I have long thought of rank as milestones - things to check whether or not you are on the right path. Recently I have begun to pay attention to the signposts as well.

About nine months ago I moved to Philadelphia to begin graduate school at Temple University. The problem is that there is no training group within reasonable distance. So what's a lonely 6th kyu gonna do in this wilderness, no milestones in sight? Why recruit, of course!

If you want to practice your two person kata, you have to have another body to practice with. In the course of time, I have found several people to practice with. But now I have to teach them the fundamentals. Won't do having my training partners go home injured. They won't come back that way.

So, I was leading a practice and I pulled out one of my books and picked a basic Kata. I looked at it, and found out that I didn't "know" that one, so I did it once or twice to figure it out. Then I taught it to them.

The next day, I realized something. I had just passed another milestone. I actually know enough to understand basic kata myself. My teacher has successfully given me the first couple of principles, and I know how to use them.

I no longer consider ranking to be milestones - they're signposts. Milestones come at regular intervals. To recognize them you only have to be paying attention. Signposts, on the other hand come irregularly. You never know when the next one will show up. In hilly and wooded terrain there might be several signposts between milestones. In flat, unobstructed terrain there may be many milestones between signposts.

On our path, we do need to pay attention to the signposts. Just don't forget to look for the milestones.

The first training drill I was ever introduced to was one dealing with movement. Like many drills, your partner attacks you. Your objective is to get out of the way - without touching your partner.

BASIC DRILL:
Have your partner stand in "ready position" and attack you with a specific attack at either 1/4 speed or "slow motion". Before you tell him/her that you are ready, choose an element to move in. When they attack, get out of the way. If they hit you, figure out what you did wrong, and do it again correcting the problem. If they miss, check your positioning. Is it safe? How easy is it for your attacker to continue on? Is it correct? Is your kamae correct for your body? What could you do from here?

VARIATIONS:
1) Vary the attacks: Have your attacker chose the attack without telling you what it is.

2) Void defense: Don't chose which element to move from, just move. Then when you analyze later, figure out what it is that you did do.

3) Speed it up a little: Try 1/2 or 3/4 speed. It'll get the adrenaline flowing.

4) Add multiple attacks: Try it where the attacker follows up with an extra one or two attacks.

5) Timed: Try it for one or two minutes, with as many attacks as the attacker can get off.

6) Weapons: Give a training weapon to the attacker.

There are, of course, many more variations, but this should keep you busy for quite some time. That is, unless you ignore the rest of your training. But that's another story.

John Price is a struggling grad student who does Ninpo to stay sane. You can reach him by E-mail at jprice@thunder.ocis.temple.edu, or by phone at (610) 649-8464. John trains at Miller's Martial Art's in Sunbury, PA whenever he can get home. If you want to train with him, drop him a line. But you don't have to train with him... he'll train with you if you'd rather.