Back to basics

Don't forget the fundamentals - get back to training the basics every now and again.

Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.

If you have been training for a while then your training schedule probably involves more advanced techniques so make sure you always go back to train the basics!

It's shocking how many people make errors in simple combinations like a jab, jab, cross hook. It's a pretty simple combination but involves keeping your chin down, keeping correct balance and posture, timing, un telegraphed mechanics to name just a few.

Get back to basics and think about

Footwork

Is your footwork light, quick and efficient? Do you move in and out of punches with free flowing and 100% balanced movement?

Hands up

Lazy training causes lazy hands. Lazy hands drop. Ensure your hands are always up, when you throw a punch, retract a punch and are just 'standing' - this could well be the biggest mistake ever made in fighting history.

Chin down

Do a bit of shadow boxing or hit the focus pads or bags - are you still keeping your chin down just like you used to? ;-).

Balance and posture

Move forwards and backwards throwing combinations, are you in complete control of your bodyweight and balance at all times? You used to be, didn't you?

Mouth closed

How many times do you find yourself training without having your mouth closed and breathing through your nose? BIG mistake. You won't be wearing a gum shield when your out in the street.

Keep an open mind

"Your leg kick is wrong, this is the way you should do it!"

Nothing annoys me more than senior martial artists insisting on sharing their unwanted advice using statements like that above.The one big problem in martial arts is that - the more people learn about how good 'their' art or style is - the more they ignore other arts and styles, or even worse look down on them.

There is no perfect style and you can learn and add many amazing techniques from many styles out there - don't be a fool and get caught up in the martial art styles war..keep an open mind just like you used to.

Conclusion

This article isn't all that serious - it's just a reminder that the basic fundamentals of martial arts are the most important. It doesn't matter if you can do a spinning 820 degree back kick, or if you can break 10 bricks with one punch if your hands aren't up, chin isn't down and your footwork is sloppy.