When did you "get it"?

[Infinite]

For me I was practicing the shadow straight blast from JKD. Someone had TOLD me it was based on fencing and I KNEW it. However I didn't really understand it.

So then I meet this guy who is a fencer and we start sparing with wiffle ball bats (don't laugh its actually quite good for reflex and timing).

He lunges and dear god that reach I did a lower hand twirl to get rid of it but I had to take two steps back.

Years later there I am practing my JKD with my very own personal montra of "Left, Right, make my body do it right" so I'm switching from left lead to right lead.

Suddenly I relize that if I shift my hips I don't have to drop my shoulder to blast. Then I relize that I can get about an extra 2 to 4 inches out of my reach in the form I'm standing in.

Like a light bulb all became clear for that one technique at that moment. First time for me so share the stories! What was the first technique that just clicked all the way through for you!

 

[Bigshadow]

Get what? LOL There are too many to remember. Sometimes big, sometimes small and subtle. So it all depends.

 

[Carol]

I switched from Kenpo to an FMA school this fall and had an "Aha" moment when I learned a few of the movements that I needed to correct in my stickwork. The movements were small, yes, but they made a big difference in my understanding of concepts.

That being said, I have a long long ways to go.

 

[Xue Sheng]

I got hit in the head just the other day does that count (NEVER turn you're back on you're Sanda teacher).

Other than that I agree with Bigshadow

 

[The Kidd]

Sometimes I feel I get it but then in between classes I think I lose it again, go figure!

 

[theletch1]

I still don't "get it" in a complete sense of the word. I really don't think I want to get it completely as that may take some of the fun out of the learning experience. I generally tend to get it more when I'm trying to teach a technique than when I'm trying to learn them. The subtleties of movement just seem to click when I'm trying to figure out what unique explaination each individual sometimes needs to make the visualization of energy flow pop into their head.

 

[Steel Tiger]

It was about 13 years ago when I was working in a bar. I had a huge bruiser in my face shouting and threatening. All through it all I was thinking was "I know what you're going to do and I know what will happen if you do".

I like to think of this as my "Martial Arts Epiphany". After that training seemed to make much more sense.

 

[charyuop]

As a beginner it is not hard to say it, coz all the tons of "I get it" still have to come.
But the first I get it came to me while I was playing with a co-worker.
For three weeks Sensei and Senpai tried to explain me how to lead my movements with my center, but I kept losing it above all in relation with my arms. I couldn't just understand what I was doing wrong.
I guess in a dojo we are too concentrated in doing the correct movements so we miss always something, sometimes something important.
So one day at work I was playing around with a friend who does MMA, but in the past did Aikido. He throw a right punch at me in a very slow motion way and I received it with my left hand doing a Tenkan (basically turning around placing myself on the side of him). I could feel something was wrong, my arm was way wide and even tho I had lead his punch he had more control of me than the opposite.
So I wanted to try something and asked him to punch me in the chest at a good speed and I told myself I wanna try to keep my elbow glued to my side.
For the first time I did a Tenkan after leading the punch and had the feeling of really controlling the opponent and not being controlled. I was actually pretty surprised by the fact that I didn't use any muscle at all and no grip on his wrist, yet I (not really wanting it) got his whole balance and almost sent him down.

I went to Senpai the next day and told him that I felt like I wasted 3 weeks for nothing just to understand such an easy thing. He answered that it is not easy at all and I will have to figure out many other things that once figured out they will look a piece of cake, but now they look a real mystery.

 

[King]

The first time I exchanged blows with a "Thai" Thai boxer and my punches all connected. He threw a right hook and I interrupted it with a left upper then followed up with a cross and left hook. I could swear time slowed down and I have the whole thing recorded in high-def inside my head. When I close my eyes I can still see it and play that memory over and over again. After our little tussle he came up to me and said "you have great hands". I grinned like a fool for the whole day.

I haven't been wasting my time training. I felt so validated. lol

 

[bushidomartialarts]

for the past six years, i've always felt like i 'got it', but every year i think of the guy who was training the year before and think 'what an idiot'.

 

[jdinca]

It's been a nonstop string of "Ohhhh, I get it" moments for me. Some have been significant, some have been subtle. All have been enlightening!

 

[Infinite]

All great stories!

I was just viewing it from the moment I knew I could learn it. I mean before then you feel clumsy and awkward and then suddenly you get one thing right. It makes the whole journy a little less daunting

Notice I said a little

 

[Shotgun Buddha]

After I read Nietzsche. I started actually analysing what I was doing rather than just accepting things on blind faith. After that I began to understand stuff a whole lot faster.

 

[KempoFlow]

I have yet to have an "ah ha" moment. But then again I am only a purple belt and have much to learn.

 

[pankration]

Open tournament in 1981. I was fighting the #1 ranked man in Canada. We went 4 rounds and I finally lost 2-1. But during that fight I wa exhilerated beyond belief. I had nothing to lose so I fought with a complete freedom. Not before or since but for those few minutes I got it.

 

[MJS]

There have been many times through out my years training, and I still have them. There are times when I think I have something and my instructor will show me something that'll improve on what I was doing.