Are there any secrets?

Are there any secrets? The answer is yes. What are the secrets?

 

1. The secret of details. The outside shape may look similar and the sequence of movements familiar, but the difference is in the details. Traditional practice is meticulous and requires constant refinement. The highest skill will not be reached and the true essence of a system will not be realised if key points are not clear, overlooked or not taught.

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2. The secret of systematic training. Skill is learned step by step in the correct, systematic and progressive order. Many traditional systems have seen a flourishing of the forms, but many of their fundamentals and building blocks are lost. The oft-seen empty and superfluous forms are results of incorrect order of learning and acquiring skill. Hence the importance of regular and constant contact time with a trusted teacher.

3. The secret of "forging". At certain stages and particular points of progress the teacher recognises the need to alter the student's frame and to change the way of training, in order to facilitate the next stage of development. To change before that crucial point (before the appropriate level is reached) is useless. A teacher judges it from his experience and skill, and his commitment to his student's progress.