Logistics to Fighting

One of the things that most fascinates me about any kind of martial arts class is all the details that go into the simplest of moves.

Seemingly-easy moves, such as kicks, require very precise combinations of balance, foot placement, and movement. More complex maneuvers, such as grapples and throws, require substantial control over several variables in order to successfully complete the technique in question.

Footwork is always essential as is the motion of the hip. Pretty much everything follows those two factors. If you've got the footwork and the hip movement down, you're pretty much 80% there.

Adding speed to this is mostly a matter of training the mind and body so you develop "muscle memory".

And all the time, it's hard not to overthink things. You don't have time to ponder your options in an actual fight (or even sparring). You have to calculate your many proactive and reactive options in a fraction of a second and you have to move your body and act while you're doing these calculations.

Even when I was in good shape back in the day and had moderate skill in karate, I wasn't particularly gifted at these calculations. It showed in sparring. My reflexes were okay and I could react moderately-quickly to attacks, but if you're only reacting in a fight, you've already lost (in my opinion). You have to be mentally ahead of your opponent, not struggling to keep up with your opponent's moves.

Funny how strategy applies to so many things in life.