Alive Training vs. Dead Training

What do I mean by Alive? In Black Dragon Jiu-Jitsu and Kodokan Judo and other martial arts there is what we call training “alive” and in Judo you have what is known as “live toes” (which means not have your feet flat, either on the mat or standing). I believe that fighting and training should be the same. The only time to go static (dead training) is when you are learning a new technique or doing a flow drill, (flow drills are with a partner and doing mat work at no power and constantly in motion).

Dead training is classic Martial Arts, it looks good but it is with a cooperative partner. Alive training is as real as it can get with an uncooperative partner and wherever the fight takes you is where you fight, ground, standing, whatever.

If a person does grappling and practices dead training all the time it will not make you able to fight. On the mat with an uncooperative opponent is the only way to develop timing, footwork, and speed and motion awareness. This takes hours of mat time to develop.

Training with focus mitts is great if you are incorporating footwork and motion. In a real fight your opponent is moving and is not static, you will not be able to put into effect any fighting techniques from static training.

What is required to incorporate “alive training” into your regime; #1 is Energy, utilizing an uncooperative opponent, #2 Timing, you can only build timing by mat work and standing work with an uncooperative opponent, #3 Motion, you have to have motion to train. Every time you hit someone or do a technique there is an opposite reaction, resistance.

Unfortunately no matter how many times you train with dead patterns or dead training methods you will not get better. So try to incorporate this into your Martial Arts. It does not matter what style of Martial Arts you take if you don’t incorporate “alive training” you will be at a disadvantage.