The Art of Standing (or Sitting) There
Martial artists tend to be uniquely attune to the foibles of their body. I, for example, have a finnicky lower back. If I'm not careful with my stretching and prep, I can pull it pretty easily. This isn't a new problem, just a little piece of my genetic code that didn't get it quite right.
This particular propensity toward back strain has made me acutely aware of an all too common problem in myself and others - posture neglect.
First let's talk about me (whooooo), then let's talk about you.
These days most of my work takes place on the computer. I do my writing for this blog online (clearly), and I work predominantly for online companies. That has resulted in a lot of sitting. In previous jobs during college and such I often had elements of manual labor that kept my body up and moving about. Not so much anymore.
A few months ago my sitting started to effect my training; even though I did proper stretching and warmups before class I was still experiencing back pain. I realized in short order that it wasn't from any kicking drills or kata, but from how I operated through most of my day.
I pulled my instructor aside and had him run through my day with me mentally. I knew he had some back troubles in the past so I figured he would be able to help me spot common problems and work out solutions. One of the major mistakes I was making was slouching like the man in the picture above. Not only did my body have a natural desire to sink down into that 'relaxed' posture, but I also had a chair that leaned back too easily. I was experiencing constant, mild strain on my lower back all day.
My instructor offered up some suggestions, which I'd like to pass on in case they might be helpful to you:
1. Get a better chair. If you're sitting for long periods of time, there is no reason to tolerate a chair that promotes bad habits.
2. Use ice or heat if your back starts to act up.
3. Lie flat on your bed with your legs hanging off. This will create a slight pulling and straightening sensation.
I made all of these changes immediately, but didn't stop there.
Esther Gokhale - Posture Expert
Regular readers of this site will notice that I link into the authors@google series frequently. I think it's a great resource wherein some really sharp people share their experiences and knowledge.
Esther Gokhale was one of the visitors to Google and, as it turns out, has been studying posture for quite some time. She even authored a book entitled 8 Steps to A Pain Free Back. Gokhale mixes western science with eastern yogic theory and has come up with a great system. Check out her speech here:
Gokhale provides immediately applicable ways of improving posture. I use her method of seated posture correction everyday. My body still tends to want to slouch, so I need to make routine corrections. It's an ongoing effort.
One of Gokhale's big theories is proper stacking. Consider this image:
During normal slouching postures, the spine and weight distribution is out of sync. This is a tricky problem because it doesn't provide immediate negative feedback, like touching a hot stove. Instead it builds pressure over time and slowly wears away at the cartilage between the spinal discs. Although I've focused on sitting, these same principles apply to standing, especially for individuals who have a job that requires being up all day.
How This Applies To Your Martial Arts
The obvious way posture applies to your martial arts practice is good health. One of the biggest career killers is physical ailment. We have to try our best to stave off these injuries, and one way to do that is to be mindful of posture. The spine is a fickle thing, and if you don't take care of it you will run into trouble.
Posture isn't just a means of standing though; it's also a way to convey your personal sense of presence and power.
In his book "Living The Martial Way", Forrest Morgan dedicates a few pages to the concept of 'developing a commanding posture'. He explains:
"Some say the eyes are windows to the soul. This may be true, but posture is most assuredly the reflection of one's spirit. It tells a story, more eloquently than words ever could, of your strength, your resolve, and your confidence. Posture is an essential element of warrior bearing."
In the dojo, especially if you are assuming a teaching role, it is critical to adopt the mantle of authority. Posture provides a subtle, subconscious hint to everyone in the room that you are worth listening to. A tall stance and keen look can go a long way in capturing the attention of students.
On the student side, proper posture indicates a willingness to commit to excellence. Slouching is a sign of inattentiveness and lack of resolve. Standing up straight suggests focus, which is the currency of the dojo.
Practicing good posture will also assist in natural body movement. The more you practice, the more you'll realize the subtleties of body weight shifting. If you have to recenter your body every time you wish to move, you'll be at an immediate timing disadvantage.
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My goal is to be able to continue practicing martial arts deep into old age. If I abuse my body now, I'll never have that chance. I personally need to take posture very seriously. Perhaps you can take a moment today and figure out if you need improvement, and use some of the information above to start on a modestly paced track for positive change.
Changes
Follow please, the point is at the end:
David Bowie. Changes. 1973.
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David Bowie. Changes. 1990.
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David Bowie. Changes. 2002.
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David Bowie is a brilliant artist. He grows and changes with his art as he develops as a human being.
It would be easy for him to play this song the same way every time he is in concert. People would love him for it and he'd get paid. But instead he chooses to keep inventing and exploring. Sometimes it turns out better, sometimes worse.
Bowie's persistence for originality keeps him engaged in his art. It's not that he dramatically alters the structure of the song, turning it into something unrecognizable. Instead he plays with the intangible things like tempo, timing, rhythm, etc. It's also why after over 35 years he still seems excited to perform, and why he still captivates audiences.
Can you grow with your art? Do you have the courage, persistence, and brilliance to keep exploring?
10,000 Hours to Mastery…For Martial Artists
Malcolm Gladwell wrote a book called "Outliers: The story of Success", and in it he suggests that people require roughly 10,000 hours of practice to achieve mastery in anything.
I wonder if that applies to martial arts as well?
Check out Gladwell's short, 4 minute explanation on his theory:
Basically Gladwell suggests that in society there are certain outliers, or those people/places/things that exist on the fringes of the norm. One notable outlier concept is that of the 'true expert', or a person that has achieved supernormal success in a particular field. To become an outlier Gladwell's study shows that you need 10,000 hours of practice.
The Math
10,000 hours sounds like a lot, and it is. Let's put it into perspective with an example.
If you train on average 8 hours a week for 52 weeks, you'll achieve 416 hours a year.
If you keep up that pace consistently you'll reach the 10,000 hour mark after about 25 years.
That's a lot of years. Gladwell calculates that most dedicated musicians and artists practice their craft for about 3 hours a day. At that pace it would take about 10 years to hit the mark of mastery.
To calculate your own pace, figure out how many hours a week you train. Think 'on average' to balance out your heavy weeks with the weeks you go on vacation, etc (and remember you're only lying to yourself ; ). Multiply that number by 52. Now divide 10,000 by your number and you'll get your rough yearly estimate.
Implications for Martial Artists
For the sake of study, let's accept the 10,000 hour rule and analyze how it effects our training. We all have to weigh our growth and expectations in contrast to our week-to-week training. 2-3 nights a week at 2 hours at a pop is going to lead us toward the 25 year long haul as opposed to the (seemingly) short 10 year stint.
But, I also think we should feel encouraged. There are very few activities that inspire as much dedication and long-term commitment as martial arts. If you play in a slow pitch softball league no one really cares about how often you practice. If you want to pwn noobs in World of Warcraft you are on your own (with perhaps a little harassment from your guild). In martial arts you have an entire support network to encourage and help you.
Another more internal factor is illustrated by Gladwell during one of his speeches. He states that in a recent study scientists tried to figure out why Asian students generally do better in mathematics then western students. They checked genetics and biology but nothing significant could be found. What was truly telling was the result of one particular experiment.
In the experiment, students from both backgrounds were given very difficult mathematic equations, very much beyond what they were accustomed to. The western students gave up and moved on after 1-2 minutes. The Asian students had to be stopped after the 15 minute mark and told to move on.
Patience, persistence, perseverance - these are the qualities the Asian students had instilled in them, and are also the most important factors in determining a person's success in the martial arts.
I'm sure you can see where I'm going here - traditional martial art training builds the human qualities that are paramount to success.
Wait A Minute! I See Holes In Your Plot!
Am I suggesting that if a person trapses into the dojo for 10,000 hours they are guaranteed success in both martial arts and life??
No. In fact, I think that would be far far from the truth.
Consider this - people generally work 8 hours a day at their job 5 days a week. That would make them masters within 5 years.How many people do you know that are masters at their job? How many people do you know that are even competent at their job after 5 years? Conversely, how many total idiots do you know who don't belong anywhere near their job?
There's a lot more to it than hours.
Smart Practice is as Paramount as Lots of Practice
If a musician plays "Smoke on the Water" all day every day, he's never going to become Jimmy Page. If a martial artist spars everyday, he'll never become Funakoshi Gichin. The reason why is because there is such a thing as smart practice.
What we become is a direct result of what we aspire to be. The 10,000 hours in question isn't just about rote repetition. It also encompasses the research we do and the constant effort to improve our learning.
Let me put it another way. In real life or via youtube - have you ever watched a martial artist who has claimed 40+ years of experience, but turns out to be terribly unimpressive and unnatural? The reason why is because most of that person's 40 years has probably been spent in TALKING about how great he/she is rather than practicing. They also very likely trained themselves into a box during their first 5 years and just sold that same package over and over again without any substantial branching out, diving inward, and improving.
This concept of smart training also differentiates what I consider expertise over mastery. I've met many expert martial artists, but very few masters. I personally think the 10,000 hours can deliver expertise, but it takes something more to achieve mastery.
One Bottom Line - Effort over Genius
Some martial artists are naturals who can make things look frustratingly easy. However, according to Gladwell, more often than not outliers combine modest innate talent with luck and extreme amounts of work.
If you aren't Bruce Lee by nature, don't panic. You can be an expert too if you really want it.
