Water Strategies vs Dry Ideas

[Alan Armstrong]

A wise man once said "Dry ideas are no ideas at all".

Water strategy:

Constantly reacting-moving and changing-appropriately around all obstacle or defences with full body-cooperation, all the while draining your opponent's energy, leading them into deeper water.

Attacking the opposition with a torrent of kicks while raining down punches.

Water needs to keep moving to stay fresh otherwise it will stagnate; a little gentle strategic wisdom from the Tai Chi community.

Water can be very deep yet very calm on the surface.

As we are made up of mostly water and is necessary for our survival, it is an important factor to be able to make sure we maintain it and understand it to the fullest.

Balance in martial arts is a very important element, for obvious reasons that falling down would probably accrue every time we use a technique or hit by one.

A water level used by builders are constantly used to keep their work on the straight and level.

As water seems to constantly want to do two things, seeks to keep moving and stay balanced.

As martial artists, moving and staying balanced are also important factors to become better acquainted to, with constant practice.

The nature of water is to take the longest route possible from the mountains to the ocean, which is why natural rivers are never straight as they are winding around the environment, filling up in cavities along the way

This nature of water could imply to take the longest route, is to not expect to take short cuts but to practice; as natural rivers are never straight, as to expect things to deviate but carry on; and filling up in cavities could be understood as build up your knowledge as deep as possible.

The strategy of wearing down the opponent like water smashing against rocks, is a metaphor frequently used.

Are you watering your martial art strategies to the fullest, how are you doing that?

(As martial arts today for some seems to be watered down)

Maybe you have some water insights that are helping you on your martial art journey, regarding swimming, fishing, or sailing perhaps?

As Bruce Lee considered katas to be similar to swimming on dry land, why would he say that?

Could it be that for you, water and martial arts doesn't mix, why is that?

Edited January 6, 2018 by Alan Armstrong

[LLLEARNER]

A wise man once said "Dry ideas are no ideas at all".

As Bruce Lee considered katas to be similar to swimming on dry land, why would he say that?

I think it would be due to what we see today. Bruce Lee probably saw it in his day as well. Too many schools teach it as a separate thing from kumite. They get locked in on the simplest bunkai if any at all and not use it as a tool to derive more complex lessons.

[Alan Armstrong]

A wise man once said "Dry ideas are no ideas at all".

As Bruce Lee considered katas to be similar to swimming on dry land, why would he say that?

I think it would be due to what we see today. Bruce Lee probably saw it in his day as well. Too many schools teach it as a separate thing from kumite. They get locked in on the simplest bunkai if any at all and not use it as a tool to derive more complex lessons.

Could in be that katas, can take away the spontaneity and the being in the now element with a live opponent, as all opponents will be different in a multitude of different way, including circumstances?

[LLLEARNER]

A wise man once said "Dry ideas are no ideas at all".

The nature of water is to take the longest route possible from the mountains to the ocean, which is why natural rivers are never straight as they are winding around the environment, filling up in cavities along the way

This nature of water could imply to take the longest route, is to not expect to take short cuts but to practice; as natural rivers are never straight, as to expect things to deviate but carry on; and filling up in cavities could be understood as build up your knowledge as deep as possible.

The strategy of wearing down the opponent like water smashing against rocks, is a metaphor frequently used.

Are you watering your martial art strategies to the fullest, how are you doing that?

(As martial arts today for some seems to be watered down)

Maybe you have some water insights that are helping you on your martial art journey, regarding swimming, fish or sailing perhaps?

I would have to respectfully disagree.

Water does not seek the longest route. It seeks the easiest its nature is capable of. Water cannot climb until sufficient volume is present. It seeks the path of least resistance, changing direction as the environment dictates.

Water cannot break through stone until sufficient time and movement occur. Even then a flowing river may bring weapons (flotsam and temperature) to help.

Once sufficient volume, time, and movement occur the easiest route changes so water seeking an easier route changes direction.

While I may differ in my view of water I do agree that practice/study is necessary.

Practice/study is the easiest way to increase performance. Once sufficient practice/study have built up, the easiest route may alter (different training exercises), but the destination stays the same.

[Alan Armstrong]

A wise man once said "Dry ideas are no ideas at all".

The nature of water is to take the longest route possible from the mountains to the ocean, which is why natural rivers are never straight as they are winding around the environment, filling up in cavities along the way

This nature of water could imply to take the longest route, is to not expect to take short cuts but to practice; as natural rivers are never straight, as to expect things to deviate but carry on; and filling up in cavities could be understood as build up your knowledge as deep as possible.

The strategy of wearing down the opponent like water smashing against rocks, is a metaphor frequently used.

Are you watering your martial art strategies to the fullest, how are you doing that?

(As martial arts today for some seems to be watered down)

Maybe you have some water insights that are helping you on your martial art journey, regarding swimming, fish or sailing perhaps?

I would have to respectfully disagree.

Water does not seek the longest route. It seeks the easiest its nature is capable of. Water cannot climb until sufficient volume is present. It seeks the path of least resistance, changing direction as the environment dictates.

Water cannot break through stone until sufficient time and movement occur. Even then a flowing river may bring weapons (flotsam and temperature) to help.

Once sufficient volume, time, and movement occur the easiest route changes so water seeking an easier route changes direction.

While I may differ in my view of water I do agree that practice/study is necessary.

Practice/study is the easiest way to increase performance. Once sufficient practice/study have built up, the easiest route may alter (different training exercises), but the destination stays the same.

Water like everything else is confined to the laws of nature, it doesn't work like a pipeline from the mountains to the ocean.

Water follows the path of no resistance.

Water can break through different types of stone, this is how caverns have been formed.

Water cannot flow anywhere if bottled up tight.

Water is also effected by the gravitational force of the moon.

There are alway contributing factors upon water, yet the nature of water stays the same.

When water meets water there are under currents that allow them to flow together; we could view this as "water sparring" or a friendly "water fight".

[sensei8]

Speaking about Bruce Lee...

"Running water never grows stale. So you just have to 'keep on flowing.'"

 

And of course, then there's this well known classic...

“Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.

 

Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”