After years of martial arts soon we will find out that the techniques we're shown can be overwhelming, as in too many.Most people I know even after 20-30 years only KNOW a handful. They can show you how to do several hundred no doubt,but how many can they actually apply against a resisting opponent? I've been doing Goju for close to 15yrs now and I've never fought with anyone,no matter how experienced,who doesn't just do the same techniques over and again and make them work.Anyone have another take on this?

Sanchin31, I would have to completely agree.

After 19yrs of MA, I can count on one hand the techniques you will most likely see out of me in a sparring match (even including grappling):

1. backfist
2. sidekick and/or roundkick
3. reverse punch
4. rear naked choke
5. gi choke from the guard

Granted, I kind of cheated and combined two kicks in number 2 , but to the point, I think your observation is right on the money. I also think that experienced MAists not only tend to use the same techniques repeatedly when fighting, but when they do add some variety, it is most often merely a subtle variation of their favorite basic techniques.

This reminds me about a recent thread by MAGr (I believe) re: practicing basics. I think this is why most smart MAists practice LOTS of basics - not only are they the building blocks for other techniques, but because of their simplicity they tend to be the most effective.

Thanks for sharing this - like usual with your threads, this is a thought-provoker.

Mike

Hands:

Jab
Cross
Hook (mainly lead)
Overhand
Elbows

Feet:
Roundhouse Kick (legs or ribs, usually won't go to the head in a real situaion)
Front Kick
Knees (in the Clinch)

Grappling:
Guillotine Choke
Rear Naked Choke
Transitions to Mount
Transitions to Knee Ride

Sanchin,
I agree too. The things that I think many people forget, especially if they try to fold other techniques or martial arts into their experience, is that conceptually they will have to fit with models of movement that they know and understand. A huge number of techniques that do not flow from a conceptual model that the individual is familiar with will be a disservice to the individual. So, choosing what fits limits techniques...however, if you have the conceptual models to work from, then techniques spring from them and there are many that are variations on basic movements. But all are foundationally built out of a particular system's basics and an idea how to move that is presented to the martial artist within his or her style.

The second thing to remember, that the martial artist's physical makeup also pushes the performance of techniques. The techniques have their own validity within themselves, the performer, however, may not be able to utilize certain things becuase of lack of flexibility or other physical constraints. This again doesn't make the technique bad, but does limit the use of certain techniques to a particular person. This also constrains the technical diversity per individual.

So you have basics and a few tried and true weapons and variations of these.

-B

To really know a technique takes a lot of practice. You have to be able to do it in your sleep. Most people, sadly, don't take enough time out to practice the techniques they've been shown. Their instructor shows them one thing and they say, "Alright, I did that three times, what's next?" They end up leaving class learning nothing.


Good post Sanchin.

To REALLY be effective you cant have hundreds of techniques. Your techniques have to be instinct, part of muscle memory so you dont waste time thinking about them in a fight(I know because I do that all the time), it has be instantaneous and for that each technique must be trained literally thousands of times, and also if you do that for example, several defenses for a punch their all going to interphere with each other and you'll get fuddled up, that also happens to me alot. This is why military systems have so few and so simple of techniques.

I know the following pretty well:

Jab
Side kick
Back kick
Inward crescent elbow strike

That's about it, I've been told that my straight-arm-lock is good but I've not tried it against a resisting opponent and it's easy to counter (just starting grappling).

I....but...techniques.....

*cold stare at butterfly*

Curses, man. You said what I was going to say.

I think that most MA folk over time tend to whittle down their technique list to the few reliable moves that they know. You make up for it by being able to use them from different angles or different situations entirely.

While I have increased my technical repetoire some in the last 10 years, my list is still pretty short.

In terms of striking here's the list I'd like to know:

Jab
Cross
Hook
Knee (MT Style)
Inward crescent elbow
Side kick

I don't know enough about grappling yet to be able to make a list for it but I'd love to be good at hip-throw (O-Goshi Nage?).

Everyone so far has said it pretty well.
Over the years I have been taught so many techniques I can't even name them all now.
In the end it is not how many you learn it is how many you can use.
One technique - if it is truely ingrained in your body and mind can be used in many ways.
If you learn a few very well it is better than knowing hundreds just a little bit.