Why Drills? - by Guro Geoffrey Green - Guest Contributor

Uncategorized May 11, 2020

Originally posted on March 3rd, 2016 by Geoffrey Green

"The way is in training. Do nothing which is of no value." - Musashi

PTK Core Combat Drills

1. METHOD 4 - Dakup Y Punyo

2. METHOD 5 - Fluid Five Attacks

3. METHOD 5 - Break In/Out

4. METHOD 7 - Sungkete

5. METHOD 12 - Sagang Labo, Labo Sagang sa Sera Sera

The Objective and the "Problem"

It is often said one will fight how one trains. Among the myriad of questions this raises in the mind of a serious practitioner, the most obvious seems to be this - "What should I train the most and why?" The why seems obvious at first. We know our objective, our objective is absolute victory in the most decisive manner appropriate for the situation. From the very beginning in our training, we are taught to regard the absolutes of range and timing in close quarter combat in our every tactic to achieve our objective. We train to "maximize (skill) to minimize (the need for luck) to achieve this fortune" (Denson). Absorbing in stasis, learning in fluidity, to validate in dynamics and train in dynamics there is to better approximate ones need for CONTROL in the CHAOS.

As we progress through the Doce Methodos, which are organized progressively by the manipulation of those absolutes of range and timing, we regard timing with ever more severity as we see how our opponent can be manipulated for our against our will. Succinctly, one understands that whoever correctly MOVES first will BE first - the victor.

Yes, but then on may ask why amidst this system where progressively the goal of training is OFFENSE has Tuhon Waid chosen a span of combat drills (with partners) to be emphasized, which even at the furthest progression in the Doce Methodos, still practice BEHIND TIMING TRAINING, even when, as is repeatedly stated that 90% of the fight will emphasize five attacks (Tirsia Corto/Largo based strategy and tactics).

There is an often overlooked element in such logic - although the element is itself in plain sight of that training method. That being all the efforts of preparation are consciously applied and this have the luxury of being PROACTIVE in nature. The dangerous implication being, that should our training limit itself toward a purely offensive posture, our arsenal will be limited when our absolutes shift against us and, by definition, in the FLOW of combat, they will. Our objective then is not how to always KEEP the initiative, but rather how to GAIN it back.

So How Does This Play Out?

In an optimal scenario, being proactive toward offense allows the greatest capacity to be ahead of timing. "Optimal" meaning free of the need to encounter threats by being reactive. This is, therefore, our objective on offense, to overwhelm the opponent that he not consider proactive action more than his self protection. Yet as this initiative shifts, my timing falls behind and I progress toward a more reactive posture and tactic. By being behind timing, my allowance for initiative is decreased. To wit - THE FURTHER I AM BEHIND THE MORE REFLEXIVELY CORRECT THESE MUST BE.

Revisiting our objective to gain the initiative, we see where these drills have such importance. Because when the absolutes shift against us, how are we to gain the offensive posture, if our CONSCIOUS WILL is overwhelmed with our own self protection. Therefore, our response has to be immediate and to access this response, the training MUST emphasize behind timing training. One step further, seeing as how these drills by nature of being DRILLS are themselves predictable in nature, that when a mistake is genuinely made by a training partner during these partner drills, or if practiced at an increasingly broken rhythm it is a great gift of opportunity in spontaneous reactivity to the opponent.

So Back to the Other 90 Percent of the Fight - Tirsia Corto/Largo

It has seemed an overriding emphasis in training to have us pursue and acknowledge "true corto". Regarding the conscious application of tactics, this rationale is evident, but regarding this understanding of flow, there is yet another facet.

From a LARGO perspective the visual field is expanded and the focus on the opponent allows for increased proactivity. The TARGETS are the focus and opponents NUANCES are the periphery. (Nuances which may either prove a threat or an opportunity, or an opportunity by baiting the threat.)

From a CORTO perspective with a decreased visual field, the threat proves more immediate, (the target previously established before the strike to reach this range completed) thereby, the NUANCES are the focus TARGETS are in the periphery. This shift of immediacy triggers the more reflexive attributes, and these either prove desperate or if sufficiently trained, a proactive capacity for action. And necessarily proactive, these must be as the opponent may not respond as the attackers training estimates (thereby avoidance of mutual destruction).

The Understanding: System vs. Structure / Fatal Practice

"In the beginners mind there are many options in the experts mind there are few." - Balzac

Our teacher has stated that this system is finite, but its applications, when one considers the possibilities of range and timing are infinite. This piece has spoken of the progressive nature of our training method. And it is acknowledge that as the proficiency of the student grows, the system hones itself in its objective. The structure is therefore a diamond itself. The understanding of PTK as a system transcends the acknowledgement of its universal applications among weapons categories, it also transcends it being finite in structure and design. Yet the understanding of flow is that design and therefore proper training cannot be achieved by conscious will alone. For those that try to remove select pieces of that design and call it THE system...it seems they are searching for their mastery by focusing on what they see as the most advantageous pieces. (Tip of the diamond training perhaps).

Long before I was honored to be a Junior Guro, I could clearly see their error in considering this as mastery, for without regarding the diamond "diamond" their TIP of the diamond does not, CANNOT exist. A healthy BELIEF IN SUCCESS is not to be considered oblivious to the danger of failure. And therefore may further risk fatal result.

So, considering now versus later, while I am in constant touch within this pursuit of mastery, the shape of its structure continues to reveal itself. Yet my curiosity remains whether I will progressively perceive its texture differently because of either the force of my contact, the progressive sensitivity of touch, or the allotment to savor the intention with each encounter.