Kettlebells and Martial Arts where is the connection??
Over the last 2 years I have been converted to the Kettlebell cult lead by Pavel Tsatsouline (www.dragondoor.com). If you have read my posts you know my obsession in finding training methods that are efficient and easy to duplicate. If you have not go back and read previous blog posts to get up to speed on my thoughts on training methods and their importance in not only training but teaching as well.
Pavel’s book Enter the Kettlebell is probably one of the most read books in my house along with The Tao of Jeet Kune Do. The thing that struck me immediately is that Pavel’s whole philosophy revolves around safe training methods and easy to understand training protocols.
The first training method is the Russian Kettlebell Challenge (RKC) minimum. The RKC minimum is as Pavel calls it simple and sinister. It consists of 2 Kettlebell movements and a lot of practice. It’s not exciting but man does it kick your butt!!! The two movements are the Swing and the Turkish Get-Up. Pavel refers to the Swing as a Ballistic movement and the Get-Up a Slow Grind.
Ok so I hear you asking what is the point of this post??And how do the above apply to Martial Arts training? Well for the most part your entire stand up game is comprised of ballistic movements and the slow grind of stalking your opponent down. Your clinch game is really slow grinds in getting position mixed with ballistic movements such as striking or throws/takedowns. On the ground it is all about the slow grind of obtaining dominate position and securing, escaping positions is for the most part also a slow grind mixed with some ballistic movements. Your ballistic movements are very often exploding into a submission or striking after the slow grind of getting the proper postion.
Again the Swing is not as sexy as the Windmill and the Get-Up is not as exciting as Kettlebell juggling just as the slow grind of rounds of Muay Thai or isolating a hip throw or a takedown. Here is the really fricking cool part, if proper time is spent on building your foundation with either the Kettlebell or Martial Arts training these two principles and training methods will build you simple yet sinister skill sets that your peers will be amazed at.
So in closing remember simple training methods that stress building a solid foundation, attention to the details and lots of quality will take you to new heights in your skill level.
As Sijo Bruce said “In JKD, one does not accumulate but eliminate. It is not daily increase but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity.”
Happy Headbutting,
Shawn
