Improved Technique

[Menjo]

Just recently I was caught with a mild flu which built up over a few days.

During my delirium I was training at home when I was sick for shorter than the regular time of training. When I got to a clinic in town held by Master Okazaki himself, I was barely able to walk. Foolishly, I still went to the clinic and I was barely able to make the proper techniques and by the end I thought I was dead. The next day and since then, my skill in Shotokan has increased greatly beyond I thought was possible for myself in such a short time and everything I do is twice as good in comparison to prior the illness.

I had also humbly asked other Karateka if they noticed a difference in my training, for better or for worse. It may have just been politnes, however I was told my technique has improved greatly...

Odd enough as it is, perhaps this is a common thing most MA know about?

I'm curious to know if anyone else has had a experiance similar to this...

[red dawn]

hmm....that sounds odd. Almost like spiderman. haha. I've never heard anything like that before. I know that after I have been sick I usually feel like a million bucks so I start training again harder then before, which I notice more improvement with myself. I also have to get used to my normal skill level again because of how poorly I do my techniques when i'm sick. Perhaps it's a mixture of the both? But maybe i'm wrong.

And also, a second thought. Maybe your skill just improved. You know sometimes you try to do something (and you've done it a million times) and then one day out of the blue, you can do it perfectly.

Other than that. You might just have an amazing immune system.

Or it just be a common MA thing and I'm outta the loop too.

[younwhadoug]

i had an injured hamstring for a while and was grounded from kicking for a while, i still trained but my technique through the healing proccess seemed to go downhill. but after my leg got better, i could kick better technique had improved, power and speed had improved.

i think it is because we worry so much about out training and tech, so much and then having to train slower that without reallizing we get better. its like being able to perfect something slow then do it quickly and its awesome. if that makes sense

[hurricane]

Menjo,

I think that sometimes when you slow down you do your technique more conscious. And if you were as sick as it sounds, you were probably slowing down a LOT! Another thing that comes to my mind is the fact that whenever you try and push through feeling tired and weak in your regular training (meaning: when you are healthy but are just having a really tough class) this is when your body learns how to do the technique automatically, without so much thinking. This is when you improve. So I think that there are two components coming into play here: slowing down and increased muscle memory. I experienced the same thing once in a kyu exam, I was really sick with fever and aching body but I was able to perform well and (although I thought I was dying) passed the test.

[jaymac]

Menjo, maybe the fever and pain and everything you have been through has given you a moment of clarity! Glad you are feeling better!

[ki master]

nope but congrats

[granmasterchen]

I agree with jaymac's idea. Some times through situations where you may experience some mental stress or be delusional you can have moments of enlightenment which can forever change your outlook on life or even your martial arts training. It happened to me once when i got seriously injured and wasn't able to work out much at all. Contemplating the injury gave way to a mental understanding of how to focus more power and make better technique to compensate for lack of hard work out routines due to my disability.