How many techniques do you need?

[KenpoEMT]

If a person KNOWS his/her techniques, how many does he/she really need?

 

[michaeledward]

One ...

Of course, which one to know is the problem .... best to learn them all

 

[Dark Kenpo Lord]

As much wood as a woodchuck could, if a woodchuck could chuck wood.

DarK LorD

 

[Rick Wade]

I am just now truly understanding some most of the Self Defense techniques
It is more than just memorizing techniques.
What you want to truly achieve is a spontaneous response.

Mr. Skip Hancock said something the other night that made allot of sense.
"You only get one chance at self defense after that it is a fight."

V/R

Rick English

 

[Danny T]

If a person KNOWS his/her techniques, how many does he/she really need?

To be a good fighter you only need to know ONE, and when to use it.

To ge a great fighter you only need to know one, when to use it, and a thousand different ways to get to it.

Danny

 

[Zoran]

By techniques, I suppose you mean choregraphed responses to various types of attacks. You could get away with 0. But you will need to know how to block, evade, strike, kick, grapple, throw, and more. You will also need to learn to be spontaneous and adaptable.

These things could be taught without requiring you to memerize techs. But in many ways, it would make it harder. But techs are only a teaching tool that is practically useless by itself.

I have been putting some thought into techs and how they are traditionally taught. I have wondered if there are some better ways to impart the same knowledge, principles and motion than the way we normally do it. Maybe something that is less robotic and requires a little more thought from the student.

Such as dividing into two seperate categories. Defensive movements and offensive movements.

For example,
1. teaching the various ways a person can evade and block a lunge punch with different types of footwork for each.
2. Teach various striking combinations only.
3. Have the student put them together.

I think if done early on, it may be more interactive for the student which won't bore them to death. It may also have the added benefit of teaching spontaneity early in a students training.

 

[MJS]

If a person KNOWS his/her techniques, how many does he/she really need?

IMO, if someone is going to train in a system, they might as well learn all of the required material. Now, some may look at a system that has a large amount of techniques and think, "So if I have 30 right punch counters, how will I know which one to use if someone is going to punch me?" The techniques are or should be, a foundation for the student to build a response off of. The same can be said for grabs, chokes, and kicks.

Mike

 

[Dark Kenpo Lord]

I have been putting some thought into techs and how they are traditionally taught. I have wondered if there are some better ways to impart the same knowledge, principles and motion than the way we normally do it. Maybe something that is less robotic and requires a little more thought from the student.

Such as dividing into two seperate categories. Defensive movements and offensive movements.

For example,
1. teaching the various ways a person can evade and block a lunge punch with different types of footwork for each.
2. Teach various striking combinations only.
3. Have the student put them together.

I think if done early on, it may be more interactive for the student which won't bore them to death. It may also have the added benefit of teaching spontaneity early in a students training.

Well, these are covered in the sets and forms of EPAK, that's kinda the reason for those crazy isolations most get so bored with.

Here are some that may or may not be useful, but how many would you need?

http://www.bushido.org/seicho/movies.htm

DarK LorD

 

[Flashing Dagger]

Perhaps a better question is "How can you most effectively develop the capacity for spontaneous reactions" I suppose you could have thousands of techniques if you approach it from this standpoint. After you have studied a technique you could forget it after a while, but you would be left with a greater ability to spontaneously arrange combinations. Afterall, our techniques at a certain point are really just variations on the same basics. Or you could have 10 techniques if you drilled them with thousands of different possibilities.

 

[Kenpodoc]

You only need one technique. The trouble is knowing which technique you need beforehand.

Jeff

 

[Zoran]

Or you could have 10 techniques if you drilled them with thousands of different possibilities.

This essentially the way the system I am in is set up (40 instead of 10).

 

[Kalicombat]

To address the intial question;
"If a person KNOWS his/her techniques, how many does he/she really need?"

If a person Knows all the techniques, then it realy does not matter how many they need, they have all of them at their disposal. That person can use any, all, or none if needed. The big question is, why do people feel compelled to study a system, and then question the number of techniques that system requires it's students to learn?

Gary C.

 

[Zoran]

Well, these are covered in the sets and forms of EPAK, that's kinda the reason for those crazy isolations most get so bored with.

DarK LorD

My thought was more in the line of replacing the way techs are taught from the start. Not as an addition or seperate drill, form or set.

Then again, most people would find the idea too radical. Replace the Techs! My god man, you must be a heretic!!

 

[Dark Kenpo Lord]

My thought was more in the line of replacing the way techs are taught from the start. Not as an addition or seperate drill, form or set.

Then again, most people would find the idea too radical. Replace the Techs! My god man, you must be a heretic!!

Hmm, maybe you were shown badly to begin with, may be why you think the way you do.

DarK LorD

 

[Old Fat Kenpoka]

The question begs several questions:

How many techniques do you need -- for what purpose?

How many do you need in a single moment?
How many do you need in a single encounter?
How many do you need in order to compete against others of your style?
How many do you need in order to compete against other martial artists of other styles?
How many do you need to prepare for most self-defense situations you are likely to encounter?
How many do you need to prepare for any self-defense situation you may possibly encounter anywhere?
How many do you need to understand the basic movements of your art or system?
How many do you need to "master" your system?
How many do you need to keep you interested and learning for the rest of your life?
How many do you need so that you can say your system is better than everybody else's?
How many do you need so that you can say you know more than other people who study your system?
And, most importantly, how many do you need in order to have a pointless debate about how many you need?

 

[Touch Of Death]

Two

 

[Monadnock]

One. The rest are just variations.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Yes but the two main families of motion are inside and outside.
Sean

 

[Monadnock]

Two may be the case - at a certain point in most techniques you will most likely arrive in either position (inside or outside your opponent's centerline, front or back to other styles, omote/ura) - but what about before you are inside or outside? When does a technique begin/change to a variation?

I'm taking different philosophical approach to the poll's question. Another possible answer could be 0. There is no technique.

I'm going to go bend some spoons now.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Two may be the case - at a certain point in most techniques you will most likely arrive in either position (inside or outside your opponent's centerline, front or back to other styles, omote/ura) - but what about before you are inside or outside? When does a technique begin/change to a variation?

I'm taking different philosophical approach to the poll's question. Another possible answer could be 0. There is no technique.

I'm going to go bend some spoons now.

I was not refering to an opponent. Its one, but the first move is an inward motion with your arm or a returning outward motion with your arm. Wax on wax off as it were. Your opponent is lucky enough to be a part of the mix only as an uke.
Sean