Fighting is a lot like baseball.

I played a lot of baseball growing up.  Admittedly, I wasn't nearly as good as my brothers, and none of us could hold a candle to our dad.

In Tsukahara Bokuden's The Hundred Rules of War we read that "Identifying a bad sword by the sound and vibration it gives off when cutting is something that a Samurai must learn to do."

In the fight game, you know when you've landed a good technique.  It feels different; sweet even.  There's a different sound to landing a solid punch compared to one that's just a little "off".

And oh the sounds of the fight game!  The wheezing of your opponent when you knock the wind out of them.  The deep thud from a solid leg kick.  Music to a sensei's ears!

Learning the difference between the sound and feel of solid technique comes after many repetitions.  It takes a lot of practice and effort.  In today's culture of wanting immediate success, learning the sensations of great technique requires the one thing we least desire to offer: time.  It's a sacrifice, but oh so worthwhile!

Ever watch a baseball game and noticed how a batter seems to know when they've hit a homerun the moment the bat meets the ball?  That comes from practice folks.  Get to the dojo, and train.

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