Different Students, Different Styles

I’m very grateful that I’ve had the chance to train at the main dojo or “honbu” these past 2 years. It’s allowed me to see that while there are sometimes small differences, overall students around the world train martial arts in a similar way. One point that has particularly caught my attention is the fact that while we all practice the same art, each one of us does it a different way. It seems that the longer that a student trains, the more differences I see in their own style, which is in my humble opinion, the way it should be. We are all different with different backgrounds, body types, etc. What I try to look for the the underlying principles. Hypothetically while it may look different, the same underlying principle should be guiding their movement. I still have a lot to learn, but for the moment this has caught my focus. Some of the students who have trained longer than me focus on turning and waist movement. Others on softness, and others on solidity. I really enjoy seeing all these different perspectives and hopefully someday I’ll be good enough to understand everything that’s going on. As for now, it is still confusing to work with one person one week, and another the next week and get completely different explanations. Should I just turn my waist/body to break the structure? Is it a step to the 45 degree to break the structure? Of course both of these questions lead me back to the principle: Break the structure. Demolish it. Kuzushi. 崩し。

We all start out with a basic pattern. A basic idea. I, like many students before me expected a definite answer. If this attack comes then I’ll do this! As if attacks happened in perfect coordination with the set defense that I learn. I’m trying to break free of my rigid mindset, but it’s difficult. I had the same mindset when I trained Kenpo karate. I thought that by learning thousands of defense patterns that when attacked I would be able to pull one of them off. What I failed to understand was that the defenses were trying to give me tools to work with. Tools that I failed to master. Because of this I was always very frustrated with sparring practice. It really bothered me that I could not make any of the cool defenses I learned work during a live sparring situation. Most of it was me getting hit and wanting the session to be over. Even when I got better at sparring, it never was anything like the devastating defenses I had learned. After 10 years I gave up on Kenpo. I wasn’t getting anywhere, stuck in a rut. What I understand now is that I had focused only on the chained movements and not the structure and purpose behind them. I learned to crawl, maybe even walk but never got to running. I was a black belt but lacked any understanding of basic structure and movements!

Thankfully, years later I found teachers willing to be patient with me and explain the basics to me. It’s a long way to the top of the mountain, but I’m enjoying the journey. I’m sure I’ll reach the top someday, but I’m in no rush.