Had an interesting question recently on underlying structures of martial arts that on the surface was simple, but after I snapped off a quick answer I got to thinking about it more in depth and was reminded of a quote that I have hung on the wall of my office.

"What passes for optimism is most often the effect of an intellectual error." Raymond Aron

We're preparing here in Houston to get back on the mat.  Our electric provider, having been roundly and loudly castigated in the press and in the state capital for having done a p----poor job of maintaining the power grids and resulting in almost a million people still being out of power and in some cases water and sewer for two weeks now after the hurricane came and went is finally getting their s---- together.  The dojo has lights (finally, yeah, go team).

So, aside from being antsy about getting back on the mat, I've been ruminating on what to teach and stress as being important, once the classes actually restart this week; thus the quote from Mr. Aron.

All too many times in martial arts, students and teachers both, simply go thru' the motions and believe that they are reproducing that MA that is most effective and most advanced when what they are actually doing is nothing more than .....  going thru' the motions and not paying attention to what is most important.

Randori aka freestyle is of course attractive as it illustrates the highest levels of expertise if, IF AND ONLY IF, it is done correctly.  How many times have we as Sensei had a new Shodan or Nidan (or kyu class level player for that matter) come to us and want to "go full speed" and "do it for real"???

How do we as Sensei, especially someone at my grade as a Hanshi (exemplar) address this?

I quite some time ago chose to address it by example (hanshi = exemplar = he who gives the example) by training as a beginner.  If working in a high level class (with our Aiki Budo Waza Study Group which is restricted only to grades of Yondan and higher) I'll work a little quicker, a little snappier, BUT I'll still work with precise fundamental exactitude by following every principle in the system and will never allow myself to get sloppy.

At my grade I have become good enough to where I can do it wrong and still make it play even against my 5th and 6th dan students.  But if I do so (play sloppy because I can) then I set a bad example that others will begin to unconsciously emulate and will also de-program myself so that given enough time my overall ability will actually decrease.

Feeling good about what we can do and then feeling so good about it that we allow the "good time" and "good feeling" to create an overriding optimism in us and in our actions is not necessarily bad UNLESS we allow that optimism to allow an "intellectual error" as Aron puts it; that error being a failure to observe the fundamental principles in everything that we say or do.

Optimism is only deserved after doing the work correctly and following the line of principle and fundamentals exactly.  Optimism without having first following the base tenets is undeserved and may lead to the intellectual error of believing that we are improving our core competencies when all we are actually doing is engaging in an exotic form of mental masturbation. Go to class, do the work, and do it correctly each and every time you tie on the hakama.

Originally Published September 24, 2008