“Do or do not. There is no try.” -Yoda, Star Wars
“Stop trying to hit me and hit me!” -Morpheus, The Matrix

In many classic and modern martial arts training tales, masters attempts to free their students of the mental traps they set for themselves, traps that prevent them from getting the most from themselves and their training. They often do so by applying logic that seems self-contradictory. This teaching method comes from Zen philosophy.

Earlier this evening, another student, Peter, was added to our class. He is not new to us. He originally started training in our class last summer, but had to stop because he had to move for his career. With it being his first class back, he was extremely eager to learn and get back into the game.

While working with a particular takedown, Peter asked question after question about where his foot should be, how to get his body into proper position, where his hand should go, etc. So dedicated was he to improve quickly that I’d just finish answering one question and he’d immediately launch into the next. (more…)

Tags: matrix | philosophy | star wars