The Art of Martial Arts Teaching and Programming Techniques

Great teachers program their students for quick reactions in martial arts, blending technique with instinctive responses.

### The Art of Teaching and Programming in Martial Arts
* 🥋 The speaker expresses **deep gratitude** for their martial arts teachers, particularly highlighting **Stan Triplett and Edward J. Smith** as exceptional mentors who **greatly influenced their journey**.
* 🧠 Triplett was known for his **precise and direct teaching style**, often using **visual aids and physical manipulation** to ensure students understood the movements correctly.
* 🔄 In contrast, Smith employed a unique method of mental conditioning that involved **creating confusion before providing clarity**, which the speaker found **valuable in their own teaching**.
* 💡 The speaker reflects on how effective teaching can sometimes feel like "**programming**," where students learn to **react instinctively** in high-pressure situations, akin to **military training**.
* ⚡ An anecdote is shared about a spontaneous reaction during a playful moment with a girlfriend, illustrating how **ingrained responses can manifest without conscious thought** due to prior training.
* 🤔 The conversation shifts to the balance between technique and ferocity in martial arts, emphasizing that **both elements are essential for effective self-defense**.
* 👊 The speaker recounts their training experiences, including moments of **surprise attacks from their sensei**, which were designed to **prepare them for real-world scenarios** and enhance their **readiness**.
* 🤝 Ultimately, the bond formed with fellow martial artists creates a **sense of safety and camaraderie**, making the training experience not only about physical skills but also about **building a supportive community**.

Get out of here! Yeah, you know, your vast knowledge and training, and you're a great teacher. I mean, out of all the SES I've had, you're the best teacher I've ever had. I mean, I'm just, you know, not just saying that. You—I wouldn't be here

if you weren't. Thank you. You know what I mean? I think that uh, I look at—I had many martial arts teachers, but the two that stand out are Stan Triplett, 'cause I was with him for about seven and a

half years, and, um, and obviously Edward J. Smith. So, um, Stan Triplett was a phenomenal teacher. He was a phenomenal teacher. Everything was on point. He was just really good at teaching. He was very poignant, he was very direct, he was very exacting in his movements. He

was very like, 'This needs to move like this, and this needs to look like this.' This is—and he would, if you didn't get it verbally, he would show you a picture of himself. You know, he would pose it for you, and he would do it, and

if you didn't get that, he would physically grab you and manipulate your body into doing it correctly. I took that from him. And then, and then my teacher—my teacher taught through, um, you know, I say my teacher, my other teacher, my teacher, uh, Edward J.

Smith—say he taught through really interesting means. One was, you know, how you do that thing when you're teaching piano? Teach right there. Yeah, yeah. And they say, 'Which key is it?' I just go right there, and I don't even go over and show them.

But then they get it, they get it. Yeah, Smith would do that to me all the time. I would say, "Is it supposed to be...?" And he'd say, "Yes." And I like that, that confusion before the awakening; it's so important. So he would

set up like mental conditioning. I had another student give me a compliment; he said to me—this is another backhanded compliment—he said to me, "Sensei, sometimes I feel like you don't teach me; sometimes I feel like you're programming me." I thought, "I thought you are very

intelligent." That was my first thinking, like, "You, you figured that out; that's wonderful." But he thought he was saying something bad.  Yeah, no, you were right. You're right. Some of a good teacher will teach A, B, absolutely, but there are times where it's very

difficult to get through, um, because of a lot of things, you know, mental blocks, uh, physical inability, um, all kinds of things. But anyone—this is going to sound weird to the public—this is one of those things that my wife says not to say...

But we'll explain it. We'll explain it, though. We'll explain it. I know what you mean. We'll explain it. The programming is... it's not about manipulation, but it's about... actually, it is, but not the kind the

public is aware of. What was really funny was a person watching my Aikido video and they said, "Look at what he's doing right now; that's a classic case of hypnotic suggestion." And I'm watching the video like, "He's trying...

To troll me, and I watched the video, I was like, "Well, he's right. Like, he's right. That's that's me teaching." I was going beyond the conscious mind; I was touching into the subconscious. Yeah, but purposefully, you have to in this art.

Well, it's just it's a lot quicker to teach—it's a lot quicker to program than it is to teach. And here's the thing: if I was this bad guy, then I wouldn't program because there's a lot more money in teaching, 'cause they're going to get it

a lot slower. I'm programming so that they pick it up fast; they pick it up really fast. Okay, I'll give you—I'll give them an example of what programming is. Sure. So I'm—I'm probably told this story on another episode,

but I can't remember. But I was in bed, uh, wrestling with my girlfriend, and you know, she wouldn't stop, like, pushing me. Like, "Come on, stop pushing me! Stop pushing me! I'm trying to go to sleep." She's like, "No, come on, wake up!"

No, come on, stop!" She goes to throw a punch at me, and I tensed, and—but without knowing it, I tensed and grabbed her arm, and I hear *boom*. Yeah, and I turn around; I'm like, "Oh my God, I'm so sorry." She—she's going, "Ow!" She hit her head because

not because of something I thought of doing, just something—but because I was programmed to do it. Yes, if there's an arm coming at me, I've been programmed to move a certain way. Yes, without thinking about it, because if I would have thought about it, I wouldn't have done it, 'cause it

was my girlfriend, but I reacted as I was programmed. And, you know, thought is half of it; thought is half of it, but you need the other half, you know? Those of you that are like, all, you know...

I'm sure that this... this tangent can possibly...

be its own episode. Maybe we should cut it. Oh, but the point is that the programming part is necessary. And, you know, the military knows this, and they really program body, body, head, body, body, head; you know, they really program. And it's a necessary thing

because sometimes you're not going to be thinking. Mhm. And you need to rely on that training. And that training is about becoming entrained. And uh, and I feel bad for the teachers; I feel bad for the students that don't do it.

Edward Smith was very good at programming. Um, he would take you off topic, and then he'd bring you back to it with violence. And one of the things, you know, starting out was you were like a scared field mouse, like, 'What's he going to do

next?' Yeah, it was always like that; it was always like that. So you had to react all the time because you'd be sitting here like this, and you'd sp—and he'd just suck you. So you'd be like—and you would try to make a

neurological association, like, 'Whatever I did, I will never do that again.' You know, that that was what you did, 'cause you just got sucked in; sensei's pissed. And then you would smile, like, 'How are you? What's—oh, you're right. Look at you!' Like there's...

Something wrong with you, and like, ah, am I crazy, or did you just suck me? You know, I go, 'Are you having a problem with this? Are you having a bad day?' It's just... it was always there, that type of...

God, what kind of relationship was that? That was a weird one. God, it was a weird one. Uh, but talk about why would you stay, stick around for that? Well, that was difficult. That was... see, that's your superpower: pain. You're like, '[___] pain.

I'm going to stick around for this [___]. Yes, yeah. Well, when someone jiggles and like people fly through the air... Oh yeah, not going anywhere. I understand that. Man is magical. Like, can you give me magic? And you sat there and got it. That's what it

was. It was just... and you know, and what I mean by that magic is that the icky, the higher forms of Ike, they... they look totally magical. Another backhanded compliment is when they say, 'Oh, that looks so fake. We've got to put a clip of that in there.' The

fake-looking stuff that's so real. Yeah, so when they say, 'Oh, that's so fake,' I... I'm like, 'Yeah, yeah, it does look fake.' I was there. I was there not believing it. I was there not believing it, you know? And yeah, you know. But anyway, how I became the

teacher that I... that I am today is: one, I had a phenomenal teacher; and two, I had a really good programmer, you know? And I get to reap all the benefits of that. Thanks to you. And I bought the book. And I bought the book. Yeah, yeah. I'm making it out. I'm making

It's out, but the programming is crazy. Now we should really talk a little bit more about that because I don't want people getting the wrong idea. What the programming does is...

...I feel like you're going to punch me now! Like, I'm all scared and... I feel like he's going

to throw a sucker punch, and I've got to... deflect. Well, if you're on point, then I wouldn't do it. Oh, I'm scared now! I'm scared. I wouldn't do it if you were like, on point.

Okay, so the thing is, like, um... I was just speaking to my student, Ed. You know Ed? Ed was on the show. Yes, so Ed was telling me about it; talking to me about some stuff, and he was like, "What do you think that this group has? What do you think

that that group has?" Looking at different martial arts, and I said, "Uh," I said, "Man, their technique... we're looking at a specific martial art. I like their technique, but it's sloppy. It's lousy." And he'd say, "What do you think is their

their strength?" And I say, "They've got ferocity. You know, they're going to rip you apart." I like that. And the thing is that sometimes I always watch the guys that flinch; the guys that aren't interested in fighting back; those are the guys that are really going to get hurt.

Some guys are like perfect tacticians. You know, I watch some Jiu-Jitsu, and it's just sharp, and I love it! I love it. I look at it like... you know, other people look at art; I'm looking at it like, "Oh, that's so smooth! It's so tight! It's so"

Freaking perfect! It's beautiful. When I see good Jiu-Jitsu, I love it. Other times I see sloppy, crappy Jiu-Jitsu, and I see an animal, and I'm like, "Oh, I love it!" You know? And it's not the...

What you want is both. You know what? What you want is both. When I mean by "animal," I mean a man that's just... he's going to... he's he's a... he's a murderer, you know what I mean? But like, a passion for...

it, like he's a lunatic, you know? And that is something that you need to jump into; a mental state that you need to jump into and not lose that beautiful, smooth, and crisp technique. You want both, right? But the thing is that usually martial arts is one or the other. You get the guy...

that's half a bubble off level, as my father puts it; the guy that... a bubble... he's just... he's... he's... what did uh... my student Anthony used to... used to say? He's tweaking. He just... he's... he's...

snapped. He he already snapped, and he's going to snap again, you know? And if you have that... um... that's unfortunately, because so many people are untrained, that's your whole martial art right there. You're... you know, I've heard that so many times...

Oh, I don't need martial arts; I'm freaking crazy! And yeah, yeah, yeah, that can work for you, especially in this day and age. You're not going up against somebody who's truly trained. And being crazy... cuz you're going... you you're going...

to you're going to lose your crazy ass is going to be upside down, you know. But for someone who's not trained, yeah, I I'll swing like a lunatic and I'll just keep coming. Um, one thing that I always thought [__] was awesome at was just

that just that, cuz they had some some someo—and it's always some, you know, cuz you got your lousy—everybody's, you know, you got your lousy—you could you could talk about the greatest martial art ever, and then you got somebody that's doing

it lousy. But you got your crisp Sambo guys that are really crisp, and then you have lunatics. And the lunatics that are crisp—now there's not too many martial arts that I'll say this about—but the lunatic that's crisp at

Sambo, I don't I wouldn't want to face him. I'm not saying that I wouldn't go in confident; I'm saying I wouldn't want to. Mhm. You know, that's that's that's a deadly combo, you know. Those guys, you

know, a real [__] guy. I don't think I've seen [__] Sambo's Russian. What's it related to?  Jiu-Jitsu. Oh, Russian Jiu-Jitsu. Yeah, like they don't have the greatest entries. Mhm. Sometimes they enter with

their face just like the punch comes in. Oh God, like, no. I wouldn't want…like caveman. It's very strange. Seen it, seen it. Like sometimes they have good entries, but okay entries. Sometimes they have okay entries, but sometimes it's just like, screw the

entry. I'm just... and I'm not arguing. I'm like, you know, you look at it and you know, so you know, is it the is it the best, most ideal? No. Well, yeah, yeah. He's freaking crazy. He's going to kill that guy. It's going to work. We have to do

that as much as too often you get the guy that wants to look too fancy and the guy that wants to go too crazy. You got to, you got to balance it. But where were we? Ying and yang. Um, that was a tangent. Where were we? Big time. Oh, we're

talking about the programming thing. Programming. Okay, so that comfort, that comfort had to be instilled and then the attack had to come from nowhere, so that you could have a switch that went on. Otherwise, if you're not ready or quick to violence, you're vulnerable.

which is that that fierceness you're talking about. Like these guys, you got to be able to... um, there's a there's a scene in uh, in *Goodfellas*. I'm a big fan of uh, you know, mob flicks and especially

mob flicks. But they're talking about Joe Pesci's character and how he just snaps. What, you know, what makes this guy a good mobster? Actually, I don't think it was *Goodfellas*. I mean, he flips out in *Goodfellas*, but I think it was *Casino*.

*Casino* sounds like it. I think it was *Casino*, cuz he just, he's just, you know, he's hanging out one second and then snap, beating a guy's head in. And that, that kind of thing, because you're not used to it, um, someone's going to get the upper

I'd like to think that one's going to get the upper hand on my students because I acclimate them to... um... I was acclimated to that. I mean, my Sensei and I are hanging out outside of class, you know...

Now it's a fond memory, but at the time it was a horrible memory. I was driving down the street, down MacArthur Road towards 7th Street, and I go over the bridge as 145 becomes 7th Street

toward Allentown, leaving Whitehall. I go over the bridge and, um, out of the blue, you know, he's sitting next to me. I'm driving; out of the blue, it just comes like this, and he just *boom* like this as I'm

driving. And when you get hit that hard, you can't see straight. When you get hit when you don't know what's coming... So he came from the back seat? No, no, no. He—I mean, he was in the front seat, but he'd leave his arm back that

far like that. And I was like, 'What in the world?' And I'm just trying to, like, I'm trying to put my hand up in an arc so that I don't receive another one, and I'm trying to see the road and not swerve.

Well, I was obsessed with him, like there's no much... And he was trying to get rid of you all the time. He was obviously trying to get rid of you, but he would use the crap out of you in the meantime. Yeah, so... so, um... so yeah, and a

Half an hour later, we're driving in Montgomeryville, which is outside of Philly.  He tried to throw a punch. We were in conversation, it was about spiritual things, and he tries to throw this punch. I was quick to

avoid violence. I had my hands on the wheel, and as this punch is coming—it's an uppercut—I deflected it and I stuck his hand down. I trapped his hand down with my elbow and I brought my fist

Oh, so you had a trap, and you had the wheel, and you had a free arm. I could hit him, and I wouldn't dare try to hit him, but showing that I was ready to hit him. And he just—he's so

calm, so calm. He just pulls his arm back. It was like, like totally unimpressed. I freaking trained the hell out of that, by the way. Like, I knew that one day it was coming. I was waiting a year and a half for it to come, and

when it did come, I was ready. I was on point. It was perfect. I was really happy with that. And I just heard this—this is all he gave me—was he sucked his teeth. Like it was like he was almost annoyed.

through is crazy! What the heck! And so, so parts of that training then actually made its way to the defensive driving tape you did. You did a video where it was like the driving defense of somebody trying to attack you from the back seat from the

Front seat, I got attacked. You actually went through that? Yeah, that's a testament to that. Yes. Now, the difference between—I don't want to get it wrong—my sensei's big thing was the initial attack. It was always initiating, like the initial attack. It wasn't like, after that, it was all over.

It's just that he wasn't interested in beating me down; he was just interested in showing me vulnerability. So, like, if he could hit me five times, he wouldn't. He would just show me that he could hit me five times. He would hit me that first time so that

I could see, 'Oh, man, I could have gotten tagged like 10 more times,' you know what I mean? Right? Like, that was the—that was it. You know, that's good, though. Like, it's good training. The way he went about it is a little harsh, but thank God you

got that, you know, special ability to be able to take that kind of pain. There's no special ability. Yeah, yeah, it is, 'cause I would not have stuck around. I developed close personal relationships, and then, oh yeah, see you guys, see. And then, and then so

there's going to—you guys stay tuned, 'cause there's going to be an interview with Sensei where he's going to actually clock me. No, you know, and then I'm going to have to practice at home for this [___]. It happens at a very specific rank. Oh, oh.

Okay, so let it be known, I'm a blue belt. So, at what rank will I have—it's at green? It's at gray. Why am I saying green? It's at gray. So I'm at blue, so I

Got red, green. You got red, purple. You got red, purple, um, green, and then gray, gray. All right, I'm not far off. A gray, a gray. You could just get attacked. It's end gray right now. Mhm. Oh, good. See, I didn't know I could just start. He just

gets attacked all the time. I didn't know that. Yeah, he... wait till I find Ed. Well, this is one we don't attack Ed. This is one we don't attack Ed. Okay, understood. When, when he's like this, don't attack him. He's ready, right? If

he's not ready, and then you, then you comfort him. Oh yeah, he does. All right, hopefully he won't see this. He comforts him. Yeah, brother. It's so good to... and that's, you know, I, I urge everyone to do that. And he can't hit me back. I

mean, he can, but... Oh yeah, no, he's got to lock you up and stop you. Okay, so but the big thing is that initial thing. You see how fun this dojo is? Why wouldn't you want to be a part of this? Yeah, it's a little crazy, we have, but we

have fun. It's good training. It is a little crazy. So when you're a grade belt, you get attacked by your brothers all the time, and but you're allowed to finish and lock them up. You're allowed to try. Yeah, you try to stop them. We want you to stop, right? Cuz

that grade belt, you should be able to handle surprise attacks. You got to bring that fire. Mhm. And you, you know, a lot of people can bring that fire. I've heard this, I've heard a lot of people talking. Oh my gosh, so many people talk

One of the things that everybody talks about... I love when they come up to me and they'll go, "Yeah, but in real combat..." Yeah, but in real combat, I'm like, "What do you think we're doing? You think we're like playing patty-cake on the mat?"

Like, like what? Yeah, what do you think we're doing? Yeah. And you know, real combat... you know, I like to get hit three or four times and then they're in trouble. I've heard that so many times. The reason why that person's saying that is not...

because he's an idiot. It's easy to just chalk it off as that: "Oh, this guy's a freaking [ __ ]," you know? "You want to get hit three or four times, dude? I'm going to kick you in the throat the

first time, and then you're just going to be on the ground choking." So yeah, it's easy to write these guys off. It is. But the reason why they're stating that is because they don't know how to tap into it; they have to get it drawn out of them.

Right? They have to get it drawn out. So the first time they get hit, they're not awake. They're like, "Ah, what was that about?" You know? Like the second time they get hit, "Oh, oh, that sucked." And then the third time they get hit, they're like, "Oh, hell

no!" Right? Now they're awake. And now they're awake, and now they can retaliate, which is... I understand it. It's the human condition. If you're not ready, you gotta be quick to fire. You gotta be cuddly, a teddy bear: "I love you!"

I'll freaking kill you! Boom! And that... that's so necessary, and that comes from programming. That is... um... wasn't it Maslow? Maslow... uh... who rang the bell, uh... rang the bell, fed the dog, rang the bell, fed the dog, and then he was like, 'Come here, check

this out.' And he rings the bell and the dog salivates, 'cause he knows he's getting food. That's... that's it. You know, I don't see the fire yet. I don't see the fire yet. And then I just keep ringing that bell, and then anybody can ring the bell

and boom, you're on, you're on. You know, we have a lot of different sayings in the dojo: switched on, things like that. You're switched on. Um, but uh, my student Jack... Jack... Jack Tool Sensei... talk about a... a detailed practitioner. That man embodies my teachings. Very

proud of him. I taught him since he was like 13, and uh... and he's in his 20s, and he's... he's amazing. He's very, very talented, very talented. And he's... he's one that wanted to test his talents. He got

uh... he got a job at a bar as a bouncer at Tally Ho, Tally Ho, which is like, you know, it gets rowdy. It does. And uh... it's always in Playboy Magazine as like the number one party. Mike Tyson was there.

Yeah, Mike Tyson was there, uh, two or three months ago. Yeah, I believe it, 'cause it's a big... you know, it's a big deal. That far. So anyway, a lot of fights happen. Cops are always outside the bar just waiting, um... because fights happen. So he's

dealt with everything from knife attacks, all kinds of stuff, and he's done phenomenally. I do attribute all of that to time on the mat, I do, but I also attribute it to the programming. He was very nervous about that programming. One conversation he just brought up to me

the other day, and this is why it's fresh in my head. Uh, he said to me, he said, "Remember when I was driving in my pickup truck and you stopped me and you leaned in?"

I had a message for him, you know? So I fed him down like this, and he slows up, and I roll down the window, and he rolls down the window, and I lean in the window and I go, "Jack." And he's like, "Yes, Sensei." I go,

"Boom! I just knocked you out." Yeah, in the car, you just decked him and then walked away. Now that seems crazy, right? Yeah, so that seems crazy, but I'll tell you what, man, I'll tell you what: you're not getting the

jump, no, not anymore. You just can't get the jump. No, there's no way, not at the window at least. Well, the window... My point is, it wasn't just that; there were other instances where, you know, I comforted him. I did different things

other times, just out of the blue, just, "Hey, man," whatever it is, whatever it could be. And there's always a concept and an understanding of proximity. Right now, right now, closest target to closest weapon; your elbow is the closest thing that can come

Teaching vs. Programming, Interview with sensei season 3, #48

sogobujutsu

Appreciation for the teacher and influence of past instructors

Speaker expresses gratitude for the teacher's skills and impact.

Mentions Stan Triplett and Edward J. Smith as significant martial arts teachers.

Describes Stan Triplett's teaching style as phenomenal, poignant, direct, and exacting.

Contrasts Triplett's hands-on approach with Smith's more indirect, mentally conditioning style.

Illustrates Smith's teaching method using a piano analogy.

The concept of 'programming' in martial arts instruction

A student's compliment about feeling 'programmed' is discussed.

Explains that 'programming' is about subconscious conditioning, not manipulation.

An anecdote about a viewer's comment on hypnotic suggestion in Aikido videos is shared.

Speaker clarifies that programming is faster and more efficient than traditional teaching.

Illustrates programming with a personal anecdote about reacting instinctively to a girlfriend's actions.

Teaching styles of Edward J. Smith and the speaker's own approach

Describes Smith's teaching method as involving off-topic diversions followed by sudden physical corrections.

Reflects on the unusual teacher-student dynamic and the speaker's resilience.

Discusses the paradoxical nature of highly effective techniques appearing 'fake'.

Summarizes the speaker's teaching philosophy as a combination of phenomenal teaching and effective programming.

Analysis of different martial arts styles and desired balance

Compares the technique and ferocity of different martial arts styles.

Expresses appreciation for both technically proficient and ferocious fighting styles.

Emphasizes the ideal of combining precise technique with raw, uncontrolled aggression.

Discusses the effectiveness of uncontrolled aggression in untrained opponents.

Highlights the combination of precision and ferocity in Sambo as a particularly effective style.

The importance of readiness and the 'snap' in combat

Emphasizes the necessity of instilling comfort and then launching unexpected attacks.

Uses examples from films like *Casino* to illustrate the concept of sudden, unpredictable aggression.

Recounts a personal experience of being unexpectedly struck by his sensei while driving.

Describes another incident where the sensei attempted to strike him during a conversation.

Connects the training received to the defensive driving techniques demonstrated in a video.

Dojo training and the concept of surprise attacks

Discusses the frequency of surprise attacks in the dojo at different belt ranks.

Highlights the fun and challenging nature of the dojo training.

Addresses the common misconception that dojo training doesn't translate to real combat.

Explains that the initial shock of being hit can awaken a fighter's true potential.

Uses Pavlov's dog experiment to illustrate the concept of conditioning and triggering reactions.

Success story of a student and the role of programming in real-world situations

Highlights the success of a student, Jack, in a high-pressure environment as a bouncer.

Recounts an anecdote about a surprise encounter with the student, Jack, illustrating the effectiveness of the programming.

Emphasizes the importance of understanding proximity and target prioritization in self-defense.

Explains the concept of defensive and offensive maneuvers being intertwined.

Defines 'correctness' in martial arts as avoiding being hit, rather than adhering to strict technique.

Further anecdotes and concluding thoughts on training

Describes the sensei's policy of allowing students to attack him, highlighting the risks and rewards.

Illustrates the efficiency of combined movements in self-defense.

Describes a training scenario involving multiple attackers, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and preparedness.

Recounts a specific evaluation scenario involving coordinated attacks and teamwork.

Concludes with a reflection on the sense of security and camaraderie within the group.