Bay to LMA (Patreon)

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Introduction

We recently had two visitors drive down from the San Francisco Bay Area for a three-day Liberation Martial Arts intensive at the LMA Learning Lab in Los Angeles.

JP

JP, yellow gloves, is a former fighter and coach trying to get back into training. They want to run a training collective again using the LMA approach.

Castaways

Castaways, blue gloves, is relatively new to kickboxing but is interested in starting a training collective because they know LMA allows non-experts to run and organize training programs.

LMA Intensive

The video above documents their progress over three days. We primed them for sparring games and set their intentions and expectations. We ran them through several different introduction games. In the video, they are playing with a more open ruleset that integrates all the previous games. They are allowed to touch the head, trunk, and legs. Rather than damaging each other, the goal is to play the game.

Before every game, we start with explicit consent and verbalize the intention of safe training.

Since this was an intensive, we packed a lot in, which they understood would push them out of their comfort zones. They can't introduce games if they don't know them. We also must trust practitioners to adapt, especially if they're motivated to adapt. Practitioners must also trust themselves and each other.

What a training organizer does

If you listen to my feedback, it's different from what you'd typically hear during sparring. I'm only reminding them how to play the game and play safe. Sparring games are mutually risky play, so safety and not violating the agreed-upon rules are paramount. They should protect each other, themselves, teach themselves, and teach each other. As the organizer, I should come in first to explain the game and last as the referee. The practitioners should sort out the middle.

Safety and safeguarding

Castaways is doing well, but there's still tension. We worked on creating ease, but that doesn't mean tension completely disappears. Tension influences movement, and Castaways keeps backing up into the mirror, which is the most significant risk in this training room. JP, however, safeguards him by moving back and giving Castaways space.

What's more dangerous to your life, crashing into the mirror and having shattered glass rain down on you or getting lightly touched to the body? Shattered glass. But when our startle response kicks in, our executive functions shut off. Our startle response is ancient and doesn't understand artificial things like glass or the theoretical harm of it crashing on you, especially if you've never experienced that. It does understand the consequences of touch, which, unfortunately, many of us have experienced. So, JP, being the more experienced practitioner, has to scale to prevent the partner from hurting themselves. When you're the more experienced practitioner, scaling includes safeguarding.

My job as the training organizer is to keep the practitioners safe and let them self-direct their own learning. Sometimes, I have to remind them that they aren't sparring but playing LMA. This game isn't meant to simulate a life-or-death situation; it's just a game with no stakes. Removing the stakes unburdens their learning and allows them to self-learn. It's a liberatory learning process.

Progressing the games

Having JP and Castaways work with different movers accelerates their learning process because they have to adapt and compare. They must explore what is universal and what is adjusted for each mover.

JP already had a distinct style, but within a matter of rounds, Castaways materialized their own movement style.

Three sessions later, I had JP and Castaways increase the intensity. Castaways is less rigid and more nimble and reacts well to light, fast shots. They're also showing great control, which requires composure. JP now has to adapt rather than rely on memorized combinations. Since he doesn't have to safeguard Castaways as much, he has the room to do that. However, it's a lengthier process to unlearn to learn.

Can Castaways explain or mechanically teach many of the clever movements they made? Probably not. Can they run these games safely and allow practitioners to emerge their own movements? Yes. Can they be positive and encouraging? Yes. You can know what you're doing as an LMA training organizer in a matter of days. Saying, "I don't know what I'm doing," and that belief has no relevance in LMA. There are no imposters in LMA because there is no idealized person you're supposed to be.

Anyone can organize

During sessions for other practitioners, I had Castaways give positive feedback and play referee. People can do that from day one. If you walk in the door as a thoughtful, conscientious person, you already have much to offer. You can probably detect tension and the startle response better than reactionary martial arts instructors.

Practitioner feedback is mostly implicit. Their bodies tell us more and better than their mouths. A care-informed person understands this better than most in Western martial arts, where the prevailing culture is often toxic rather than care-informed. My five-year-old child often plays training organizer, reminding practitioners to breathe and stay within the pitch (play area). He understands breath-holding and boundaries. Anyone participating in LMA should be able to step up and organize. However, we are better positioned to notice what practitioners are telling us when we are at ease. We don't need a library of mechanical knowledge or so-called mastery over techniques; we just need to care, including for ourselves. Fostering good movers is not about instruction but space, safety, and encouragement.

– Sam