Good Technique does not equal Good Application

[bushido_man96]

How to recognize the window of when to use it - how to apply it - takes some demonstration and paired playing around with. The openings for the technique have to be explicitly laid out and taught; what an opportunity to use the sweep looks like, where the person being swept will go to, these are things that really involve giving each other openings noncompetitively and being swept in paired exercises where you can mutually explore how the technique works and examine the dynamics of the technique in isolation.

I agree that learning the application in paired drill work is what leads to finding its use in sparring or self-defense application.

Only after working out the structure and non-competitive experimentation are you going to be able to really recognize when you can apply it, and if you're in the circle with someone who wants to 'win', those opportunities will be fresh in their mind and they'll go out of their way to deny you the opportunities to practice it.

It may be tougher to apply when sparring, but if you have practiced the application in a more "live" manner, then when those opportunities do open up, one should be ready to apply them. But just practicing good technique, without the integrated pair work of drilling, and then sparring, won't get us there in the most efficient and constructive manner.

[bushido_man96]

Given that the different styles (of karate for example) often promote specific emphasis / approach as to how to move within varying techniques found in their Basics, Kata and Pair work etc., has anyone got any views on how is the correct way to move during kumite according to the approach their style promotes?

We do our basics going down the floor and back, and some of the movements are done going backwards. Both of these kinds of movements will show up in the forms and one-steps. Most of our kicking motions are done advancing forward, and TKD does tend to work on doing higher kicks. This is mainly based on ability, though.

Forms are usually foward moving, although turns are involved. There aren't a lot of retreating motions in the forms, so I would tend to make most of the applications advancing in manner.

In many of our one-steps, moving forward to intercept an attack is one of the primary modes of initial defense. Jam the attack, and attack the center line in many cases. But, we do have some that move backwards, and off the line and backwards or off the line and forwards from attacks.

Sparring tends to be a bit different, as it is based on restricted targeting and some level of contact; body displacement in most cases. However, when drilling for sparring, the importance of such strategies as moving off the centerline, cutting an angle and attacking can be utilized; it is the application training of these skills that is necessary to help develop them.

[ninjanurse]

Drills build skills....and confidence. Free sparring is a yardstick by which to measure your progress and give immediate feed back as to which drills you need to revisit...ouch!