What is Material and Methodology?
By Steve Miles
Think of any fighting system: Karate, Kung Fu, Jujitsu,
Modern Technique, Systema, Kali, Krav Maga, etc. Every one of these systems consists of two things: MATERIAL
and METHODOLOGY. Today I want to
explain these terms in some detail.
Understanding these terms will deepen your understanding of all fighting
systems and help you make useful comparisons when evaluating the merits of one system
or another.
MATERIAL can be thought of as the “moves” of a system. Specifically, MATERIAL is the strategy,
tactics, and techniques of a system.
Here are some examples:
Strategy: The “Basic Fight Strategy” of Modern Army
Combatives
1. Close the Distance 2. Gain Dominant Position 3. Finish
the Fight
Tactic: “Defanging the Snake” of FMA Kali-Escrima
Displacing the opponent’s target while striking their hand
or weapon
Technique: The Oi-tsuki “Lunge Punch” of Shotokan karate
Works good in armor
The exact assortment of MATERIAL that makes up a system will
vary, but many systems share the same or similar strategies, tactics, and
techniques.
METHODOLOGY is how a system trains; that is, how a system
(attempts to) make the MATERIAL functional in an actual fight. METHODOLOGY is the “secret sauce” that
makes all the difference in terms of whether or not someone is able to make a
system work under the pressure of an actual fight.
Gichin Funakoshi the founder of Shotokan used three
components to describe METHODOLOGY: Kumite (sparring), Kata (forms), and Kihon
(basics). ALIVE!™ uses a refined model developed by Scott Sonnon that uses the
terms Competition, Practice, and Training.
No matter which terms one uses to describe training
modes, what is conceptually important is to understand that the key to
fighting competence lies in having the proper balance and sequencing of
components. We will talk more
about balance next week.
Copyright© 2015 Alive Technology Inc.
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