Intent Creates Expectations

This past week has seen many advanced students identify in their one on ones with me that some of their form techniques feel awkward and lack power.  They come seeking advice on how to improve their technique and improve their power. Upon evaluation, every single student was performing their form competently, with the technique in question physically sound. The problem was with their intent.

The purpose of a form is to help the student develop flow, timing, and power. Where many students lose their way is with flow and its relationship with power. If the traditional form dictates the order of the techniques and the student is performing the form competently while noticing some technique do not feel powerful, one must look beyond the physical to identify the problem.  The first thing beyond the physical is the reason for the technique in the first place - your intent.

Your intent is why you apply a technique. You throw your fist out to strike your opponent. You throw your fist out to distract your opponent. You intercept a punch softly to sweep the attack to the side. You intercept a punch aggressively to inflict pain and damage to your opponent’s attacking limb. In a form two techniques may look identical but if your intent is different with each one, your feelings of power will also be different.

When evaluating the efficacy of a technique, a person compares their actual output with their expected output. If there is a discrepancy, and you are executing the technique competently, you MUST address your intent. Change the intent of your block from a hard attacking block to a soft sweeping block your expectations of power also change.

Intent creates expectations.