Doubt

[sensei8]

Have you ever doubted with anything within the MA? I know I have many, many times.

Doubting oneself is the beginning of discovering. The MA isn't for everyone, and in that, if the MA was so easy, then everyone would be doing it, well, doing it effectively.

Why do I stand this way? Why do I punch this way? Why do I kick this way? Why can't I get it right? What is wrong with me? Everyone else seems to have no difficulties...except me!! Why is this kata so hard for me? Why is my sparring ineffective? Why? Why? Why?

This internal battle is fought day in and day out. The most advanced MAist has had doubts before, even today!! Why? We're human, and in that, we will doubt ourself from tme to time for whatever the reason(s) might or might not be. No matter where the doubt has come from, it's still there for us to dwell over and over.

If you haven't doubted, you probably haven't thought very hard about what you believe!!

I open the floor for your thoughts.

[bushido_man96]

I've had doubts, but more often than not it has been in regards to my abilities more than anything else. There are things I see from time to time that I wonder, "why that way?" Now, though, I feel I have the tools to go digging and finding out "why?"

[inventor]

To search for something, means you haven't found it.

[KyungYet]

Interestingly, I've only ever doubted people (myself, certain instructors). I've never doubted the art itself or its techniques. It is what it is, and I accept it for its strengths and weaknesses. One's training is pure - it's the one thing that will never lie to you, let you down, or fail you. ... I wish I could say the same for humans!

[CredoTe]

Absolutely... Each new path in a practitioner's journey begins with that searching, that questioning, that doubt. For me, it's much like a cycle; about every 5 years or so, I realize that I knew nothing 5 years ago. These cyclical realizations lead me down new or parallel paths on my journey, and always brings new meaning to "a beginner's mind".

[tallgeese]

Doubt is such an important part of individual growth as an artist and it's never given the respect it deserves in martial development.

It can take a lot of useful forms, many of which have been touched on. Doubt in self or attributes can push us to perfect technique or physical attributes to be helpful in combat.

Doubt in tactics and effectiveness has probably been the greatest contributor in the modern era of martial arts for growth. This has led to development and testing of things as never before. This is where doubt speaks to me the most. Theory isn't enough, I need verifiable evidence. Either my own or reliable sources to say "I've been there and done this, it works." This applies both the methods of training tactics and the tactics themselves.

For instance, for years in the arts I came out of, the introduction to gun defenses were to evade and parry then gain control of a threatening weapon. It makes sense, solid theory, but the data on effectiveness is hard to come by. It's a similar tactic used in LE work for this type of thing. But it happens so rarely that even the DOJ can't statistically say if this tactic taught to cops works well.

Bummer, I hate teaching theory without evidence. Now; however, we have newer methods of stress inoculation and we can run tests like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i39tDn5jMI8

This was recent testing a partner of mine and I did, I won't bore you wiht excessive video from several angles. It is utilizing the first part of weapon disarming tactics used in a lot of systems. Pivot, parry and control. We ran this drill multiple times each with Simunitions weapons and had good results. Now I can confidently say that this tactic will work.

Doubt led to testing. Testing led to evidence. Evidence can now support training. We ran this with a handful of other tactics as well with results that were less effective. This lets us decide where to spend time training and lets us cull out the tactics that aren't doing what we wanted them to do. Win, win.

It's finding we plan on sharing with the rest of the LE community. But we would have never gotten there without doubt. We've taken things on faith for so long that it just becomes the way things are done. That's unacceptable for ANY art that is concerned with self defense or combat.

The doubt in the "why" is just as important and really is the idea that leads to the doubt in tactics. "Why" must make sense. If it doesn't, then we have to find an answer.

sensei8, great topic. And a great discussion thread for an under-utilized aspect of the arts.

[sensei8]

Great posts thus far, and I thank you, please keep them coming.

It's one thing to doubt oneself, but, it's another thing to give into ones doubt(s) because nothing can be possibly learned from it. Let that doubt feed into something much more positive in ones MA betterment because doubt begets determination to break that temporary feeling.

I doubt...I doubt...I doubt...NO...NO...NO...NO...NO...OUT WITH THE DOUBT...OUT WITH THE DOUBT!! Believe in oneself that all things are possible with those who wholeheartedly believe.

On the floor; work through the doubt until there is no doubt that one can do what was once felt to be impossible. The MA can bring that doubt, but it's the MAist that will break away from any doubt. What is hard to do now, is not what will be hard to do in the future if one strives for success and the like.

Doubt...Why do we doubt to begin with. WHY? The summation of 'why', is to the summation of 'because'!! We just do!! It can be hard to except at its onslaught at first, but, with determination of ones realizing exceptional possibilities, that said doubt is conquered, but, only until a new doubt is birthed by our own MA trial and tribulations.

Whenever my students are showing the signs of doubting, I simply remind them that it's a temporary feeling that will pass, but not if one succumbs to it totally, but instead, they must work through it to defeat it.

Welcome to being a MAist! I wouldn't have it any other way.

[bushido_man96]

Alex, that was a great post. I will never look at doubt the same way again.