Help settle an argument

[Fightback2]

I'm in an ongoing battle with a bb (that I happen to be married to so that adds a whole new dimension to the argument) about whether or not a martial artist has to have a sense of rhythm. Do you have to have it to start with in order to be good or does it build along with your other skills?

I think it grows as you go. Kata is supposed to be like a dance of sorts so that requires rhythm and timing which you learn as you learn the other moves.

What do you think?

 

[Ceicei]

I'm in an ongoing battle with a bb (that I happen to be married to so that adds a whole new dimension to the argument) about whether or not a martial artist has to have a sense of rhythm. Do you have to have it to start with in order to be good or does it build along with your other skills?

I think it grows as you go. Kata is supposed to be like a dance of sorts so that requires rhythm and timing which you learn as you learn the other moves.

What do you think?

Some have the sense of rhythm already (talent), and others have to learn it along the way. I think for many people, it has to be learned and becomes better as skill improves.

- Ceicei

 

[FearlessFreep]

I've been a bass guitarist for almost 20 years so I have a fair sense of rhythm and timing already so it's hard for me to know how important it is because I do it naturally anyway.


My problem is I think I tend to match rhythms with my opponent. I was sparring a guy last week and he said "You are so much faster than me that I don't know why you don't score much more" I thought about that and realized that when I evaded him I was moving at a fast pace, but when I attacked or counter-attacked, my ryhthm tend to slow down to match his....very weird

 

[dubljay]

I believe everyone else has more than confirmed that martial arts requires rythem and timing, I just wanted to point out that I had to demonstrate my rythem and timing to join a class.

 

[terryl965]

Yes rythem and timing can be tought, also most people already have those skills so it is a matter of time before they use them

 

[Zepp]

I don't if a martial artist has to have a sense of rhythm, but it is very helpful to be able to feel out your opponent's rhythm. That will allow you to break their rhythm before they're ready to break it on their own, and hopefully catch them off-balance.

My problem is I think I tend to match rhythms with my opponent. I was sparring a guy last week and he said "You are so much faster than me that I don't know why you don't score much more" I thought about that and realized that when I evaded him I was moving at a fast pace, but when I attacked or counter-attacked, my ryhthm tend to slow down to match his....very weird

Sounds like a great start on a secret weapon. Now try making things work the other way, by luring your sparring partner into a rhythm of your choosing, and then breaking it before he realizes he's following you.

 

[jjmcc]

I'm in an ongoing battle with a bb (that I happen to be married to so that adds a whole new dimension to the argument) about whether or not a martial artist has to have a sense of rhythm. Do you have to have it to start with in order to be good or does it build along with your other skills?

I think it grows as you go. Kata is supposed to be like a dance of sorts so that requires rhythm and timing which you learn as you learn the other moves.

What do you think?

Dancing and martial arts go together they both need good posture,timing,balance,and control.........artyon:

 

[FearlessFreep]

*sigh* I tried to tell my younger daughter and her friend that 'forms' were sota like a dance..and they laughed

 

[MichiganTKD]

Traditional martial arts practice demands and develops a well honed sense of rhythm and timing-when to make power, when to relax, when to make offense, when to make defense etc.
Form will definitely contribute to this sense of rhythm. Anybody can walk through form or do the motions. A high ranking master will know how to make rhythm so that every technique performed, whether form, sparring, self defense, or just walking, will be rhythmic and flowing. This is what separates a true master from a pretender. A true master exudes rhythm and flow in every action.

 

[FearlessFreep]

I couldn't tell if you were talking about martial arts or a good jazz combo...

 

[Ceicei]

Wasn't Bruce Lee also a champion Cha-Cha dancer??

- Ceicei

 

[MA-Caver]

Balance and rhythm is important in nearly everything in our lives. In Martial Arts rhythm and balance are very important.
Thing is you need to set up your own rhythm of the fight rather allowing your opponent to do so. Taking control and setting the rhythm is one of the things that helps the winning factor.

Originally Posted by FearlessFreep
My problem is I think I tend to match rhythms with my opponent. I was sparring a guy last week and he said "You are so much faster than me that I don't know why you don't score much more" I thought about that and realized that when I evaded him I was moving at a fast pace, but when I attacked or counter-attacked, my ryhthm tend to slow down to match his....very weird

If you are faster then set the pace and force the opponent to catch up... if they cannot... win the fight.

 

[FearlessFreep]

If you are faster then set the pace and force the opponent to catch up... if they cannot... win the fight.

I know...it's a mental thing I have to do. I'm still pretty new to sparring. I think I tend to match rhythms because when we practice drills, we tend to be on a rythm; 'person A will throw this attack and person B will evade like such and throw that counter-attack' and it's easy to get in a synchronization. So in sparring I tend to end up like "and block and strike and..." rather than the "block-strike fast" that I'm able to do

 

[MichiganTKD]

I have been told that in Korea, the free fighting champions will go to the nightclubs during the weekend to dance as dancing promotes and develops the sense of rhythm and timing.
Isn't it true that men who are accomplished dancers, whether ballroom or club, are admired by women for having this sense of grace, timing, and flow?
And yes, Bruce Lee was a champion cha-cha dancer who taught it professionally. It figures.

 

[FearlessFreep]

I have been told that in Korea, the free fighting champions will go to the nightclubs during the weekend to dance as dancing promotes and develops the sense of rhythm and timing.

Figures, I play latin jazz at a club on weekends...maybe it will help

And yes, Bruce Lee was a champion cha-cha dancer who taught it professionally. It figures.

I guess I really misundertood something about using hip twist to generate power

 

[Spinback]

While I think rhythm is a valuable skill, I don't think it's essential to fighting.

I'm a musician, so rhythm comes naturally to me, but in fighting I really don't follow any rhythm or pattern. When I'm grappling I like to always be working, whether for a dominant position or a submission, but I try to change direction constantly to keep my opponent on edge. If I ever find myself developing a "pattern" (I used to have a problem where as soon as I got the mount I'd go for a kimura) I try to break out of it. This normally surprises my opponent and gives me edge. So sure, you could call what I'm doing "rhythm". I call it tactical speed and force adjustment, relaxing then exploding.

In sparrng I do often work for a rhythm, but only to lull or "hypnotize" my opponent. One thing I find especially effective against boxers is getting into a pattern where I always step in and throw a double jab, then a right hook if it's safe. After doing that 4-5 times I step in with a single backfist instead, then give a straight right to the midsection. Against my muay thai buddy I tend to hang back and wait till he's moving towards me, then explode forwards and push him back with a flurry of strikes. It tends to overwhelm him, and when he tries to change direction he gets caught, even though he's learned to anticipate the move.

So it really depends on the type of fighter. Against some punk on the street I'd probably use a lulling rhythm and non-telegraphic strikes. Against a trained mixed martial artist I'd be more comfortable with constantly changing my pace.

 

[kaizasosei]

i think there is rythem in all things. all kinds of different rythems.

without technique and ability even having good rythem cannot be used to any advantage. but i think sense of rythem and skill go hand in hand

all movements are an expression of types of rythems or cyclic phenomena.

further one can study or play music, dance,kata or explore kiaijutsu, practice jujutsu(chanting)-not in this case ju-jutsu fighting.- as well as spiritual aspects.

 

[Adept]

Rythm is ever-present in most things in life. Especially so in fighting.

A developed sense of rythm enables a fighter to identify, then prematurely break his opponents rythm, recognise his own rythm and either modify it or break it before his opponent can recognise it.

 

[JadeDragon3]

I don't really think that rythem is a requirement for being a good martial artist. I don't have rythem and can't dance at all but I consider myself a good martial artis. I think that balance, timing, and good judge of distance is important to being a good martial artist as well as having good eye hand coordination. I don't really see how rythem has anything to do with martial arts.

 

[kaizasosei]

take a close look at the properties of what constitute variations and contants in rythem and then compare that to martial arts movements and ideas. there is something alive about all things moving.
especially living things are said to have a natural biorythem- this could mean their lifestyle to refering to specific functions of life
for movie martial arts, sometimes the ideas are so wild that it is not easy to get into the flow without losing it-because the rythem is only the sense but the flow is the externalization of the rythem within. rythem could even be used to describe character like math can describe and explain physical phenomena. all things in life are in essence a kind of rythem.






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