KerwinBenson.com Hidden Gems of Martial Arts

Range Considerations Prohibited

After practicing the hands in pocket exercise, I found that I was limiting myself to a few techniques. In other words, I found a few strategies that worked, and so I relied on them to the exclusion of other techniques.

I found that I would kick low, kick higher (waist level), and shoulder/arm shove.

Which technique I used depended on how close the attacker was to me. It became a question of the range defining the technique.

Fine and dandy, but I wanted something more out of the exercise than just range considerations.

So, to modify the exercise, I decided to eliminate the shove. (Keep in mind, this was a self-imposed limitation.)

Next, I knew that I had to get rid of the range consideration, to make this exercise even harder.

So, I had my partner attack at a range where I could either kick low or kick at a medium height.

It seemed that I was creating a situation where I was contrasting these two types of kicks.

I needed to develop a 'reason why.'

Why would I choose one kick over the other, if it weren't a question of range?

Choose Your Two Responses

One subscriber to Martial Arts Mastery wrote in and said that I "spoon feed" the exercises too much. He likes that I make everyone think with many of my articles, but when it comes to teaching exercises, I describe in too much detail. He wants to learn how to develop his own exercises.

So, to end this article, let me put it to you...

First of all, what two responses will you contrast in this pocket-fighting scenario?

And, if you are prohibited from considering range -- it's my exercise; I make the rules ;-) -- what criterion (or criteria) will you use to decide which technique to employ?

Good luck,

       Keith