Post by Steven Barnes on Dec 9, 2003 14:56:47 GMT -5
On Saturday Morning the 6th, I drove to see Scott for our monthly work-out. Unfortunately, my head gasket blew out on my truck, and I was stranded for the weekend. Scott graciously moved our workout to Sunday, and I spent a stressful night cursing my luck, completely stressed out, but excited to have the opportunity to train the next day.
And was it ever worth it! We started in his home gym where Scott answered questions on the relationship between Warrior Wellness and Body-Flow. Then we went out on the grass, in the freezing drizzle, and began to work. Interesting how an adverse environmental condition can force you to both concentrate and relax. Dan Chamoya and Doug Szolek were both there—hadn’t seen Doug since February CST in Seattle. He was both bigger, stronger, and more…hmmm, how do I say it? More centered. More quietly confident. Dan is always a ball of energy and enthusiasm, and always a joy to work with. Scott had me watch as he worked various Soft Work drills with his guys, one-on-one, two-on-one (Aikidoists would eat their hearts out. The integration of striking into the randori-esque drill is superb), switching attacker-defender. Scott would have them concentrate on different aspects at different times, and then comment and have them try again.
I stayed out of the rain as best I could until it was my turn, at which time I joined the fun. I was too d**ned stiff, concentrating too much on techniques. When you concentrate on breathing, the techniques tend to form themselves. The intensity level was low enough that it was sheer energy drill, and any tension was clearly residual ego-stuff, wanting to “look good” or to “execute techniques”. Over and over, Scott reminded me to relax, kept giving me different things to concentrate on, and spoke to me of the mind’s tendency to see “snapshots” of reality, like a flashbulb going off in a dark room. Philosophy be d**ned, what we had was a muddy good time.
After a while we moved to the carport (out of the rain, thank God!), where we did two-on-one drills, which was where the fun really began. If I relaxed, took soft focus, somehow some of the things Scott was trying to convey suddenly made more sense. Along the way he introduced unbalancing strikes focused on the kinetic chains in our musculature, showing how you wanted to minimize the strikes, not necessarily avoid them completely. You WANT your opponent to think that he has hit you, luring him into over-commitment. This is whole-body broken rhythm Chi Sao, and honestly the most sophisticated martial arts drill I have ever seen in my life.
Over and over he encouraged me to match “time frames” with Dan and Doug, so that I wouldn’t have the illusion of skill while merely moving a little quicker. No. Only by moving at the same speed can I actually learn. We ramped it up by adding an emphasis on efficiency, finding the closest tool’s way to the closest target. This was incredible fun, and when Scott had me attack him, it was an experience to remember. It is one thing to watch him effortlessly dominate Dan and Doug, another thing entirely to feel the energy that makes it possible.
My best description is that he’s both utterly present, and not there at all. No matter what you do, he is out of the way, or moving so as to nullify 90% of your attack. If you’ve committed (and for the drill to work, you must), then your attack creates the counter-technique, devastatingly so. He went to the ground at one point, and using a chest movement from leg-threading, showed how you can lure your opponent into breaking his own balance (and fist!) and then position yourself for the kind of sacrifice throw that tomoanage-lovers dream of.
Time flew past, and two hours were over before I realized it. He warned me to take a hot bath, but I was so excited I didn’t even realize how much contact I’d made with the ground (my body definitely felt it the next day!)
A very very important point: Scott said that Warrior Wellness is at the center of his skill. Clubbells are, in many ways, a test and application of your joint mobility and proficiency in Performance breathing. Looking at the muscle mass he and Doug have put on using the clubs, it is obvious that it is possible to achieve any fitness result with these very, very simple tools. The joint mobility is also about neurological education, the ability to move just what needs to be moved at a given moment, leaving you in perfect position to retaliate against an over-extended, over-confident opponent. This lesson was pure gold, and I can’t wait for the next!
Steve Barnes, CST
And was it ever worth it! We started in his home gym where Scott answered questions on the relationship between Warrior Wellness and Body-Flow. Then we went out on the grass, in the freezing drizzle, and began to work. Interesting how an adverse environmental condition can force you to both concentrate and relax. Dan Chamoya and Doug Szolek were both there—hadn’t seen Doug since February CST in Seattle. He was both bigger, stronger, and more…hmmm, how do I say it? More centered. More quietly confident. Dan is always a ball of energy and enthusiasm, and always a joy to work with. Scott had me watch as he worked various Soft Work drills with his guys, one-on-one, two-on-one (Aikidoists would eat their hearts out. The integration of striking into the randori-esque drill is superb), switching attacker-defender. Scott would have them concentrate on different aspects at different times, and then comment and have them try again.
I stayed out of the rain as best I could until it was my turn, at which time I joined the fun. I was too d**ned stiff, concentrating too much on techniques. When you concentrate on breathing, the techniques tend to form themselves. The intensity level was low enough that it was sheer energy drill, and any tension was clearly residual ego-stuff, wanting to “look good” or to “execute techniques”. Over and over, Scott reminded me to relax, kept giving me different things to concentrate on, and spoke to me of the mind’s tendency to see “snapshots” of reality, like a flashbulb going off in a dark room. Philosophy be d**ned, what we had was a muddy good time.
After a while we moved to the carport (out of the rain, thank God!), where we did two-on-one drills, which was where the fun really began. If I relaxed, took soft focus, somehow some of the things Scott was trying to convey suddenly made more sense. Along the way he introduced unbalancing strikes focused on the kinetic chains in our musculature, showing how you wanted to minimize the strikes, not necessarily avoid them completely. You WANT your opponent to think that he has hit you, luring him into over-commitment. This is whole-body broken rhythm Chi Sao, and honestly the most sophisticated martial arts drill I have ever seen in my life.
Over and over he encouraged me to match “time frames” with Dan and Doug, so that I wouldn’t have the illusion of skill while merely moving a little quicker. No. Only by moving at the same speed can I actually learn. We ramped it up by adding an emphasis on efficiency, finding the closest tool’s way to the closest target. This was incredible fun, and when Scott had me attack him, it was an experience to remember. It is one thing to watch him effortlessly dominate Dan and Doug, another thing entirely to feel the energy that makes it possible.
My best description is that he’s both utterly present, and not there at all. No matter what you do, he is out of the way, or moving so as to nullify 90% of your attack. If you’ve committed (and for the drill to work, you must), then your attack creates the counter-technique, devastatingly so. He went to the ground at one point, and using a chest movement from leg-threading, showed how you can lure your opponent into breaking his own balance (and fist!) and then position yourself for the kind of sacrifice throw that tomoanage-lovers dream of.
Time flew past, and two hours were over before I realized it. He warned me to take a hot bath, but I was so excited I didn’t even realize how much contact I’d made with the ground (my body definitely felt it the next day!)
A very very important point: Scott said that Warrior Wellness is at the center of his skill. Clubbells are, in many ways, a test and application of your joint mobility and proficiency in Performance breathing. Looking at the muscle mass he and Doug have put on using the clubs, it is obvious that it is possible to achieve any fitness result with these very, very simple tools. The joint mobility is also about neurological education, the ability to move just what needs to be moved at a given moment, leaving you in perfect position to retaliate against an over-extended, over-confident opponent. This lesson was pure gold, and I can’t wait for the next!
Steve Barnes, CST
