Legs, Please Fail Me Now!

Even though the experience spans over a quarter century ago, it has a Pavlovian effect that still elicits a response today. Moshvegh Sensei would run these ridiculously intense classes, and ten minutes before the end of class, just as we’re about to collectively collapse, he’d signal what we thought was a break. He’d excuse himself for a minute and reemerge onto the dojo floor, complete with bandana wrapped around his head. That bandana became the symbol of fear and hate, renown to all who trained with him. In his typical casual seriousness, he’d say, “Ok, recess time” and he’d proceed with an intense kumite session for the remainder of class. The ten remaining minutes of class felt like an hour. We were so tired, that we couldn’t move. Our legs felt like cement blocks, so all that remained was the spirit of a warrior with the weapon of a counterstrike. Their was no escape. Either attacker or defender, had to commit 100 percent to what little remained in the tank, otherwise it was certain (and painful) defeat.

As years went by, I began to understand the value of those haunted classes. Moshvegh sensei would mercilessly drill a technique during the previous hour or so of class, and then immediately pressure test it…and the fact that we were exhausted, became an advantage to us. You see, we’d be too tired for any extraneous movement, both physically and mentally so what remained was only technique, and efficiency of movement. Despite the fatigue, everything was clean and essential. Nothing was wasted, and nothing was left behind.

In my own training, I try to recreate those “bandana” moments through kata. Kata is nice and beautiful while the legs are fresh. It looks elegant and graceful, but do a heavy set of squats and leg presses followed by kata, and you get an entirely different experience. The stabilizer muscles that help in maintaining balance are shot. The mind and body are struggling with inputs of pain and finding shortcuts to escape the work needed. Eventually though, with enough fatigue, one will find the line of proper technique and efficiency of movement, and one will learn not to struggle against, but rather accept and surrender to the inputs presented, and work with/around it.