Food for thought. If you remain in the thought-realm of “if he does this, I do that,” you are not yet trained enough. The basics, the techniques are all representations of “theories.” These theories give birth to variations and a multitude of understanding. The multitude comes from your creative force within and adapts, assimilates in split seconds — and then suddenly, there is something you do, from your depth of training, that is created from your “within” that defends you. As long as ones mind remains in “this technique or that”, you are captive of the technique and not set free. It isn’t through captivity that you defend; it is through freedom. Move beyond the technique and study its theory, its energetics (chi), and variations. Its theory is what protects you, nothing else. Follow the principle, the expansion, not the technique and its contraction.
This freedom comes from thousands of hours of training (and of course, some incidental practical experience, “wink”) through a type of dedication few would understand (although, I know that most of you do here, that is clear). It isn’t staying up to date that matters; it is having the ability to create from the palate of learning you have developed over the years; freedom, spontaneity, assimilation, adaptation, creativity, are all keywords for true self defense. “Technique” is the least of the words and yet must come first to escort the rest of the fighting aesthetics in.
However, honestly, there is no reason to think about it. Just train, and then train more. My instructor always taught that if you take care of your techniques, they will take care of you. I believe him. There is no “modern.” There is no “antiquated”. There is only training. And what comes out of you can be no better than what goes in. So, train with a great instructor; trust your system; put in a lot of time and effort; work fighting skills and ideas with a partner (slowly): and then, don’t worry and don’t think about it. Your technique will take care of you just as you have taken care of it.
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