Level 2 – GKB

Continued from Previous Page

An L2 student has not developed all their base level training and is still improving physically. L2's capabilities allow one to stay within ones physical restraints at a higher, less restraint level than L1 and as documented, one can start placing power/speed into these increased techniques as well as stepping out of ones comfort zone into Red Zone. This first physical jump into RZ is relatively easy; it is achieved through 'just' training physically harder whilst maintaining the technique. All students know by this stage that bad technique is corrected and therefore it is suggested training as hard as one can and leave the technical adjustments to the instructor and concentrate on getting to the highest level one can get too. A typical scenario is for a student starting L2 is for the instructor to monitor them and then explain the necessary requirements/repairs step–by–step. As a student reaches the end of the L2 push, the instructor will be calling on the fly, i.e. calling out a body part during the Form/pattern e.g. 'ELBOW' and the student should be trying to make a mental note of these improvements and implement the correction next time. Ultimately, the instructor hopes that this external voice becomes ones internal voice and as a result, one manages oneself, (L3 — L4). From basic training where every move is monitored, the instruction begins to diminish placing the onus onto the student, independence and accountability. If anybody has problems regarding their training it is good to look at all the variables, but one must include oneself objectively in this analysis. It is ones own Kung Fu and there is a good chance that the flaws have been pointed out. At L2 the instructor is not trying to obtain 'perfect' technique but rather, reduce the overall tolerances of the body and its limbs to a smoother operating unit. Therefore, there is a standard to be reached that is very obvious to the instructor. In essence, it is a variable formula, the main ingredient though is the input/output from the student, as the saying goes, 'you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.'

L3 is much harder as RZ is pushing ones mind not the physical, so one may notice, there is a definite routine to this training regime. The main issue to remember is to trust the Instructor as they see the exercise from a vastly different perspective as any teacher does. The premise is the same though, Red Zone is operating at a heightened level and then making this heightened level the norm and so on and so forth. An analogy may be when one starts a new job. On the first day, every task is difficult and even the simplest of tasks can be resource zapping. After several months, these tasks can be used in auto–pilot, the danger here for a Kung Fu person is that apart from the fact that there is a considerable amount to learn, apathetic mindsets can get you hurt big. The instructors give a lot and expect this to be rejoined. Energy feeds energy.

Rather than more body alignments, images and text found in the previous and subsequent articles, I believe two theories will be more appropriate for understanding of L2's requirements. These theories as one could imagine can get quite detailed and are premised on (a) Triangulation and (b) Perimeter awareness and are aimed more at validating a students thoughts as they discovers certain effective and efficient abilities are being realised and demonstrated.