Log Warrior Taking a Trip Up North

The Log Warrior is having his first lunch break on the trip up north. There will be stops and photos with monster trucks, race cars, and many more. Depending on the weather, there may even be photos from Washington DC. Maybe the warrior will toughen-up some of those folks on capital hill.

Cool New Logs Available

Check out the newest set of Logs available for Log Training. I have a set and they are much improved over the previous versions. They keep getting better and better!!

Why is Log Training So Important for Nabard Combat Training?

Log training is important for any number of health reasons. However, Log Training is also incredibly important for growth wihin the Nabard Combat System. Within the Nabard Combat System our movements and position changes require a high level of strength and dexterity. The further along you go in your training, the greater the need for increased strength and flexibility.

Log Training supports this need through targeted exercise routines and the specific muscular focus that each exercise offers. Although Log Training is beneficial to all, martial artists (especially those within the Nabard Combat System) really benefit from the exercise of the assistor muscles, grip strength targeting, and "off balance" position shifting. Each of these focuses provides the participant with increased ability to hold a sword or other weapon, quickly interchange blocks and strikes, and move the body in a more spherical range of motion. All of this is coupled with the increase in body core strength which is needed for overall good health as well as increased physical ability within a martial art.

Log Training is all inclusive and benefits us all more than immediately visible when observing a class.

Where Does the Word Nabard Originate?

A comment added anonymously to a post earlier asked where the term Nabard originates. As per the comment, the acronym for the National Bank for Agriculture Development in Inda is NABARD. However, Nabard is also the traditional Persian martial practice. For more information, follow this link (http://www.nabardcombatsystem.com) which will take you to the official Nabard Combat System website where the brief quote below can be found within the history section.

"The Persians have a notable fighting practice known as Nabard, an exotic art of combat. The word 'nabard' (loosely translated as 'combat') was the term used to refer to traditional Persian martial practice."

Time Between Seeing Movement and Reacting to That Movement

The other day a few of us were discussing our combat classes and how speed fits into everything. I think it is pretty obvious to everyone that the faster you are, the more likely you will be able to strike an opponent. I think it is also a given that your speed also allows for quick movement in blocking and avoidance of strikes toward you.

Have you ever considered, however, the time it takes for you to react to any action once you have recognized that action? Many of us have not ever truly thought this through. We all know that reaction time is important, but what does a faster reaction time do for you?

If your reaction time is fast enough, you can see a punch or a kick as it begins and move your body out of the way without having to provide a blocking force or receiving the blow directly. What if you were even fast enough with your reaction to actually succeed in an attack of your own prior to the completion of your opponent's initial action? There is very little that an opponent can do if you are able to strike them before they can reach you. Each one of your strikes can catch your opponent in a position in which the ability to defend is compromised. It is within these moments that you can take control of your situation.

The ability to react is a core component of our Nabard Combat System. This is why we are always including reaction training with our workouts. You may not have been directly aware of this, but we also work on our reactions in a total body manner. Without the ability to react with your entire body, you have a diminished ability to move and react before your opponent has completed their movement.

This concept of reaction is also core to our offensive attacks and movements within the Nabard Combat System. While your fellow students work on their ability to react to your movements, you must react to their reactions. That is why we are constantly working on the ability to change our attacks and movements as we shift between strikes and blocks.

This is all kind of circular huh? The ability to interchange, adapt, and react quicker than your opponent is critical for a Nabard Combat System student.

Pushing on a Rope Part 2

In response to a request for an example of "pushing someone's rope" I offer the following examples. While I am applying the "pushing a rope" saying to Nabard students, the same can be said for all parts of our lives.

Example 1: A Nabard student of at least few months has been exposed to numerous training techniques and intensities. This student progresses a little beyond their point of beginning (level of ability/fitness) and have plateaued. Although this student continues to attend classes, he or she begins to coast along without pushing further in their development. No matter how much effort fellow classmates put into helping the student along through encouragement and leadership, the student does not come to class mentally or physically prepared to engage at the needed level. These students also tend to be difficult to work with as they are indirectly being a detriment to those students that are working hard. Often these students do not push themselves in relation to speed, flexibility, or strength. Through their inaction or lack of effort they have resisted progression, and because everyone is a rope, they can't be pushed into it.

Example 2: A Nabard student of any length of time recognizes that there will always be something to learn and areas where improvement can be made. This student approaches classes with an understanding that they will work very hard, and will likely be exhausted when the class is over. For this student, training with others is focused on mutual growth and benefit, as well as the understanding that their actions will have an effect on others. These students typically do not need prodding or encouragement to work hard. While there is always need for direction and instruction, drive and enthusiasm is not needed from an outside source. These students allow themselves to be led, while acknowledging and working within their own abilities. These students are also the most faithful to attend class and have the better attitudes while working hard. The idea that they are not making headway in their own progression is troublesome and they therefore seek advice and leadership from others. These students tend to pull and tug the information and growth out of others. They are using their "rope" for what it is intended.

Pushing a Rope

There is this saying that I heard once that stuck with me. The saying is, "You can't push a rope!" I often think of this saying when I consider Nabard students and their progression. No matter how badly we may want for each student to succeed and grow, it ultimately comes down to their inner desire. Within this context, the student is the rope, and we can not push them. It just does not work. The only thing we can do is to keep offering support and guidance. Students should question themselves periodically and determine if they are working successfully and progressing, or if others have been trying to "push their rope".

One's Only Point of Reference is Oneself

Nabard is unlike many other martial arts in any number of ways. To me, however, one of the most important and obvious differences is our point of reference. Through points of reference one is afforded the ability to measure progress. Many martial arts schools offer programs that provide multiple mini-milestones that occur often through one's progress within that program. Belts, stripes, and sparring points are just such measurements which are common to all students within these types of settings. By earning a new belt, stripe, or scoring a point, one can easily measure oneself against another person. The point of reference in these cases are the belts, stripes, and points themselves.

Contrary to this approach is the Nabard way. As a student of Nabard, one quickly realizes that there are no quick points of reference in which progress is measured against others. Progress is measured by one's growth as compared to oneself from the point of beginning. While there is always someone to look up to and see progression within Nabard, each student is a wholly unique and infinitely complex human being. Each student begins the Nabard journey at a different place as compared to others. There are some students who are naturally more flexible when they begin, or quicker with their hands and feet. Some students are also just able to put it all together more quickly than others. For these reasons, measuring oneself to others can give a false sense of accomplishment, as well as a false sense of failure. There is nothing more rewarding than awareness of true progression when comparing oneself at a current level of ability and fitness to previous abilities and levels of fitness.

Remember to review your progress within yourself. You will be surprised by how much you can and have accomplished.

How We Can Best Describe Nabard To Others

As discussed amongst ourselves and with Master Safakhoo;

We as martial artists are limited by our experiences and tend to categorize martial arts based on the characteristics of the main players: Wushu, Tai Chi, Judo, Taekwondo, etc.)These styles are obviously unique and identifiable by characteristics such as Wushu's acrobatics, Teakwondo's kicking, Judo's throwing, or Tai Chi's slow deliberate movements. Upon analysis however we realize that all martial arts are identifiable as martial arts because they share more similarities than differences- they are all the human expression of defensive and offensive strategies, through the limitations of human anatomy: we each have 2 arms, hands, legs and feet.

The human body has specific capability- when applied in defensive or offensive maneuvers in combat; those movements create a martial art. Though all arts share similar kicks and punches, it is the concept of each art which makes it different and by which each martial art is distinguished. The concept of the art lies in the way the practitioner is taught to comprehend a combat situation and apply the limited defensive and offensive movements of the human body in order to survive.

Though Nabard has many differences, they may not be obvious at first glance- kicks are kicks and punches are punches. Just as its fellow martial arts, Nabard differs primarily in concept. The Nabard concept states that rules limit the instinctive response to survive by programming a practitioner to limited action- in Nabard, definitions are not given to each movement and there is no distinction between defense and offence. Nabard is designed to be a multifaceted style which offers the ability to react and adapt at any angle and to any situation. Practitioners are taught to think in spherical terms rather than linear terms. This allows the Nabard practitioner to intentionally interchange various blocks, strikes, grabs, and throws in order to manipulate an opponent.

If you would like to know more about the Nabard style, please visit the website. You will find a philosophy section as well as a history section which will provide you with more information.

Nabard Combat Website
Nabard Fitness Website

Finally Back to Normal

Well, Michelle and I, along with the warrior, have been back in Pensacola for a week after our trip to Vegas. We are just now starting to feel like normal. While in Vegas, we were fighting off the effects of a 2 hour time difference, the desert climate, and the long hours associated with the conference I was attending. It is amazing how one can hope and long for the intense humidity that we have here in Pensacola when it is no longer present.

Now that we are recovered, we are looking forward to once again progressing our studies in Nabard in earnest.

Back in Pensacola

We are back in Pensacola. I just dropped the warrior off at the academy. I think he was ready to be home. He had a long trip afterall. He did say that he enjoyed it and asked to go on the next trip as well. So, we shall see where the warrior's travels takes him in the future. I wonder if he got photos of that alien planet?

High in the sky over Nevada

The warrior is enjoying the flight home so far. We have been in the air about 15 minutes now and at an altitude if 15,000 ft. The warrior says that we are traveling much slower than his last "flight" which took him to the stars.

Saying so long to Vegas

After a few exciting days, we are all saying so long to Vegas. The warrior has a lot of exciting stories, but I don't know if he can tell us about them after he leaves Vegas. I will try to get him to share these with me before flying out so that I can share with everyone else. He is getting a little defensive as I inquire about his late night trip down to the casino alone. We shall see.

Exploring the town on the last night

The trip to Vegas turned out to be quite an adventure for the warrior. He had fun in the different hotels and casinos, took care of some rufians in a tram, met some aliens and traveled the stars with them while taking Nabard to the the outer realms. The warrior also found some strange folk here on our own planet. He also won some, and he lost some. So tonight he is just hanging out with Michelle and I taking a trip down to Freemont Street while riding "The Deuce".

Deep within an exotic adventure

In an effort to "keep the adventure going" the warrior decided to go on a search for the extreme here on our home planet. We ended up in this unknown place with strange catwalk structures, exotic females, and warrior males. The shadow warrior just smiled and said "This is where I belong!"

Back from the home planet...

I was a little worried when the warrior wasn't back at the room when we awoke this morning. I did find him as I was headed to breakfast. He was in the "sports" room taking in all of the odds. His memory was a bit fuzzy from the night before, but he said Nabard is now interstellar. He put a sticker on the back of the starship...

Taking Nabard to the stars above

Well the warrior met these aliens here in Vegas. Strange how that happened. You see they were watching the tram car incident with the rufians and decided that they needed to take Nabard back to the home planet. So he is taking a little trip tonight. We'll report on his adventures later...

Clearing out the rufians

This action shot is at the end of a 432.7 degree spinning, summer-saulting, punch-kick combo. The evil rufians, which were the recipients of this devastating move, are now "asleep" on the floor just out of camera shot.

After a long day in training...

The warrior is ready to take on the Vegas strip again. Starting with
this obelisk.

Breakfast and a better mood

Well we all woke up a little tired. With the 2 hour time difference our schedules are thrown off a bit. The warrior was ready to go at 3:00 this morning but I had to convince him to wait a little. When we finally had breakfast he devoured this bannanna and muffin. It caused a bit of a scene, but security was able to disperse the crowd...