What's your style?

What's your style?  I love that question when asked to Bruce Lee on a junket somewhere near Hong Kong.  His response was, "You can call it the art of fighting without fighting".

I always had a hard time answering that question for myself until I decided I have no style.  To me style implies structure, form, limitations all imposed upon you by another person.  Styles require replication of forms, basic techniques, repetitive movement all for the purpose of looking like the instructor.  Styles work for the person that created it because it was he/she that put their personal likes, dislikes, qualities, abilities and preferences into that style.

So my question is if he/she could do that why I am trying to imitate them?  Why am I not creating my own methods?

That is why REAL Martial Arts is not a style.  It is not really even a system, it is a method of discovery, testing, challenging and creating what works for you.  There is a systematic approach to it.  It uses science, anatomy, biomechanics, physics and biology to come up with skill sets that work against the human body in combat.  It also develops exercises, drills and practices that, strengthen the body, help release false beliefs and misunderstandings and create a person who is resilient, efficient, accurate and vital.

REAL Martial Arts does not require students to replicate the instructor.  It asks students to find their own natural responses to situations, their own intrinsic qualities that can be nurtured to build a platform of movement, structure and relaxation that allows them to respond in their own way.

Students are encouraged to experiment with different movements and techniques to see what feels right and what can be developed for them.  It is a very intuitive approach.  Techniques are used as a basic place to start from and then the student goes from there.  There is no particular response to a given attack.  No basics to repeat, no katas or forms to take up grey matter trying to remember.

We train with partners almost all of the time.  We get attacked and have to learn how to move, how to respond to defend ourselves in a way that is natural and makes sense to us.  It is more about self discovery and uncovering our natural abilities than trying to mimic someone else's.

So, what's your style? 

Short Work in Combat

Excellent Workshop on Short Work
REAL Martial Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico

We had an excellent workshop on what is called short work yesterday in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Class was taught by Josh Fabia.  Short work comes from Russian Martial Arts, Systema, to be more precise.  It works on the premise that the most direct defense is the most effective.  There is no wasted movement, nothing fancy and you go directly to your preferred targets.  The preferred targets are the eyes, throat, groin and solar plexus.  The idea being if the attacker can not see, breath or continue his attack you have neutralized the threat and can get out of there as quickly as possible.

Short work is very effective.  The motions are small and direct which means the other person can not see the attack and has very little chance to protect himself until it is too late.  We worked with strikes from standing attacks as well as ground fighting with one and multiple opponents.  We looked at pressure points and how to control a person by manipulating their head and spine.  Short work is very effective and very real however few other martial arts include it in their training.

One thing I really like about the training we are doing at EastSide Combatives is that it is focused on real life situations and application.  We deal with single and multiple attackers, standing and on the ground.  We work empty handed and with weapons in real life scenarios.  We train in doors on mats and outdoors in more realistic environments on cement, stairs and uneven ground.  Skills are developed progressively and everything fits together and expands on everything else.  It really is a system and it all works as one.

This month we will be focusing on short work in our weekly classes.  Each month has a different focus so that students can develop a good level of proficiency in each area and then bring together what they learned from the previous months into a system of personal protection that is effective and reality based.  As each student grows in their knowledge and skill they begin to develop their own unique approach and preferences.
They bring their personalities and inherent abilities to the game and learn to express themselves in their movements and skill use.  EastSide Combatives is not about replicating the teacher or anyone else it is about discovering and unveiling your own abilities and gifts so that each student is different and discovers their own inherent strengths and unique approach.