Why do we train slow when fights are fast?

Training is very much like running. First of all you have to learn to walk before you go any faster.

Through working against slow attacks we gain an opportunity to see and feel what both our own and our partner’s bodies are doing and how they interact with each other. To gain as much as we can from the experience there are some simple rules to play by.

1/ If attacking do not carry out any unnatural changes in direction or speed of your attacks. If you cannot make those changes at full speed they have no place in this training drill.

2/ Attacks have to be committed. When people really try to hit you at full speed they will follow through with the movement to a degree even if you avoid the attack. The better the timing shown during the escape the more follow through there will be. I know there are people out there that train to hit no further than their reach allows. I was one of them. Despite this I have nearly lost my balance when fighting a person who ducked out of the way at the last moment.

3/ When attacked match the speed of your movement to the speed of the attack. If you accelerate to your top speed when your training partner punches slowly, what are you going to do if he punches at you full speed?

Now you are ready to explore this area of work. You can try working against any kind of attack. I like to start with kicks because of two reasons. First the attacker has already surrendered his balance when he stood on one leg and secondly because legs are heavy and have a lot of momentum. These two properties will amplify any work you carry out so long as you get it right.

When working against kicks or any other strikes first become comfortable with moving and escaping. This should be done with your feet as if you were walking through a busy bar. You don’t hop and jump around in the local pub or stand in funny stances to get out of the way of people and it should be no different in a fight.

Escape the attacks of your partner as you move calmly around them. Concentrate on you form and moving to a position that protects you. If you find yourself bobbing and weaving with your head and body the chances are you have not moved your feet far enough.