Effectiveness in fighting

Effectiveness in fighting is determined by the training methods you employ,

not by the style or technique you perform. Efficient and effective training
methods should address each and every component of fighting. Otherwise, an
individual's safety can be jeopardised.
Here is my personal formula for developing effectiveness in fighting:
Learning, practising and mastering the basics
Putting the basics together into combinations to form a drill
Using drills to develop physical and mental attributes
Sparring
Special considerations
1. Learning, practising and mastering the basics:
The basics can be defined as a group of simple and direct, fundamental
movements. These movements lay a foundation upon which you can build a
myriad of combinations, drills and strategies. For example, all kick boxers,
regardless of their level of experience, must maintain good footwork and keep
their hands up at all times. To stand still and lower their hands down would
invite the pain and injury, not to mention an inability to hit their opponent. So
as basic as these movements are, they can not be overlooked or over stressed
in training.
Practising the basics is one of the hardest things to do. Why? Because
practising the basics are boring and mundane. Even though we know these
movements lay the foundation, they do absolutely nothing for our ego or
emotions. It is more fun to practice the cool, outrageous and flamboyant
techniques that impress our family members, friends and co-workers.
However, through consistent practice, we will one day master them and be
done with them.
Mastering the basics is something that takes time. It can not be done
overnight. To master the basics, you must correctly understand the mechanics
involved with each technique, as well as practice them until you can perform
them spontaneously and reflexively when presented with the appropriate
stimulus. Although you may intellectually understand how to do a technique,

that does not mean you can reflexively perform the technique under stress.
You must take the basics to a level where you can perform them without
thought. Then and only then will you have mastered them.
2. Putting the basics together into combinations to form a drill:
Learning is a process of time and effort. This process begins with learning and
classifying the simple knows of life (the basics) and progressing towards the
study of the very complex unknowns. When a child learns mathematics, he
begins with a very simple known value system: he learns how to count from
one to ten by using his fingers or toes. Once he can comfortably and
confidently manoeuvre around these simple things, he can then be introduced
to more complex things like counting to one hundred. Once proficiency is
achieved at this new level, he can then be introduced to basic arithmetic
(which is the idea of putting the basics together into combinations). When his
grasp of basic arithmetic has grown to a very high level, he can then be
introduced to more complex mathematics like algebra, geometry,
trigonometry and calculus. This is the process of learning mathematics. This is
also the process of learning how to fight. One you can perform the basics
reflexively, you can move onto putting the basics together into various
combinations.
3. Using drills to develop physical and mental attributes:
The purpose of a drill is develop instil certain habits into your repertoire of
physical techniques, as well as develop specific attributes necessary to make
your techniques work. Techniques without attributes are useless. Imagine a
punch or a kick without speed, power, explosiveness, timing or accuracy.
Would it hurt or incapacitate you? I think not! While it is important to learn
and develop techniques, the bulk of your training should involve drills that
develop specific attributes (like speed, power, accuracy, timing, strength,
flow, explosiveness, footwork, sensitivity, cardiovascular endurance,
flexibility, balance, co-ordination, line familiarisation, spatial relationship,
rhythm, awareness, proper mental attitude, focus, concentration,
determination, pain tolerance, the will to survive, etc...).
4. Sparring:
Sparring is the next step in your progression of training. Sparring is one of the
best tools to develop the timing of your techniques. For when you spar, you
truly do not know what your opponent will do, so you must respond
accordingly. You must develop your reflexes. Sparring should be done in
stages. Stage one sparring is done with light contact hitting and at a slow
workable speed. It's as though your and your opponent are cooperating with

each other, however, you are not. Stage one sparring is for the development
of reflex and timing.
After stage one sparring you must move on to stage two. This is where you
bump up the contact and/or speed of the match. This is also where you begin
to don protective gear. This stage is very exhausting! Especially when you
combine different ranges (long, close and ground) to the match. Stage two
sparring is for the development of endurance, focus, concentration,
determination, and pain tolerance.
Finally, there's stage three. This is where you add multiple assailants and
weapons to the training. This is also where you see the core personality of
your trainees. When forced into a situation where they may be hurt, all
trainees will show their true identities. I have seen it a thousand times. Joe
blow at the office brags about being a great fighter. He talks incessantly about
all the street fights he's been in, yet when put through an exhausting scenario
involving some medium level contact, he cowers like a yelping dog who
sticks his tail between his legs and runs like the wind. Stage three training is
very helpful for determining how people will respond to unexpected violence!
It is the stage of training where you put it all together. Stage three training will
identify an individual's weak points, whether they be physical, mental or
psychological.
5. Special considerations:
To fully prepare one's self to deal with violence, you must not only address
techniques, drills and sparring, but you must also address those peculiar
situations where the formula changes a bit. For example, when you are forced
to confront violence, you will have no choice as to the time of day, the
location, the environment, whether or not weapons will be involved, how
many assailants will assault you, the range at which the altercation will start,
what kind of clothing you will be wearing or what kind of mood you will be
in. Each of these considerations makes the fight more complex. You must, and
I repeat MUST, address these considerations in your training. Otherwise, you
will be unprepared to deal with them when they rear their ugly heads!
My personal formula for efficient training that will lead to effectiveness in
fighting is this:
Techniques: learn, practice and master them
Drills: learn, practice and master them
Sparring: do it

Special considerations: address them as needed

END.