In their process of growth and development, a martial artist should be constantly researching and experimenting to learn the most effective and efficient ways of dealing with opponents. An integral investigative tool in their research is the solvent analysis of physical techniques and actions.
How does one go about analyzing techniques? A working knowledge and understanding of biomechanical principles can help inform your decisions when it comes to evaluating and validating the effectiveness and efficiency of techniques and actions. It will allow you to view techniques from a scientific vantage point and analyze the technique from an understanding of way the human body moves with regards to such things as body alignment, balance, speed, power coordination, etc., to discover good points and possible flaws or weaknesses in them.
Analysis of a technique or action involves detailed examination of the elements or structure of a technique and the way it’s done. You take a technique, break it down into its component parts so that its organizational structure can be understood, and discern the answers to questions such as:
- What are the strengths of this technique?
- What are the weaknesses?
- At what range is the technique most effective?
- At what range is it least effective?
- What is the best way to maintain the most effective range to use the technique?
- If it’s a close-range technique, then what is the best way to bridge the gap?
- Is it best used as an entry, a follow-up, or a finishing technique?
- How might environment (terrain, etc.) affect this technique?
- What is the best way to counter this technique?
- What’s the best way to avoid a counter when using this technique?
- Where does distance and timing fit in with this technique?
As you’re analyzing you can pose in-depth questions to yourself such as:
· Does it accomplish what it is intended to?
· Does it have a good delivery system?
· Is it economical?
· Does it have good footwork?
· Am I well-covered while doing it?
· Can it be delivered with speed, power, accuracy, etc.?
· Does it bring me back to the safety of my on-guard position or does it leave me
vulnerable to attack afterward?
· Can I use it under pressure?
· What is it about this technique or action that makes it worth absorbing it into my
personal structure?
· How can I adapt this technique to fit me?
Analyzing techniques in the manner described above offers a martial artist the potential to, if they deem a technique to be worthwhile and useful, synthesize it into something effective for themselves and absorb it into their personal martial art structure.
Skill of analyzing techniques relates to good judgment, understanding, and insight; having what we refer to the “educated eye” and the “discerning mind.” How does one develop these skills? The answer is through time, effort, training, and experience.
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