206 - Mailbox: Focus of solo training
What should a newer student focus on?
UW:
“I have found while practicing on my B.O.B dummy what feels most quick and comfortable is instead of a hooking punch a sort of backhanded chop…. Any thoughts on this as something to focus on at home…”
Jeth:
Firstly, for others reading this it’s important to understand that this question is referring to a series of workshops on bareknuckle punching and I will answer with this fact in mind but also more generally.
UW - thanks for the question. As a newer trainee, it’s really good to play with different options and explore what is possible in terms of delivering strikes (or indeed any other idea) from whatever context you are focusing on at that time.
If someone trains with a group, there will (hopefully) be certain areas of focus. If someone trains alone (without a group) , again there should be subjects that they are looking at in terms of specific ideas to work through in order to develop.
I guess that someone is free to spend solo training time in any way that they wish. In my own, I tend to try and spend the bulk of my time practicing my basic (“go - to”) skills. That means the tactics I feel I can dependably action in order to defend myself - these skills are reviewed and have changed as I’ve aged.
In your case I would advise you to reinforce the punches you are currently learning in workshops and make that your main practice subject. That way you are not cluttering the mind with parts of ideas that may or may not contain small errors.
Set aside a smaller portion of your time to experiment after the main session is finished and make notes on what you learn about any new idea (here a backhand strike) that you’ve been trying out.
Repeat practice of a specific skill enables you to start noticing nuances within it that will deepen your understanding and ability to perform that skill.
This repetition is reinforcing good quality movement and will bring confidence that you can actually deliver this if needed in crisis.
A great piece of advice that I’ve found useful over the years has been:
“When you become lost, go back to basics”.
Take a basic idea and drill it until you own it.
This is discipline and will really set you apart from many others.
Fully noted on all accounts! I usually focus on lace and push and finding the right spots to punch at home and recently have been training my left arm more than my right (as suggested a few months ago) I will now also incorporate that ‘table tennis ball’ style slap to the jaw/neck/clavicle as it feels quick and efficient.
I am in absolute agreement that it’s best to focus on the very basics which is what I do when I become lost musically in my work… reduce things down to their core elements and rebuild upwards from there.
Thank you this was a very helpful article.
I would love it if you could incorporate a simple take-away suggestion of what to practise at home for the week between classes - having a focus will I'm sure stop my intention to practise what I learnt from falling so far down my to-do list!