How to Do Martial Arts Timing Drills

 Martial Arts Timing Drills

When it comes to Martial Arts Timing Drills you’ve got to remember that time is a liquid that can be manipulated at will. At first glance, it seems like a ‘fixed’ ruler, unable to be moved. The truth, however, is that a little martial arts training can bend this ruler at will.

shaolin butterfly

Time him...then hit him!

The first step in this sequences is to see/think/react. The beginner perceives a threat looming, thinks about it, finally reacts. This would be the block and counter stage of your martial arts training.

The second step in this sequence is to see/react. The student silly practices until he doesn’t have to think about a technique, and he goes from seeing a threat to reacting to it. A student’s speed is drastically improving at this stage of timing, and he is usually able to block and counter with the same hand.

The third step in this sequence is to merely react. Becoming more polished, becoming more aware, the student doesn’t even need to see a threat to react, he finds he has a sixth sense when a threat is coming and whirls to meet it. This is a simultaneous block and counter stage in his training.

The fourth step in this sequence is to simply act. A student becomes aware of a threat developing and moves before it can result in a raised fist or launched foot. Simply, the person has eliminated re-, which is to move because of something else, and is moving in the moment.

Moving in the moment is what the Japanese called Mushin no shin, mind of no mind, which can also be stated as time of no time. When a person achieves this stage he is not going to react because of  a threat, but is a master of the world, able to see things before they happen, and act accordingly. This is a stage of vast and evolving choice.

The universe is measured by time, but time is also a perception. Thus, if you train your perceptions, train yourself to be aware, then you can train yourself to handle the world. This is just one of the many blessings that can result when one learns the corret method of how to do martial arts timing drills.

free martial art book

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *