Revelations

[Scott_LIFE180]

Please allow me a few lines to set up the true topic of this post.

At the school I go to I am part of the leadership team. What that means is that I and my fellow team member are in a psudo-teaching positions. Our knowledge is limited to orange belt techniques and forms, but because our school is a Christian outreach program, not just a pure MA school, and we are both Bible college students the exception is made and we are given a bit higher status and responcibilites than others in our school. (At current we are the highest belt level students at our school, it has only been open for about 6 months)

Now, that being said and with me confessing my limited and inferrior knowledge our Instructer (who just got his 2nd degree BB this past week ) told us to start doing our Star Block set, backwards.

Now I'm no dummy, and I'm pretty good at seeing how things in Kenpo flow from one move to another, but I will admit that the idea of doing the SBS backwards never occoured to me! It blew my mind. I was talking with our instructer later that week and told him about it. It was like a whole new world of possibilites had opened up and I had just gotten a glimpse into it! Then he told me to think about doing it with one hand going forward and the other hand going backwards and I had to try it right then. (We were sitting in his car at the time)

So, now to the true topic of this post. What revelations have you had that just totally blew your mind and opened up a whole new MA world to you?

[tori]

Bunkai of kata. Once I really started to break kata down and find the various applications of the technique, I was truly remotivated in my training.

[tallgeese]

Suprisingly, when I realized that motions from the mawashi-uke movements in kata were training trapping and parrying. Yeah, we're going back a ways here.

Once realizining that I was already doing said motions in two man training, I started leaning away from kata as a training tool, prefering the two man apprach as to avoid not knowing what I was practicing.

Still, it was a revelation moment to me.

[Kuma]

Bunkai of kata. Once I really started to break kata down and find the various applications of the technique, I was truly remotivated in my training.

Same. I also learned how invaluable Sanchin kata really is for every karateka.

[JoiH]

My turning point was when I discovered complex hip action and how it relates to not only power but to each and every move. Once I figured out the body dynamics of hip rotation and vibration it opened up a whole new world for my Shotokan.

[Killer Miller]

My turning point was when I said, "I am a Karate Junkie. I am addicted to Karate. I will sleep, dream, and apply karate to everything I do, regardless of how embarrassing it may be - in public, in the bathroom, when I'm walking down halls, in the grocery store, in my car when driving the 405 freeway; but never to my German Shepherd or Family. Osu...!"

- Killer -

[akedm]

I always wondered what it would be like to a student to do a kata backwards. I'm glad I wasnt the only one considering this.

"You better know it forward and backward". Well well.

Great thread!

[Wa-No-Michi]

Luckily I continue to have many "epiphanal" moments in karate, but doing Kata back to front, inside out and mirror image etc., has never been one them.

There is enough to learn in kata when it is done in the correct direction imo and quite frankly i feel that trying to do kata backward, is a waste of your valuable time that could be better spent drilling down into other aspects (application, correct form, correct movement and purpose etc.).

Instructors who "pad out" their lessons with this type of stuff, give me the impression that they lack an in depth understanding of the kata itself.

That said I don't teach Children these days (can you tell why!!) and these sort of games can be useful when trying to keep children engaged.

WNM

[Killer Miller]

I love teaching children. They have a clear mind, no habits, no egos, treat you with respect and look up to you, you can mold them into what ever you want properly - it's a great thing to see progress...

Adults - why is he having us do that, why do I need to stand that way, why do I put my arm this way, why, why, why? This is "why" it takes many adults so long to learn, because they always ask "why" instead of doing and learning...

- Killer -

[The BB of C]

Please allow me a few lines to set up the true topic of this post.

At the school I go to I am part of the leadership team. What that means is that I and my fellow team member are in a psudo-teaching positions. Our knowledge is limited to orange belt techniques and forms, but because our school is a Christian outreach program, not just a pure MA school, and we are both Bible college students the exception is made and we are given a bit higher status and responcibilites than others in our school. (At current we are the highest belt level students at our school, it has only been open for about 6 months)

Now, that being said and with me confessing my limited and inferrior knowledge our Instructer (who just got his 2nd degree BB this past week ) told us to start doing our Star Block set, backwards.

Now I'm no dummy, and I'm pretty good at seeing how things in Kenpo flow from one move to another, but I will admit that the idea of doing the SBS backwards never occoured to me! It blew my mind. I was talking with our instructer later that week and told him about it. It was like a whole new world of possibilites had opened up and I had just gotten a glimpse into it! Then he told me to think about doing it with one hand going forward and the other hand going backwards and I had to try it right then. (We were sitting in his car at the time)

So, now to the true topic of this post. What revelations have you had that just totally blew your mind and opened up a whole new MA world to you?

I know what that's like.

I'll never forget the time I went to a Tae Kwon Do class and they were teaching the tornado kick. Because of my Kuk Sool Won background I was like "I SO got this!" and then they wanted me to do it low. And I was like "What?! Tornado kicks can go to the BODY?!"