Ok, I'm sick and tired of MAs that require a few decades to master. IMHO, you should be able to reasonably take care of yourself if you are attacked while walking out to your car after your first day of "lessons". But that's besides the point...on to my question. What would you teach someone between the ages of 20 and 35 who only has one week to learn? Everything from to techniques, to targets, to awareness to mental conditioning. (for the sake of argument, let's say you had 8 hours a day with this person and your training for real-world scenarios.)...let the games begin

I would teach patience.

Seriously?

If so, I would do my best to impart some degree of awareness and situational attention.
Being aware and taking care will do wonders for your physical saftey.

I would also sit down and take apart this persons life, see where they go, what they do--see if they are doing stupid things and hanging out with and where people/places trouble occurs with some regularity.

Do my best to impart a healthy level of fear---HEALTHY, just enough so that they don't think they are 10 feet tall and bulletproof--with claws.
A little, a LITTLE, fear is a good thing--keeps you on your toes.

On the physical side, I would spend most of the time on the heavy bag, simple punchs, elbows, knees, etc, some basic defense vs takedowns, some kicks to the knees etc.

Not very good, but better than nothing at all.

Speaking personally, training time is less a question of long does it take???" and MORE of a question of "how good do you want/need to be????"

I mean I can teach someone the basic's of basketball in about 30 minutes--but their chances against people that have been playing ball for years are pretty nearly "zero."

Just my opinion---and worth every cent you paid for it too

Why would someone only have one week to learn? What's the deadline all about?

Agree with everyone here. I mean, where'd the one week time frame come from anyway? If you look at anyone who is marginally skilled at something, it took a lot longer than a week to creat that ability.

Similarly, there has to be more to martial arts than just requisite use...if it ain't fun and you don't really want to do it...but have'ta---well, you miss the reason for long term practice.

I have always hated Reader's Digest condensed books...and I would particularly hate to get the abridged version of any particular art.

-B

Zanshi,

In the (almost) two years since you posted your thread about the sword art you 'invented', you could have gotten a very strong grounding in martial arts, if taught by a qualified instructor.

Unfortunately, you've closed your mind to being taught by anyone but yourself.

I would question the motive of someone who expressed the desire to learn a fighting art in such short amount of time. A self-defense class seems much more appropriate: Awareness, Avoidance, Escape and Run.

I brought my wife to a series of kickboxing classes over a period of two months. They showed basic techniques and we got an awesome cardio workout though repetition. It was a great workout but she is no better prepared to defend herself today then before the classes. Proficiency takes time. (fyi - our motive for the class was fitness and something to do together)

Hennl Zanshi:

Why the weird time frame?? eg Retroactive success at the END of the very first night on the way back to the car? Good luck... Trained response mandates t-r-a-i-n-i-n-g by definition. This cannot be gotten around, merely because it is ~unpleasant~ truth.

If you want/need instant, try a handgun ... "success", remember which way to point it and have pulled the trigger enough to do able by choice.


Jeff

I would start by just drilling jab, cross, hook, uppercut and footwork (moving the feet, not kicking) on bags, then we would run out of time.

That or just show them the basics of throwing punches then sparring for the rest of the week, might help them learn to keep cool when taking hits.

If we're talking about a life-or-death struggle, I'd cover the main vital strike points of the body.

Eye
Throat
Solar Plexus
Groin
Knee

With emphasis that the associated attacks are only for survival.

Run through some common grabs, and the defenses for them.

Discuss local laws regarding self defense, appropriate force, legal weapons, etc.

Still, one week is a hell of a time-crunch.

I would teach three basic things: The "Helmet" (a "universal" three-point cover position), the Thai "plumm" position and how to throw knees and elbows from there as well as a few simple takedowns out of the clinch.

-John

Hello Zanshi:

This was a ~hypothetical~ scenario?

<<35 or even 10 years of practice isn't really a practical time period...

A trained response requires time....

<<quick principles/techniques to recommend he look into...

Spacial perception/logistical threat assessment seem the most beneficial. A week should be enough to explore this as a start anyway...

Jeff