Lessons in the Art of War. Martina Sprague
striking, kicking, and grappling, he was trained in stick and staff fighting, swimming, and horsemanship or combat from horseback. This made ninjutsu a truly integrated martial art.28 The Japanese samurai and the medieval European knights likewise employed integrated systems of fighting; the samurai by resorting to jujutsu skills if he could no longer rely on his sword, and the European knight by resorting to kicks to keep an opponent at sword’s range, or grabbing, trapping, and dagger skills when at close range.
Thus, knowing that the ideal type of battle will rarely be fought, how does one offset the effects of friction? Although friction cannot be eliminated, it can be managed through proper preparation, or as Sun Tzu said, “Know the enemy, know yourself; your victory will never be endangered. Know the ground, know the weather; your victory will then be complete.”29 Actual combat experience will undoubtedly assist in strengthening instinct and preparing for uncertainty. Consistent and tough training might be the next best alternative. Doctrine, or a syllabus designed to meet the specific needs of the situation, further allows one to establish guidelines for conduct that assist judgment. Although fighting cannot be learned through theoretical study alone, theory sheds light on the many phases of combat and acts as a guide to train judgment through critical inquiry. But to remain effective, theory has to “remain realistic: it cannot allow itself to get lost in futile speculation, hairsplitting, and flights of fancy.”30 Learning to step at an angle of 26.5 degrees when executing a defensive technique against an opponent’s strike is an example of a hairsplitting flight of fancy. Learning the concept behind the technique—to step at an angle away from the path of power—would prove more practical.
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