourselves ...

Something of the most problematic in the world of martial arts is admiration. People want someone to look up to. People who call themselves teachers, sifu and masters often get more appreciation than they deserve, and often for the wrong reasons.

But let's be realistic, all martial artists, no matter how great they are, have their own limitations.

What about yout own teacher/teachers? His/their limitations?

What about your own shortcomings? What are you less proud about? What limit your process.

Feel free to interprete my questions however you wish and answer to them however you want.

...........

To answer them myself, I have found my first teacher speaking more about his teaching than he has the capacity to deliver.
A lack of sparring, and lack of good (read 'generous') sparring partners, have always been a problem. And even if I know I have some good skills, I have found myself to be more limited than I used to think.

[Juan]

My limitations are within the grappling side of my arts. In Muay Thai I struggle in the clinch and in Taiji I struggle in push hands and chinna work. I don't know why it is that I can't get it. Both clinch work in MT and push ahnds in Taiji require that you are sensitive and maybe I just don't have that listening energy/sensitivity. I prefer to strike and kick rather than grapple with my opponent/training partner.

[Bao]

I prefer to strike and kick rather than grapple with my opponent/training partner.

What's wrong with that?

[Juan]

Well, if we get into a grappling situation (i.e. the clinch) mentally I feel at a disadvantage.

[Chris McKinley]

Sorry, not my cup of tea to focus on the negatives by themselves. At this point in my development, most of my negatives tend to be big-picture things like strength reserve and aerobic endurance. It's not that I've perfected anything else; I'm just satisfied with the technical progress I've made and the level I'm able to maintain given the amount of time/energy I'm willing to invest. Could I be a better fighter? Sure...I have been. At this point in my life currently, I'm not a high-speed/low drag operator or supercop or anything else Rambo-esque, so I can't justify spending the equivalent of a full-time job training at the same high intensity as some of my clients do. The rest of the improvements that I am still working on take place so slowly that there's no new news to report.

[Bao]

Sorry, not my cup of tea to focus on the negatives by themselves.

Much respex to your pov. Thanks.

[JusticeZero]

My main frustration right now is a lack of a skilled training partner; I have a student or two now, but i'm still trying to teach them to be vaguely competent with the basic techniques, and so they can't do any sort of more advanced drills with me at all yet. Everyone else skilled is in different parts of the country. My fiancee wants to be involved, but she has a foot injury that completely prevents her from doing about half of the art using the techniques i'm familiar with, and cripples her power generation on the other half. She can't even do basic upright stances.

[johnwang]

My main frustration right now is a lack of a skilled training partner; I have a student or two now, but i'm still trying to teach them to be vaguely competent with the basic techniques, and so they can't do any sort of more advanced drills with me at all yet.

Sometime I used students for my own benefit. The material that I taught them that day might not be the material that they should learn at their level. It was what I felt like to work out instead. I know that I should feel guilty about it, but since I don't charge very much for my class (David C, K, Lin charged $240 for every 2 hours lesson), I feel that I have right to ask my student to pay me in different way.

[klonk]

What about your own shortcomings? What are you less proud about? What limit your process.

This is going to be a long thread, if people here are as honest as I think.

Like Galo said, I'm mainly a stand up striker and feel a little out of my depth in other scenarios. Working on short power can delay the clinch or avoid it in some cases but cannot entirely eliminate the possibility that things will go to the clinch and thence to the ground. I think I may lack the mental flexibility to change modes, due to early training that did not explore those scenarios. I don't think like a grapply chap.

[Darth Rock&Roll]

There is nothing that I am unhappy with that I will not eventually assess and make attempts at and perhaps succeed at correcting.
My biggest problem may be my self assured way in that regard.



also, I can't buy pants that fit in the crotch right, due to my huge dork.

[everything]

not really doing striking. not really doing cardio. don't really care that much though I know I should do those...

[Walk the Torque]

My biggest problem at present is bridging with (one particular) long limb-ed sparring partner. In general I don't have a problem, but there is one friend of mine I find difficulty in getting near enough to do anything effective. He is good no doubt, but I just can't seem to get past his arms with any consistency. The only hand strike I can do on command is a slap to the kidneys, but this is becoming a bit predictable and its only a matter of time before I won't be able to pull this off either.

I must admit I have not had enough experience with very tall people so this is a Huge shortcoming (pun intended ) in my game. I really need to rectify this problem as I am sure to meet taller guys in comps.

Fell free to advise

[Ba-men]

My biggest problem at present is bridging with (one particular) long limb-ed sparring partner. In general I don't have a problem, but there is one friend of mine I find difficulty in getting near enough to do anything effective. He is good no doubt, but I just can't seem to get past his arms with any consistency. The only hand strike I can do on command is a slap to the kidneys, but this is becoming a bit predictable and its only a matter of time before I won't be able to pull this off either.

I must admit I have not had enough experience with very tall people so this is a Huge shortcoming (pun intended ) in my game. I really need to rectify this problem as I am sure to meet taller guys in comps.

Fell free to advise

Walk the torque:

Redirect your opponent’s focus. There are several methods that all lead to the same result of success. A favorite method of mine is I bridge by leading with my feet. In an attempt to make my opponent move his hands (his defense) and what opening he gives is what I go for. It goes for leading or bridging with the hands too…again while he defends "what is he giving you down below?" Now if he's good at defending and counter attacking you will have to pick up the counter. (still though.... he's reacting to what you are doing which is a plus)

This is Basic strategy…yes I know… but the secret in making it effective against guys with prowess is just to accept the opening given no matter how slight. It puts the opponent on the defense. In making this work gaining the initiative is the key ingredient! You don't attack with the intent of doing "X" and "Y " You attack but look for A through Z and use your four limbs to make it happen. (look for the gift he gives....)

Manipulating the tempo! Its all about that too. ( a good technique for this is every time he sets you move off line and make him re-set… then on an un predictable sequence you bridge. Fakes and feints are also tools to command the timing of your bridge... Play with this method. As he moves to step... throw a "legit fake" his brain will be trying to do two things at once..maintain his balance and deal with your attack this will give u a jump on his initiative) Patience is key! In using this strategy dealing with someone who just comes forward all the time is a hurdle that you have to overcome. Fortunately, it becomes easy to deal with... look for ways to deny the predictable attacks (either by moving into it to snuff it (look for grappling here i.e. throw or sweep etc...) or moving away to a location where a counter attack can be launch after he has to re-set (everyone has a down time in between launching attacks…) The later lends it self to the strategy of redirecting the opponent’s focus (discussed above) But beware of the unpredictable fighter who moves forward. I Retrograde till I know what I'm dealing with.


My shortcomings in my old age I don’t have the patients for slackers anymore. ( I just cut a student loose…I told him martial arts wasn’t for him and I suggested taking up dancing…I was brutal..and I shouldn't have been. I can be an ass.

My Sifu shortcoming was whiskey, smoke and a nasty temper oh…what a bad combination

[Bhassler]

I do tai chi, so my biggest problems are trying not to wrinkle my blouse or trip over my skirts when I practice my form. I need to improve my cardio so I can take bigger breaths to talk longer about why everyone else is not internal enough without letting anyone get a word in edgewise.

Also, if I were serious about fighting/self-defense, I would want to invest a LOT more time in knife work.

[everything]

I do tai chi, so my biggest problems are trying not to wrinkle my blouse or trip over my skirts when I practice my form. I need to improve my cardio so I can take bigger breaths to talk longer about why everyone else is not internal enough without letting anyone get a word in edgewise.

lol, yes. I need to work on my stupid fake hopping and general hippy demeanor to fit in better with the tai chee hippies.

Also, if I were serious about fighting/self-defense, I would want to invest a LOT more time in knife work.

it'd be great to work more on improvised weapons. RBSD blathering annoys the shit out of me, though, even more than tai chi blathering, so doing some work with people who won't shut up is impossible. then that becomes not worth it at all.