ENTER THE MATRIX AND WATCH THE FULL VIDEO LESSON CAREFULLY:
Repeated viewings of GM Perkins’ movement while flowing with students yields tremendous insights into how to react properly; words cannot fully convey this but you will begin to feel in your own body what is effective GC movement.
►John starts with showing how String Training develops the Isolation Principle.
►You will essentially be Contact Flowing with the string but starting out with “isolated” contact points (a finger, a hand, etc.)
►At all times, MAINTAIN THE LIGHTEST POSSIBLE CONTACT. DO NOT DISTURB THE STRING.
►This is a superb exercise for developing Skimming (and Sliding) Energy, where you float over, around, and through the enemy’s arms, giving them as little sensory input as possible while maximizing yours.
►You must be as relaxed as possible while also using full Body Unity.
►You can flow/skim/slide with every conceivable contact point: front of hand, back of hand, wrist, forearm, back of arm, shoulder, elbow – you name it. This develops the unique GC attribute of adaptability and sticking/attacking with any and all appropriate parts of your body.
►This is also a superb Tool Replacement skill developer because you must smoothly transfer contact from, for example, your left hand to your right hand, elbow, shoulder, whatever. Consult our book Attack Proof and Companion DVDs for full explanations and applications of Tool Replacement – and how NOT to do it as it is done in most other martial arts.
►By the way, you can Tool Replace from 1 point on your arm to another point on the same arm. Try it.
►As emphasized over and over, your contact points with the enemy are ANTENNAS for sensing WITHOUT BEING SENSED, as well as weapons.
►John underscores this point, stating that Tactile Sensitivity is 3 times faster than visual.
►Another principle you must practice (and which is not directly addressed in this video) is Moving Behind the Guard. Beyond just developing pure Sensitivity, you can practice moving in such a way as if the String is the enemy’s arms/hands/etc and keeping the string ON THE OTHER SIDE of whatever contact tool you’re using and thus OPPOSITE from YOUR body’s targets. This way you are simultaneously being both Unavailable and Unavoidable while also using Body Unity, Stepping, Tool Replacing, Skimming/Sliding, etc.
►By the way, if you want to take this to the next level, do the String Drill on a Balance Board for extraordinary skill development!
►This sensitivity training translates into being able to feel the enemy’s intentions even when wearing a winter coat because, hey – you may fight for your life when it’s 10 degrees out!
►Start working in strikes as you flow with the string.
►The highest level of this sensitivity training is the ability to GHOST, which means you are feeling the enemy’s intention without actually being in direct contact with their body – or more precisely, with contact so light and fleeting that you are essentially invisible – a ghost. At John’s level, this becomes almost supernatural in appearance. However, it is merely a skill that can be practiced, with extreme diligence.
►Note that even with Ghosting (and essential to it) is that you are constantly moving your body (turning, pocketing, etc.) out of the way of their strikes.
►This is all done WHILE you are moving IN, never back.
►The effect of Ghosting on the enemy is that they constantly over-travel in their attempt to hit/grab you.
►John then launches into a String Drill with a partner.
►With a partner, you should both try and not touch the string.
