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Tactics IX
by Woody Long, Author of Martial Mind For Martial Artists
In tactics a critical element of combat power is competent and confident self-leadership. Self-leadership provides purpose, direction and motivation for the combat sports fighter. It is the fighter himself who will determine the degree to which maneuver, protection, and firepower (see issue 16) are maximized, who will ensure these elements are effectively coordinated, and who will decide how to bring them to bear against the opponent. The primary function of self-leadership is to inspire yourself to do difficult things in hard and stressful circumstances. The martial artist must act with courage and conviction during the uncertainty and confusion of combat sports fighting.
Purpose gives martial artists a reason why they should do difficult things under stressful circumstances. Direction shows what must be done. Motivation gives martial artists the will to do everything they are capable of doing to accomplish the victory. So your practice as a martial artist goes beyond learning the techniques and tactics of fighting - you must also develop your will to fight and win.
Some call this the warrior spirit. It is the ability to forge victory out of the chaos of combat sports fighting, and to overcome fear, confusion, damage, and fatigue. The combat sports fighter who can overcome these physical and mental factors and continue to apply his skill and knowledge will have an advantage.
So building strength of will, or the warrior spirit, is a requirement for success in combat sports fighting. It takes personal commitment from you to take this responsibility seriously, and to lead with determination and will. Building strength of will in yourself is not something that is just good to do - success in combat sports demands it. Will is normally used in the leadership context to express determination or persistence. A general manifestation of will power is an individual demonstrating extraordinary mental discipline to accomplish an exceptional physical feat. We often use expressions such as “gutting it out” when referring to a particularly difficult task requiring will power.
The forces that drive a motivated martial artist come from within himself. Success depends on his ability to get himself to do difficult things under hard and stressful conditions. And this requires strength of will or the warrior spirit. Activated by this burning core of iron will, martial artists practice their art with an ironclad energy and ironclad focus. Well that's all for now. Please look for Tactics X in next month's issue of Ironlife Online Magazine.
Note about the author: Woody Long has studied combat tai chi and US combat tactics since 1987. This article was adapted from his book, Martial Mind For Martial Artists.
* Article by Woody Long, Author of Martial Mind For Martial Artists.
* Back to This Issue's Frontpage
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