A tip I once heard--for golfers--is to go to the driving range and practice hitting balls without wearing spiked golf shoes. Seems like nothing, right?
The idea is to be aware of balance. When a golfer swings too hard without spikes, his/her feet will spin, and the shot will be off the mark. The result of the drill is to maintain a slower, smoother swing, with more balance and precision.
I like to think about this as it relates to self defense training. Usually, all of us do repetitive kicks, strikes, kata, on a flat, consistent surface. This is good when learning and honing form, but rarely are circumstances outside the dojo so perfect.
So, try the golf exercise. Go out onto the lawn and try all your kicks. It is very easy to see how a roundhouse could leave you spinning onto your butt. Try it when the grass is damp. It's even harder.
The result, just as the golf drill, will be a better awareness of balance and tempo.
Good idea!
ReplyDeleteIn 1995, we converted an abandonded bar/restaurant to the house/dojo. We were very fortunate to have Master Odo visit. (I am still upset that we do not have any pictures!) He looked out the back door of the dojo to the yard. Master Odo pointed and told us to train outside.
Excellent points. One reason that the average bouncer is a good marital artist is that he or she trains to be effective when the environment is uncooperative. Train outside wearing restrictive clothing, train inside wearing house slippers or high heels. If you practice a weapons art then try the same thing with an umbrella or a ruler.
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