Difference between Technique and Practice
As young at heart and ambitious karate-ka, we are always searching for the next and perhaps better technique to add to our arsenal. Not that we have anything against the current techniques that we already are working on. It is always fun to learn something new and it is always fun to see other people and hear what they have to say about something that we are so passionate about.
Keep in mind that is always important to have an open mind and to learn about new and better techniques. The reality is that refining the current techniques is the ultimate form of practice. It may not be as glamorous, but, realistically, they tried and true front kick will always be more useful than a self-defense situation than a jumping spinning wheel kit. This is especially true to any new techniques or kata or kumite.
Practicing what you already know, and stressing those practices is the best way of understanding how the technique you have can work but more importantly discovering where your weaknesses are. The true irony is that the newest kata that a student is working on is not the most important kata to practice. The most important kata to practice is the one that the practitioner is already well-versed. Continuous practice and reimagine practice of the same techniques is the best way that a practitioner will learn about himself or herself and about capabilities of what you’re able to do.
Ironically, this should not be a surprise to anybody the current way, the rank and training sequence already established well before our generation works is indicative of this mentality. While teaching philosophies always and should evolve, the mentality of a student working a technique out over and over again is the best way of self discovery. This is the reason why for so many years Sanchin was the only thing practice by the practitioners for several years before a student moved on to the next sequence.
However, I think it would be important for us to realize that that might be a misinterpretation of history there. It is very doubtful that all the practitioners practiced Sanchin exclusively. Yes this was the main practice at that time, but the numerous levels of drills and chores for all the practitioners in the extremely Buddhist environment was where the real training was.
This principle is captured very well in the movie karate kid, which is pretty absent of any other major martial arts practice but this principal was very well explained. Normal, every day practices done a little differently is what made Daniel is stronger as he was not because of the fancy karate looking stuff not the uniform but simply painting a fence could be done in a way that was productive for the fence but also was productive for the practitioner to make the practitioner stronger
In the Dojo practicing and reimagining current curriculum is essential for a students growth. Now, doing a whole class of brown belts and only working on kata may be a little challenging on the motivation department so it is always a good idea to mix things up. However, a group of brown belts will do a lot better in their own growth with drilling Kanshiwa over and over again then they will Seisan any day of the week.
This is not to say don’t look forward to and don’t practice the new material. The only way we’re going to get the new material ingrained in us enough so that we truly study is to start practicing. But, the true learning is from the drills that we already know, and can fully utilize. Additionally, running a class with kumities and katas that are well known to the student, the instructors teachers have the options of doing things that will stress the students out where at where the students will be able to understand what they need to work on.