Oh man, it was great. At the end of Black Belt class last night we were free fighting, which is basically what it sounds like. I was paired up with my instructor and we went five minute rounds. Anything goes, but we practice with control so that we can keep training and fighting. Throws, grappling, striking, all the good stuff like eye gouges, ear pulling, hair pulling, nose pulling, all practiced with control. I was doing pretty well, holding my own, and then he pulled me to the ground, got in the mount position, and rained destruction on my poor little head. Oh what fun! I tried my mount escapes, but he just pinned my arms and pounded away. Like I said, all controlled contact, so it was really just him striking at my face, full intensity, letting me know that I'd be blood on the pavement if he was hitting me. One time I managed to mount him, but that only lasted about two seconds until he rolled me over into my guard, then he picked me up and slammed me into the ground and it started raining down again.
It was the best part of class. The other students noticed and thought he was gonna kill me. I managed to parry or otherwise defend against some of his punches, but in general I just got pounded. It's so great to see how amazing my instructor is. I could man handle most of our new students the way he did me, but compared to him, I'm still a white belt. It's such a great feeling to know that you are in the right place, learning from the right instructor. Afterwards he showed me how to defend against getting picked up and slammed into the ground while in the guard position. It's invigorating to be beaten to a pulp every now and again. If you haven't done it lately, I suggest you try it.
Being able to pull off my Kenpo in situations like this is very affirming and really gives you a sense of how the static techniques work in a dynamic situation. You realize that your techniques counter your opponent's techniques when you try for a groin shot and he tries for a knee at the same time. Or your head butt is interrupted by his inward elbow. At one point I was choking him from the front and he pulled off an entire technique on me in about half a second. This kind of exercise really introduces the aliveness you want in your training and demonstrates for you that stand up fighting and ground fighting aren't two seperate things, they are two parts of one thing. You fight on your feet till you fall to the ground and then you fight on the ground till you get to your feet. It's also good for the endurance. Five minutes is a long, long time to fight someone full intensity. Really makes you conscious of the need to take out your attacker quick and hard. I don't ever want a fight to last that long. Some nights we do five or six rounds like this, and you really get the work out then.
I can't wait till he beats me up again. Then I'll have something else to brag about to my Kenpo friends.
"Mr. Sturgess really handed me my money maker the other night."
-Rob
It was the best part of class. The other students noticed and thought he was gonna kill me. I managed to parry or otherwise defend against some of his punches, but in general I just got pounded. It's so great to see how amazing my instructor is. I could man handle most of our new students the way he did me, but compared to him, I'm still a white belt. It's such a great feeling to know that you are in the right place, learning from the right instructor. Afterwards he showed me how to defend against getting picked up and slammed into the ground while in the guard position. It's invigorating to be beaten to a pulp every now and again. If you haven't done it lately, I suggest you try it.
Being able to pull off my Kenpo in situations like this is very affirming and really gives you a sense of how the static techniques work in a dynamic situation. You realize that your techniques counter your opponent's techniques when you try for a groin shot and he tries for a knee at the same time. Or your head butt is interrupted by his inward elbow. At one point I was choking him from the front and he pulled off an entire technique on me in about half a second. This kind of exercise really introduces the aliveness you want in your training and demonstrates for you that stand up fighting and ground fighting aren't two seperate things, they are two parts of one thing. You fight on your feet till you fall to the ground and then you fight on the ground till you get to your feet. It's also good for the endurance. Five minutes is a long, long time to fight someone full intensity. Really makes you conscious of the need to take out your attacker quick and hard. I don't ever want a fight to last that long. Some nights we do five or six rounds like this, and you really get the work out then.
I can't wait till he beats me up again. Then I'll have something else to brag about to my Kenpo friends.
"Mr. Sturgess really handed me my money maker the other night."
-Rob
Having said that...I love it myself. Every once in a while our instructor will be first up in an attack line and all you really see are people of all shapes and sizes flying across the room. I know what you mean, Rob by the feeling that your instructor is that much bette than you are. It really helps to have that reaffirmation that you are getting your monies worth when you have it proven to you that the techniques that are being taught can indeed be used in a fight.
