Bumps & bruises
Intimately involved in the fight or flight response, the psoas can curl you
into a protective foetal ball or flex you to prepare the powerful back and leg
muscles to spring into action.
Because the psoas is so intimately involved in such basic physical and emotional
reactions, a chronically tightened psoas continually signals your body that
you're in danger, eventually exhausting the adrenal glands and depleting the
immune system.
As you learn to approach the world without this chronic tension, psoas awareness
can open the door to a more sensitive attunement to your body's inner signals
about safety and danger, and to a greater sense of inner peace.
(Liz Koch)
Roughed-up
One feature of the self defence syllabus is the fact that you do get roughed up
(in a playful way) with some degree of regularity.
Although this is unsettling at first, you come to realise that it is important
and necessary.
Bumps, bruises and the occasional stiff joint are the inevitable outcome of
vigorous partner work.
Pampered
Most of us are pretty soft.
We are pampered, comfortable and lazy.
In order to condition our bodies to assault, we must get used to being hit,
thrown to the floor and generally dragged around.
Injury
To date, no one has ever been injured.
Sprains and stiffness are often the outcome of neglected qigong practice at
home.
If you do not train the strength-building exercises, then your strength will not
improve.
The exercises are taught for a reason.
Roughed-up
The good news is that the beatings become less uncomfortable as you progress.
Partly because your body is stronger, but also because the more experienced
students are gentler and more skilled.
Often a student causes their own discomfort because they are tense.
Inexperienced students
Inexperienced students do tend to be rough and clumsy.
This is a good reminder for you, since you are also inexperienced.
How soft are you?
How gentle?
How considerate?
Are you forcing?
Do you have control?
Are you using your body or brute force?
Is sensitivity a concern?
What is your emotional condition?
Is your mind on what you are doing?
Real life
Most people falter in the street because the shock of being roughed-up totally
unnerves them.
They literally 'go to pieces' and freeze.
This is no good at all because it prevents you from acting in your own defence.
When assaulted, you will be startled and surprised.
But you should be capable of recovering your wits immediately.
Aggression
One response to being roughed-up is to become aggressive.
This is not the answer.
Aggression is a sign of emotion.
It indicates that you are upset and are compensating by using anger and force.
Clearly this is not tai chi.
Mollycoddle
When someone is roughed-up in class, do not make a fuss.
It is not a big deal.
Apologise if you were too rough. Make sure they are ok. But then move on.
It is not an incident. It does not require a lengthy discussion or
finger-pointing/blame.
Do not take it personally or make plans to 'get them back'.
Superfluous apologies are also unnecessary, and ultimately border on the
ingenuine.
Get on with the training.
A taste of your own medicine?
Beginners are often quite happy to dole out pain but not so happy to be on the
receiving end of it.
Unfortunately, this attitude is not yin/yang.
There must be balance.
If you strike someone and throw them to the floor, you need to be willing to
take that same treatment yourself.
Sifu has quietly endured bumps, bruises, sprains and injuries since 1975. You
must do the same.
It is part of being a martial artist.
If you want to give, you must also be prepared to receive.
Seasoned
A seasoned martial artist does not fear being hit.
They accept it as part of the training.
Inexperienced students flinch away from being hit or refuse to play the attacker
earnestly.
This indicates fear.
Sincerity requires commitment.
If you are not willing to face your fears, they will overwhelm you.
Being hit or thrown to the floor will never feel nice. It is not supposed to
feel good.
However, when it is all said and done all you will suffer is a few bumps and
bruises.
And all that worry, anxiety and doubt will only have served to hold you back and
slow down your progress.
Page created 5 August 1999