So you want  to be called a Master or Grand Master in the martial arts??!  Wisdom and knowledge come with this “claim to fame!”

So tell me – what do you know about proprioception? Do you know your nociceptors from your chemoreceptors? And what about  the electromagnetic receptors, thermoreceptors, and the all important mechanoreceptors?

In this deaf-leading-the-blind world that we live in, nothing is a surprise anymore. Forty seven years of martial arts training and teaching has shown me that big time.

I hear you! You’re asking, “Hey big shot old man. Tell me something that I can wrap my brain around that will improve my fighting.”

I’ll take that question card. Let’s go to school.

The legs, in fighting, do two things. They create a post to hold the body weight and they act as drivers to move the body weight. The most important and  dominate is the rear leg. It is the major contributor to both front hand and rear hand punching. It is responsible  for forward movement in attack, and also acts as the base leg in kicking. When over balanced by a pressing attack, it can be driven over it’s retreating, posted position and result in a loss of balance!

So…? If a good fighter keeps track of his own rear leg, and reads the rear leg of his opponents, he will always have the advantage if he uses his fighting positioning strategies to eliminate his opponent’s strength positions.

Bam! Of course, that concept that has to be coupled with an understanding of the shoulder/elbow relationships and the body’’s triangulation that occurs just before the trigger is pulled  for an attack – but that’s a lesson for  another day.

School’s out – wrap your brain around that for a while.

Hope I was able  to help?

Humility be thy goal,
Master Blair

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