Today we talk about the Jerk!
There are two types of jerks. One is the conscious jerk. Easy to explain. They're jerks. They try to go too hard or fast for their partner on purpose. Either to make them feel better about themselves, or just to be mean. Those guys I don't really need to discuss. That's because they get run out of the Academy very fast. We do not tolerate intentional jerks!
Most "Jerks" are actually good people, they are just having a lapse in perspective. They momentarily forget that at that moment their partner is the focus! For example, if we are working head movement as a defense to a punch, the person doing the head movement is the focus, not the person punching. The puncher starts punching allowing their partner to work the defense. Then, they kind of forget themselves. They start thinking "missing this many punches is bad". Then they start finding ways to land more. Faking punches, punching where they know their partner is moving to not where they are now. They start finding ways to shut down their partners ability to do the drill! Most of the time, when you call them on it, they feel horrible. They aren't really jerks, they just got a little confused in their perspective.
The tough part about being a good partner in Muay Thai is applying the appropriate amount of resistance or pressure. A reference that I like to use is they should succeed a little more than they fail! If they are never ever failing, they are not being pressured and therefore not getting any better. If they're failing a lot, then they aren't developing any new skill. They are just getting beat up! The trick is to apply enough pressure to make it difficult, but allowing for success. As they get better, you apply more pressure. Soon they are doing it correctly with full pressure!
It's just like lifting weights. Too light, no improvement. Too heavy, no improvement. Only here, you are your partners "weight". The goal is to be a good partner to others, and you'll have a room full of people motivated to be good partners for you!
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