Coach Ruiz and I were discussing my last sparring match, the good and the bad, and as we went through it technique by tehnique we got to some elbow strikes that had been thrown. We were suposed to be sparring elbow free and very light knee strikes (no pads, no head gear) but as long as the strike is controlled its generally allowed. I told him the the elbows were just automatic, if someone moves just out of range as I throw a hook I instinctively turn it into an elbow strike, it wasn't taught it just happens. When I get inside it is almost certain some elbows are going to touch home. Again absolutely instintive. Coach Ruiz says that the goal is to get all of my attacks to be this way as opposed to, for lack of a better term, a checklist of attacks. I'm not talking about using a favorite attack, I'm not even talking about muscle memory, pure instinctive response like pulling your hand back from a hot stove. Is that even something that can be learned?
Tags: Old_Guy
