Commit! Commit! Commit! part deux

"If I do "x" they can do "y" "If I do this, they can do that!" I hear that a lot in my travels as a martial artist. My experience has led me to know that these types of statements are usually made by people who are afraid of contact. I dont mean a healthy fear either. Healthy fear is good, and usually the sign of at least average intelligence. I mean crippling fear. I dont mean physically crippling, but mentally. There are some people, whose martial arts travels will be cut short by the fact that they are afraid to be hit. As a matter of fact, I read an article about "The fear of contact" decades ago in Black Belt magazine. That is what is prompting me to write this blog.

Now, for just about everything that I can think of, there is a counter. Not just a counter, but an effective one. Let me give you some popular examples. If someone throws a lead hand hook, they are open to a cross. If someone throws a leg kick, you can step in and throw a cross again. if someone leads with a cross, a lead hook to the body is calling out to you. Now I could do this all day, but there is no need.

My point of this is to say that you HAVE to commit to your techniques. If you are hesitating with your techniques, the counters become EASIER. If you think about what they can do to you if you attack, you are in a world of trouble. Like I said, it can make you hesitate, which is extremely dangerous. You have to practice to the point that you have FAITH in your techniques. Against a skilled opponent in the ring or outside it, you may have to attack with all that you have. The "One strike, one kill" philosophy came from this mentality. Hard training is what will give you the faith that you need in your technique. That is just anothe reason that I cannot over-stress the concept of hard training. If you HAVE to fight, make sure that the person pays for making you stoop to that level.

Learn to commit in training folks. Not only will it help you with self defense, it will help you in all of your life endeavors. Remember, life can be a beautiful thing. Commit to all that you do. That is all for today kids, I have some serious taco making to do.