Re: Re: You REALLY want to do this? Well...
Originally posted by PRehse
Further - practicing blocks and parries solo is the worst thing you can do for the simple reason that the response is to your own mind rather than the actions of an opponent. At the very least hire someone to strike at you with a number of random attacks that you would expect to encounter and then several more that you would not.
Train as close to the situation you will face as you can without obtaining injury that will affect your level of training or your ability to perform on the day. This means sparring in addition to lots and lots of drills.
Sparring is far more effective than meditation to prepare your mind for clear action on the day. It is important to approach your sparring with that in mind.
Normally, I'd agree with you, but there is a fundamental difference in using sparring to practice fighting and developing a mindset to kill.
Truth be told, few of us within these forums have had to take a life for ANY reason. Those of us who have know that their training DID count, but their mindset counted more. Unfortunately in my pre-computer profession days, I had the chance to see this first hand.
As a practitioner of both traditional and eclectic martial arts, I believe in sparring, both empty handed and weapons. I also know that sparring, as good as it is for so many things, builds some bad habits unless done correctly, which brings me to another point... how to you practice killing someone with a sword while sparring? As soon as the blade actually touches flesh, does your sparring partner simulate agonial responses to the cuts? Do they suddenly cower or so they saacrifice themselves to cut you, at which time YOU cower or drop because of the simulated wound?
One more thing... don't discount using your own mind as an opponent. Your MIND'S reaction time is infinitely faster than any sparring partner's, and unlike a sparring partner, your mind can add so many scenarios that can't exist except in actual combat, that you'll either develop that combat mindset or you'll just commit seppuku right then and there, saving yourself the trouble of dueling.
It may sound kinda "Karate Kiddish," but if you think about it, unless you're Musashi himself and want to duel for your entire life to learn how to do it, you need to use what you can to prepare. My way is different than your way. That's the point of a duel anyway - where the only thing you have in common for a brief moment in time IS each other.
FWIW,
Carlos
E. Carlos Estrella, Jr.
The strength of a man is not measured in how much he can lift, how many he can fight or how much he can endure, but in his capacity to admit his limitations and learn to successfully circumvent them.