The Slow Lie

[Xue Sheng]

I keep seeing people post about how going slow helps your technique. It doesn't. The thing that helps about going slow is that other people can see what you are doing, and correct you. That is it!

I will admit it right now, I have only read this post in this thread and read no others.

On going slow; I'm a taijiquan guy and what going slow does is teaches you proper alignment and body connections so when you need it, at speed, everything works like it is supposed to

 

[Touch Of Death]

I will admit it right now, I have only read this post in this thread and read no others.

On going slow; I'm a taijiquan guy and what going slow does is teaches you proper alignment and body connections so when you need it, at speed, everything works like it is supposed to

As you learn the idea, of course.

 

[Shai Hulud]

... so when you need it, at speed, everything works like it is supposed to

Precisely. It's to the effect that you don't botch the technique in real-time when your person is at stake.

 

[drop bear]

Why does using muscles that aren't part of the process improve the kick?

Well they are. They stabilize you.

 

[Argus]

Yes.

In shooting its sometimes phrased as "you can't win by missing faster".

However that doesn't mean your goal is to be slow. You should always be working to operate at your fastest effective speed.

You're confusing training for fighting. Or rather, you're confusing one particular part of training for all training and all fighting.

In Wing Chun, we play the first section of our first form very slowly. Do you think we try to fight like that? Of course not! We'd get killed. Do we go that slowly in other drills and training? No, of course not. It's simply a training method -- with a time and a place, that allows you to refine and develop certain movements and attributes.

Don't mistake one element of training for all training, and don't mistake all training for fighting.

 

[Tgace]

Train as you fight.. Fundamental concept.

 

[Argus]

Train as you fight.. Fundamental concept.

Again, you're taking that out of context. Moreover, it isn't a "fundamental" concept on which skills are built; it is what you would call a "meme" no different than the "fast is slow; slow is smooth; smooth is fast" mantra, but where as that mantra describes a particular method, this one describes a particular goal, and tries to provide a context for your training. For example, don't train to draw and shoot a full-size handgun from a conventional holster, if you intend to carry a sub-compact concealed in an iwb holster. It's all about context.

Training is building skills for fighting in a controlled environment. Nobody is shooting back at you. No body is trying to thrust a real knife into you. If they were, I'd wager you wouldn't have the time to learn much even if you survived the session.

Train to build the skills and attributes that you want to employ in a fight. That might mean slowing down at times. It might mean speeding up at times. It might mean working with artificial limitations at times, and working with very few limitations at other times. It might mean training versus any given level of resistance or compliance.

Everything has a place, a time, a function, and a context. Working on skills in isolation and with varying inputs is essential to learning and developing skill.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Train as you fight.. Fundamental concept.

Agree! The "fast speed feeling" should be part of your training. If you want to train "shaking - fast pull and fast push", you can't train in slow speed. There is no such thing as "slow shaking".

fast footwork:

fast footwork + fast striking combo:

fast punches:

 

[Transk53]

Well they are. They stabilize you.

That's probably more about posture as well

 

[Tgace]

“smooth is fast but slow is just @#$%^&* slow.” -Kyle Lamb

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

The "fast speed training" is a must for the praying mantis system.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Well they are. They stabilize you.

I'm not trying to counter balance, therefore I don't need it.

 

[drop bear]

That's probably more about posture as well

Yeah. You need your whole body to move well.

 

[drop bear]

I'm not trying to counter balance, therefore I don't need it.

Yeah but you are relying on those small stabilizer muscles and your core to hold your body together. Those guys that can kick well slow have pretty good control where there leg goes.

Like doing weights on a fit ball.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Yeah but you are relying on those small stabilizer muscles and your core to hold your body together. Those guys that can kick well slow have pretty good control where there leg goes.

Like doing weights on a fit ball.

I don't advocate using weights either. (It makes you slow)

 

[Touch Of Death]

I don't advocate using weights either. (It makes you slow)

Correction! A mace or a hammer can train you to be faster, but that is because of the dynamics of those tools.

 

[drop bear]

I don't advocate using weights either. (It makes you slow)

Plenty of competitive fighters disagree.

Except ronda rousey. Because apparently she doesn't lift.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Plenty of competitive fighters disagree.

Except ronda rousey. Because apparently she doesn't lift.

Training for speed involves using weights, such as a stick or claw hammer, that will actually when started in motion, by you, will make your arm move faster, simply because the weight of the weapon pulls you along. This helps your body over ride its own self defense mechanism, of being slow to avoid pulling your joints out of socket or something, and in the end you can move faster than if you had not used the weights; however, heavy weights, while doing things slow is not going to ever help your speed, but I'm sure it builds muscle, and you just might feel better about yourself, and girls will like you! , but again, it won't help you be fast.

 

[drop bear]

Training for speed involves using weights, such as a stick or claw hammer, that will actually when started in motion, by you, will make your arm move faster, simply because the weight of the weapon pulls you along. This helps your body over ride its own self defense mechanism, of being slow to avoid pulling your joints out of socket or something, and in the end you can move faster than if you had not used the weights; however, heavy weights, while doing things slow is not going to ever help your speed, but I'm sure it builds muscle, and you just might feel better about yourself, and girls will like you! , but again, it won't help you be fast.

And your theory is based on what exactly?

 

[Touch Of Death]

And your theory is based on what exactly?

I'm just sayin', Plus I have been hearing this stuff for thirty years. Consider it a gift.