The other day, during kids’ class, I asked my children about their favorite kind of sandwich.
Being sisters, both girls immediately chimed in that peanut butter & jelly topped the list. Bearing that in mind, I then asked them how to make one. It was quite amusing, actually, because each child had a slightly different manner of preparation. Still, there were some basic ingredients that they needed in order to get to the treat at the end.
- peanut butter
- jelly
- bread
Of course, once you have all of the ingredients, you have to put them together correctly too. I remember when I was in grade school, one of my teachers gave the class a writing assignment. She asked us a question similar to what I asked here; but she also asked for step by step instructions on how to produce the final product. On the day that the papers were due, hilarity ensued because of certain important steps that were left out of the process. For example, if you’re making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you can’t just put the peanut butter and jelly on the bread and eat. You have to open the jars. You have to get a knife for spreading. You have all these little steps that you have to take care of before you can sit at the table and eat your sandwich!
Write down all the steps necessary to make a good pb&j. Did you forget anything?
Of course, the girls got a good giggle out of me describing the mess that would come from forgetting the bread, or how a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without the jelly is just a peanut butter sandwich.
Martial arts is actually a lot like this. Often, students enter the training hall desiring to learn how to fight; and have little regard for learning the basics that make up the art itself. Unfortunately, we live in a world where everyone wants immediate gratification. “When do I learn to fight like those guys on TV?” they ask. Everyone wants a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without first getting all of the ingredients necessary for preparation. Consider the basics in Tang Soo Do, for example. I often tell my students of the importance of the 3 basic stances: choon gul jaseh (front stance), hu gul jaseh (back stance) and kima jaseh (horse riding stance). Without careful attention to “the big three”, progress will be mediocre at best. As a matter of fact, I would also dare say that many of the techniques that we utilize for self-defense are dependent upon a clear understanding of stances; and without that understanding and diligent practice, may not work. Il Soo Sik (one step sparring) and Ho Sin Sul (self-defense) in Tang Soo Do all utilize the principles of basics that must be learned and constantly refined.
It’s easy to be seduced into wanting to do things fast, or skip a step or two when you’re wanting to get to the “nitty-gritty” of combat; but if you do, you’re missing key ingredients that go into putting it all together. Paying careful attention to your basics is like making that really satisfying peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Get all the ingredients. Learn how to prepare it properly, then make it happen!
Master Wayne Boozer
