Much of my reading and research regarding criminology concerns environmental criminology e.g., which environmental factors influence particular crimes; why do street robberies happen in certain places at certain times and not in other places at those times etc. This involves the spatial (location) and temporal (time) aspects of crime and acts of violence etc. From a psychological perspective we are all “creatures” who operate in, and are influenced by, space, and we relate to others in space e.g., if you look at the way strangers stand together when waiting for a bus you can discern a lot about how they manage their personal space (proxemics) – this becomes more interesting when you look at the order in which they arrive at the stop etc. We manage space in a number of different ways. As a Judoka (practitioner of Judo), a lot of the information I gain about where I am and where my opponent is, is derived from touch/feeling, or haptic perception i.e., tactile-spatial awareness. A large part of grappling is about developing and improving this type of awareness to the point where it becomes a subconscious skill process i.e., you don’t need to work out where someone’s weight is, you just “know”. Combine this with kinesthetic awareness – the perception of body movement in space – and you’ll intuitively know when to perform a sweep, reap or throw etc. If you were to try to mathematically model these things it would be almost impossible to do, however the human brain accomplishes these calculations effortlessly, based on some simple heuristics, according to a logic/method we don’t fully understand. I remember as a psychology undergraduate being tasked with creating a mathematical formula for the simple task of catching a ball. It was a lengthy, frustrating process, and if I remember correctly, I’m pretty sure my equation/formula only worked in a very specific set of circumstances. However, our brains calculate the movement of an object in space very effectively allowing us to catch a ball quickly and easily. In this article I want to look at a particular type of spatial awareness – somatognosia – and how it relates to effective striking.
In my experience of teaching both competitive combat sports such as Judo and reality-based self-defense (Krav Maga), I have noticed that each tends to attract a different “larger” crowd/appeal to a certain audience. Many – but certainly not all – who are attracted to combat sports such as Boxing, Muay Thai and Judo etc., generally are looking to learn a few things that they can “master” which will allow them to win a particular type of fight, whilst those looking at reality-based self-defense systems/approaches such as Krav Maga are wanting to learn techniques which will deal with every conceivable violent incident, including those that involve weapons and multiple attackers etc. Of course, I am generalizing, and this is a personal/subjective point of view rather than a scientific/objective one. Ultimately, everyone comes to study a martial art for their own individual reasons. The potential danger faced by those looking to learn solutions to every conceivable attack and threat, is that they are so focused/concerned on learning “new” techniques and solutions, to answer their questions – what do I do if… – that they lose sight of the foundations and basics that power their solutions. As I have regularly stated in this blog there are no such things as “advanced” techniques, there are only more difficult techniques to perform e.g., a spinning kick is more difficult to perform/master than a non-spinning kick however this doesn’t make it an “advanced” technique. Advanced when it comes to fighting means performing the basics more “consistently” and “better”. A boxer or judoka doesn’t get better by learning more techniques, they get better and “advance” by performing and executing what they already know more consistently and effectively etc.
Two things – that I believe – make people better fighters are having a consistent guard, and consistent footwork i.e., at any and every moment they know where their hands and feet are in space (somatognosia). Without consistent movement and repositioning of the hands and feet, the body will never intuitively know where they are and will have to make a calculation before using them. If after a block or strike, the hands are always returned to exactly the same position, the body/mind will always know where they are and how/when to use them. It may seem a small, almost insignificant thing however it can dramatically increase reaction time and speed. In fact, if you are looking to increase your punching/striking speed this is the place to start. If you have developed the habit of leaving your hand/arm out after throwing a punch you have a) lost power as there is a lack of timing in the strike, and b) not pulled the hand back to a position where it could be used to block or strike again etc. Having consistent foot movement is the same. When you step forward and the rear foot moves forward to adjust and bring you back to your “stance” both steps should move the same distance every time. If sometimes when you step forward, you bring the back foot forward a certain distance and at other times a different distance – shortening or lengthening your stance – you will lack the knowledge/awareness of where your feet are at all times. This can affect your ability to both move effectively/efficiently and generate power; power generation in striking relies upon body weight shifting in the direction of the target and if your feet vary in where they are you will not intuitively be able to do this quickly and effectively e.g., you may have to readjust your feet before you make a strike.
Whilst using aggression as a substitute for skill makes sense when you are first learning to defend yourself, as it is quicker to learn aggression – a mindset – than to move your body and hands in the most efficient and effective manner, as you become a longer-term practitioner, you should look to develop your physical skills and abilities etc., as well. Aggression will get you so far but if you want a faster and more powerful punch, that will require developing physical skills and abilities, most of which rely on consistency of movement and knowing where your body is in space (somatognosia) at all times.