You may have seen the BIG NEWS recently, that Toyota, the World’s #1 Automobile Manufacturer is having some significant safety issues with its cars.
First, due to design flaws, their floor mats are getting in the way of their brakes.
Then, much worse, the brakes on their Prius models were discovered to, how shall we say, NOT WORK! So there you are, accelerating along in your enviro-mobile when you see a gas-guzzling SUV. You try to hit the brakes–no brakes–and POW! Out of the gene pool. Maybe that’s why it’s so earth-friendly–with so many Priuses out there, soon there’ll be less people to drive.
It gives a whole new meaning to their slogan, “moving forward” (because you can’t stop).
Oh yeah, Systema.
So there I was, teaching a striking class on Saturday when I noticed Tyler tensing his whole shoulder girdle every time he throw a punch. It was just killing his power. You know, most martial arts teach just that, “tense on impact.” After a decade plus of Systema I’m sure the guy who wrote this gem of wisdom down carelessly omitted the key phrase, “just your fist,” leading generations of martial artists to tense their ENTIRE BODY when they punch.
I began a lengthly explanation of how tension of your “stopper muscles” keeps your power from transferring into the target and how your fist should be solid…yadda, yadda…when it hit me–some (most) times simple is best.
So I asked the class if they’d hear about Toyota.
They had.
To which I responded, “Punch Like a Prius: No Brakes.”
After the laughter died down Tyler immediately began punching harder and deeper.
Lesson learned.
Thanks Toyota.
Brad Scornavacco