Some Training Outside the Box

The following quote recently came to mind: "Five years from now, you'll be the same person you are today, except for the books you read, and the people you hang out with." I think it's by Brian Tracy — or perhaps I just heard Brian Tracy repeat this quote that was originally spoken by someone else. That's not important — what is important is that the quote itself came to my mind, and it inspired me to do something a little different in my karate class.

So one night last week I decided to change the format of class: I asked a group of my students to come to class with one or two of the books they are currently reading, and to be prepared to discuss what the book was about and why they are reading it. I didn't give much more guidance except to tell my students that they could NOT bring a book related to the martial arts, fighting, or eastern philosophy. Too easy.

That night, instead of training on the floor, a group of martial artists sat around a table, taking turns talking about the books they were reading. Instead of focusing on blocks, kicks, punches, chokes, traps, and take-downs, we were learning things about each other's outside interests, hobbies, pastimes, personalities, and motivations. It was a good and unusual class. There's usually not much social interaction at the dojo because we're too busy training. And I think this would have been a memorable class if we simply stopped there.

But then I changed the rules — after all, it was a martial arts class. After each of us had spoken in turn while sitting relaxed at the table, I invited each of my students to get up from the table and discuss their book while standing in front of my rolling camera, as a way of practicing their public speaking, improving their confidence, testing their spontaneous mental flexibility, and increasing their body awareness. The immediate looks of shock, fear, and panic were, in a word, PERFECT — I had challenged them in an unexpected way.

I had, in fact ATTACKED them.

My unexpected request was a good way to introduce fear and adrenal stress without even throwing a punch. It forced people to think on their feet (literally) and act quickly and spontaneously in an uncomfortable environment. And my students' responses to the assigned task were very similar, I imagine, to what their responses might have been had someone actually jumped them from behind. Confusion, resistance, mental and physical rigidity — they all showed up in spades.

So I gave them a moment to compose themselves and then turned on the camera: