During last night's class, I focused some of our time on perception drills. A simple definition of perception would read something like Sang H. Kim's definition in Ultimate Fitness Through Martial Arts, "perception is the ongoing cerebral process of organizing and giving meaning to sensory input." (It was reading the perception chapter in this book yesterday that prompted me to include the drills in last night's class, and thus write this short article. It's a book I recommend for any martial artist.) Perception is important because the responses we make to the world around us are determined by our perception of events and situations we encounter. I agree with Kim that effective and efficient responses in both learning and performance are dependant on perception.
Perception varies between individuals, and like the old saying goes, a person's perception is their reality. It can be lessened by fatigue, emotion, inattention to detail, preoccupation with something else, or lack of mental conditioning or training. Therefore, it makes sense to include perception training in your martial studies.
Martial Art Training
Essentially, perception is the first step toward action. Before you respond to an incoming attack or some event, you must first perceive that a response is necessary. Your brain must organize and respond to hundreds of minute details. The higher your perception, the better you can focus on various aspects of your opponent's actions, giving an advantage in responding quickly and accurately. There are a number of drills that will help you improve your perception. Kim's book above describes a number of them, some of which I taught in class. Here are a few of the drills we worked on.
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