-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [LiuSeongGungFu] Pattern Imposition
From: "jmichaelbarr" <jmichaelbarr@...>
Date: Mon, March 09, 2009 2:36 pm
To: LiuSeongGungFu@yahoogroups.com

Everyone's got an orientation, a particular way that they view life. You choose your focus points, and they determine what it is that is 'core' to your world. Values are assigned, and they in turn dictate how you will respond to what is occuring around you and 'to you'. How you choose to influence events in order to alter their course is based, essentially, on how you prioritize things. Cycles of interaction and dependancy lead to patterns of all kinds.

obfuscating, bong-water philosophy aside, what this is saying is a reflection of a remark often heard from GM Sikes.

"Your mind makes your Reality".

Worldviews, and thus decisions, are based entirely on what you 'know to be true', and thus, you define everything in 'it' (the world), accordingly. Including yourself.

There are a multitude of considerations that are inherent in the remarks above, but i am really only interested in one particular slice of this whole pie.

INTROVERT AND EXTROVERT PROCESSING

When it comes to the martial arts, the 'ability' to 'make your own reality' comes to the fore. There are two essential choices in when it comes to 'patterning' and response.

Introvert processing is a mindset in which you allow the pattern of the opponent to develop, which you then respond to in some manner.

Extrovert processing is a mindset in which YOU seek to create the pattern of interation which causes him to be the one to respond.

in execution, the differences in these approaches are generally very subtle. a very simplified example would be seen in sparring where a very aggressive fighter dictates the flow of movements, in various ways, against a defensive or passive fighter.

the problem with that example is that Extroverted processing can play out in a variety of ways, and doesnt have to be or appear to be overly dominant or aggressive. through manipulations of distance, posture, positioning, and leverage you can control 'time and space' so as to impose a pattern (technique) upon another. 'Psychology' is, of course, a major component of this, but it goes without saying as the entire topic is 'Psychology'.

the first defense in favor of Introverted processing is the very basic truth that 'Martial Arts is for self defense'. This statement is true in a particular context. Generally, if someone makes a committed attack to you, they will by nature, expose themselves to a counter attack. Somewhere a gate will open and can be easily struck, provided you know the movement(s) needed to do so. Introverted processing, or 'waiting for him to complete or attempt his pattern' seems quite viable for self defense. He will try something, you will 'read' it, and then nullify it one way or another.

One essential flaw with this reasoning is found with a bit of martial training. although this strategy might work quite well with novice martial artists or untrained attackers, it wont pan out so well with advanced practitioners, because their movements are either based on or have a capacity for deception.

a pattern is initiated, and then changed, to throw off any attempt at a counter. 'He zigged when he should have zagged...'

the speed of this change-up or alteration of the attack is likely to catch one unaware due to it's time, late in the advance, and from it's speed, which only increases with each tenth and hundreth of a second.

it is a natural function to extrapolate, or guess, the path something will take, be it something as simple as a roundhouse kick. but that simple, natural tendancy is exactly what will be used against you in a deceptive approach to fighting, which is the default mode for skilled fighters.

Peace.

Mike.