In his book, Fake Fundamentals, Brian McCormick, Ph.D. quotes James Baldwin, “No one can possibly know what is about to happen; as it's happening, each time, for the first time, for the only time.”
To paraphrase the book as it would relate to a martial arts instructor, there are two opposing elements in fighting and coaching: Chaos and Order.
Students learn to stretch to avoid injury. They are schooled in the rules of class to avoid being disrespectful and adhere to Asian rituals.
Then they are led through fundamentals that practice important skills such as punching, blocking, kicking, and balance.
It’s controlled, methodical, and appears to cover every base.
The problem is that the skills are fake.
Have you ever seen anyone step forward to block a punch or kick in a fight or sparring? Ever?
Martial arts fundamentals emphasize technique and order but self-defense and sparring are chaotic and unpredictable.
Real fights, especially in self-defense, are not sterile experiences. They are dangerously chaotic.
What kata teaches you to adjust to a taller, drunk opponent who starts with a punch to your face?
Kata and basics are widely practiced because they appear to improve the skills of striking and blocking.
But they are practiced in a sterile environment that removes the chaos. If anything, chaos is shunned because it might lead to bad technical form.
Whereas the rest of the world progresses and improves skills based on experience, martial arts shuns the idea of progress.
Heaven forbid you don’t do a kata like it was designed 100 years ago. No other activity is needlessly anchored to the past like martial arts.
That’s why I created Empower Kickboxing almost 30 years ago.
Not only is it dangerous to teach students that leaving a punch out in the air and pulling the other back to the hip is the best way to punch, it could easily get them hurt or killed if they ever really need to defend themselves.
Not to mention, it gets boring, so it’s not a retention tool.
We suggest you strip away your style bias and take a long, hard look at your teaching.
Odds are you’ve been faked out.