When Kenpo fails

[nelson]

Dear Kenpo brothers and sisters:

Have you ever been in the position fighting full contact where you have given your opponent you biggest "Sunday punch" or maybe two and he has shook his head and came back at you?

I'm a big fella and I can hit pretty hard yet the day I realized that I was not invincible was quite a wakeup call. Has anyone else experiences a similiar circumstance?

How long did it take for your ego to heal? Did it ever? Did you make any changes in your fighting style afterwards.

[pete]

this is exactly why we meditate in traditional martial arts, to remain in the present tense, here-and-now. that punch you just threw is gone and you'll never have that moment back. deal with the current situation, and work through the environment and target availability now present.

most people can't, because they haven't been taught, to integrate their meditation into their sparring.

pete

[ronin6]

When I was younger I got in a fight with a kid in school and he was known as a heavy hitter. I remember that both of us hit each other with everything that we had. We both just tried to play it off but we knew it hurt like an m.f. After that day we became friends and are still to this day. The lesson we both learned was humiliaty. That no matter what, in the back of your head never underestimate an opponent becasue that would be the most cardinal of mistakes.

[nelson]

Dear Ronin6:

What a great answer my friend! Humility is exactly what the experience taught me. It also taught me that there were folks out there that could take my best punch and still keep standing. When I first hit him with a head shot the sound echoed through the gym. I could not believe he was still standing up and my confidence went out the window temporarily.

After that sparring experience my opponent didn't show up for a couple of weeks. I was glad as I didn't want to go back in the ring with him right away!

[amylong]

Yeah, there was one time when I was fighting this big guy. He was a much more experienced fighter than me. We traded punches and, wow, I took more than a few, but I kept coming back at him.

It seemed that no matter what I threw, he just kept coming until finally, I wore him down.

Oh, wait, that wasn't me. That was Rocky II. Sorry.

--Amy

[ronin6]

Yeah, there was one time when I was fighting this big guy. He was a much more experienced fighter than me. We traded punches and, wow, I took more than a few, but I kept coming back at him.

It seemed that no matter what I threw, he just kept coming until finally, I wore him down.

Oh, wait, that wasn't me. That was Rocky II. Sorry.

--Amy

Your too funny...

[Celtic_Crippler]

Dear Kenpo brothers and sisters:

Have you ever been in the position fighting full contact where you have given your opponent you biggest "Sunday punch" or maybe two and he has shook his head and came back at you?

I'm a big fella and I can hit pretty hard yet the day I realized that I was not invincible was quite a wakeup call. Has anyone else experiences a similiar circumstance?

How long did it take for your ego to heal? Did it ever? Did you make any changes in your fighting style afterwards.

I've "gassed out" but that was not "Kenpo", that was me not being in as good a shape as I should be. In my experience, any time I've applied the appropriate weapon to the appropriate target I've gotten the desired result.

[nelson]

Dear Crippler:

Keep on with your practice in the arts and someday you will meet that "special" someone who will take what you dish out. You may not loose the match but you'll sure know you've been in a fight!

[SifuDangeRuss]

Nelson~san...

Indeed. I have been on both sides of this issue.

Side 1 - The Receiver
I was fighting at my very best in a local tournement. I had gone through about 4 fights and no one had even scored on me. I was feelin' "invincible". I started showboatin'..(those who know me will not find this difficult to believe)...smilin' and jokin' with the judges and audience....I was up 4 to Zip....and next thing I know....I am sittin' on the edge of a ring watching someone else fight. "What the HECK?" I looked down and noticed my sweat-coaked gloves and about the time I started really seeing my surroundings, I noticed one of my blackbelts sitting beside me brandishing a ludicrous number of fingers and asking me if I knew how many he was holding up? "Yeah...about 137...now gimme a break and tell me where I am? " I knew I was at a tournement, but beyond that ? I had no clue as to where I was? About the time I started putting things together...I was asked if I was alright to fight again...(as my opponent had been DQ'd for turnin' off my lights so effectively) I shrugged, said sure and stepped back into the ring...I remember bowing in to the judges....and then there was a huge space...and I called "Time out!" and asked what was going on? I was told that I was once again ahead 3-zero...so decided I should just go back to sleep, as I seemed to be doin' okay. I ended up finally losing the last fight for Grand Champion and found myself phasing in and out of reality and consciousnees for a few days...leading to EEGs and catscans. Not so fun.

I realize this is not exactly what you asked, but it was my wake-up call that I, myself wasn't invincible. It really didn't matter how much faster I was...or how many more techniques I had in my arsenal...if I wasn't payin' attention...I too, could get KTFO'D Yes, more than the physical damage, was the blow to my overinflated self image. Does it heal? *...ear to ear smug grin..* You bet'cha. The trick is to learn from this experience. I'd like to think I did. I endeavor now to remain "present" with my opponent, especially when he's deliverin' roundhouse kicks to my brainbucket.

[SifuDangeRuss]

Tis always better to Give than Receive....especially when it comes to Butt-kickins!

Side 2 - The other side of the coin

I teach out of a small hole in the wall in the Pacific Northwest. I have maintained the same location since 1977. At one point, I was commuting via an hour ferry ride and about 45 minutes of driving to get from my Bill-paying job to my passion..(class). Sometimes this worked better than others.

One evening, we were blessed with a visiting blackbelt. No disrespect to visitors intended, I still tend to focus my time and attention towards my paying students. Throughout class, Mr Vistor, kept his arms crossed and a general, Robert Conrad-Battery-on-my-shoulder stance and just kind of scowled at what we were doing. After class proper, I stepped over to make nice-nice with the visitor. He curled his lip and proceeded to inform me, that he was training for the "Grand Nationals" and was looking for some sparring partners to tune him up. Sensing he wasn't overly impressed with what he'd seen...I suggested he try a couple of the larger more commercial schools in town. I assumed I'd seen the last of Mr Visitor.

A couple of weeks later, I got delayed writing a big sale and knew I wasn't going to make my 'ferry connection' to get to class. So I called and asked one of my senior students to run class for me. Well, the sale finished up faster than anticipated, I hit the freeway....and was surprised to find it uncharicteristically uncrowded. I decided to head to the ferry anyway. As it was, I managed to catch the next ferry, and decided to pop in unnanounced and surprise my students. When I arrived, I got there in time to see Mr Visitor, pummelling one of my senior students remorselessly. I quickly changed and stepped out, did a 30 second stretch, as I watched him beat the tar out of yet another student. I declared myself officially warm and ready and tagged my student out. Now I'm not a big guy, by anyone's stretch of the imagination. I hafta load up my pockets with rolls of quarters to activate the automatic doors at the supermarket. Mr Visitor was on the Heavy end of the Heavyweight Scale. We bowed and began circling. I shot in and through a very fast combo, and just 'touched' him about 4 times and danced out of retaliation range. He stopped, shook his head and said....."I know you're not very big, but I was hopin' you'd hit a little harder. I AM training for the Grand Nationals and was looking for someone to push me a bit." I smiled and nodded in understanding. I told him to let me know when he was ready. He nodded. I slid in with a lead leg roundhouse kick and thumped him in the jaw. He piorroutted nicely and dropped to the floor twitching. My students thought he was acting. I didn't. I moved quickly to him and lifted his head....his eyelids opened and his eyes rolled around like icons on a slot machine before coming to a halt. He jumped up, indignant and wanted to know what was going on? He declared remembering fighting...then there was this fan...goin' round and round....(We have a ceiling fan right above where he lay). I asked him if he was, Okay? He nodded. To which I then asked..."Well...was THAT hard enough?" He laughed and nodded and shortly left. Again, I assumed I had probably seen the last of Mr Visitor.

I was wrong. A few weeks later, at a tournement, I was beckoned over by his instructor, whom I'd known for about 10 years. He said, "I hear you had a run-in with one of my students?" I played dumb and shrugged. I wasn't going to add insult to injury to his student's already bruised ego. However, apparently I understimated his character. He had gone straight to his teacher and explain what happened. His teacher asked him what he learned? He replied. 3 things. 1.That I'm not invincible. Everyone can get knocked out. 2. Never underestimate a little guy. and 3. Keep your eyes on them Kenpo guys, they're sneaky SOBS!


All of this made me smile, but not for the obvious reasons, but because I remembered learnign that same lesson myself, once upon a time. After that, Mr Visitor become a very good friend to my school and my students. As I worked in high-end retail, I typically had to work weekends and as such missed many tournements. He acted as coach and advocate for my students thereafter. On occaisions where I was able to attend, he often went out of his way to ask to fight on our team, or for me to fight on his school's team. After the initial chip was removed, a grand friendship blossemed.

Again, I know your initial thread was regarding hitting someone with everything you had and havin' them shake it off and come back at'cha, but there is a tie in here. We are those Sneaky Kenpo SOBs. We learn to win through attrition. We don't put all of our eggs in 'One Punch Kill baskets'. Patience and percerverance often hold the keys to ultimate victory over any opponent. It's not always how HARD you can hit, but knowing where and when to hit....and when it is best to 'crossout' and analyze the situation further. Confidence comes with experience. Egos and bodies usually mend.

[hemi]

SifuDangeRuss—

Awesome story, funny how some people come around after getting spanked.

Oh BTW never did get to say Howdy on the meet and greet thread

[Martin Seck]

Messed with the wrong kid when I was growing up. The next thing I know I was in a headlock and he dropped his whole weight to the ground ... I went with him!

Last time I did that. Big lesson learned that day!

Funny thing is I had been training for a few years already and before I knew it he put it on me.

[nelson]

Great Stories Kenpo brothers amd sisters.

It seems we aLL have taken a ride on the Everlast Express!

[Celtic_Crippler]

Dear Crippler:

Keep on with your practice in the arts and someday you will meet that "special" someone who will take what you dish out. You may not loose the match but you'll sure know you've been in a fight!

Been there. For instance we have a student/assistant instructor that is akin to a grizzly. His nickname is "Bonecracker." Just ask Gimp. He's 'bout 6'4 and 300lbs. I love using him as an example in demonstations that anyone can execute Kenpo effectively regardless of physical strenght if they apply proper body mechanics. Scary thing is he loves it too!!!!

[Celtic_Crippler]

...now don't get me wrong. I'm not saying I've never had my "butt" handed to me. But it was because of my own shortcomings or mistakes...not due to the art "failing" in some way. It's usually the individual that fails, not Kenpo.

[nelson]

Dear Crippler:

I see now where you're coming from. You're right it's not the art the fails us it is our own shortcomings in the practice of it.

My point in starting this thread was to see how other fighters react to a temporary loss of self confidence when your best shot isn't good enough.
I think more character development happens iwhen you lose a fight than when you win one.

Hopefully our losses occur in the ring and not the street where the consequences are much greater.

[Celtic_Crippler]

Agreed! But a loss is only truely a "loss" if you learned nothing from it. Besides, it's good to have one's "ego" deflated every now and then.

[bagheera47]

Great story Sifu DangeRuss, thank you for sharing.