The Canopy of Martial Arts Techniques: A Parable on Expertise
Reimagining How We Think About "Beginner," "Basic," "Expert," and "Advanced."
Imagine that your martial arts approach is like the tent that provides shelter during a storm. This tent represents your skill and proficiency in the martial arts, with each tent pole representing your techniques and concepts. At the heart are your core techniques and concepts, forming the central support structure.
In a well-constructed tent, all the poles are closely clustered together, holding up the canopy. Similarly, your primary techniques and principles are tightly interwoven, forming a solid foundation that upholds your martial arts system. Techniques, like poles, like people, are stronger together.
Now, picture this tent expanding outward. If you add new tent poles too far from the central support structure, the canopy sags and collapses. If the central support structure is weak, regardless of the number of new poles, the canopy will sag and collapse under a mild storm. This is similar to adding new techniques without a strong foundation or adding ones that are too distant and incongruous from the preexisting. New techniques should reinforce the existing framework, not cause it to wane. Applying new techniques you can't support with the preexisting is not a strength but a liability.
Instead of distinguishing between the basic and advanced, consider techniques and concepts as central and peripheral. Likewise, there is no beginner or expert martial artist but, instead, one that is developing and one that is deeper into their development. Both developing and deep martial artists should avoid being out of their depth.
What we usually call "the basics" is the center of the canopy—the heart of your martial arts. What we typically call "advanced" are techniques and concepts that are distant from the center. These peripheral movements and concepts require additional support from the preexisting support structure but expand the overall breadth of your martial arts canopy. The ideal martial arts tent should be circular to maximize the number of connections; be cautious of peripheral techniques that change the shape of your framework. Building a tent is not simply about adding but integrating, where poles are combined to make a greater whole.
Foster a systematic approach to martial arts. Don't rush into the peripheral without first strengthening their foundation. Do not learn the rules to break them, but instead expand their definitions. Just as tent poles hold up the canopy, patiently integrate new skills, ensuring each one is supported by the preexisting structure.
The strength of a martial arts approach lies in the harmony of central and peripheral techniques and in the ability to build a resilient shelter that can withstand any storm.
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