charlesl
30th June 2001, 08:27
I'm given to understand that one of the goals of SMR jo is to pass on skills and training methods with as little variation from generation to generation as possible. And that the idea behind this was that any contemporary variation or additions to the training regimen would be untested and potentialy incorrect, unable to be tested in combat.
So I've always viewed the kata as a template, something that you should learn and pass on intact. What I wonder though, is to what extent advanced practitioner's personalize their technique/combative behaviors? It's unlikely that each person would be able to perform in the same manner as every one else out there. Differences in size, speed, shape, talent would seem to require a certain amount of variation.
I've met a few people who have personalized their technique based on their training in other arts and concepts. While sometimes this seems to work, sometimes it just really doesn't, various modifications just end up being obviously flawed. For those people out there who do "personalise" their technique, varying their kata training, how do you, or do you at all, test this out?
-Charles Lockhart
So I've always viewed the kata as a template, something that you should learn and pass on intact. What I wonder though, is to what extent advanced practitioner's personalize their technique/combative behaviors? It's unlikely that each person would be able to perform in the same manner as every one else out there. Differences in size, speed, shape, talent would seem to require a certain amount of variation.
I've met a few people who have personalized their technique based on their training in other arts and concepts. While sometimes this seems to work, sometimes it just really doesn't, various modifications just end up being obviously flawed. For those people out there who do "personalise" their technique, varying their kata training, how do you, or do you at all, test this out?
-Charles Lockhart