3-D Behavioral Science: 3-D Balance of Art and Science

Happy New Year!!!

I have had the privilege of having the last few weeks for vacation and that has given me plenty of time to do a lot of thinking. I'll be honest that it wasn't a real vacation because I did see a few of my clients and athletes. I am really blessed I have these people in my life because not only do I have an opportunity to teach them, I have an opportunity to learn from them.

I will say that during this time, I have had the opportunity to think about many things and in particular this blog. I admit that the blog started out as a way for me to express my thoughts and share my education and experience with the human body, particularly focusing on Applied Functional Science and Chain Reaction Biomechanics. As I study AFS and CRB more, I realize the dimensions to these subjects is infinite. Focusing on just anatomy, biomechanics and movement is something that I did with this blog and will continue to do but with the additions of focus on the Mind and Spirit aspect of the 3-DIMENSIONALITY of the human existence.

Interestingly, these last few weeks, have afforded me many opportunities to read, write, watch, correspond and meet with so many awesome people. It's funny that sometimes we look for some "guru" to help us change our lives. Do not get me wrong. I think we need advisers, mentors and teachers in our lives, but I feel there is a point where we have to be like the baby birds who are pushed out of their nests by the mother bird. We either fly or we fall. However, I do not think either is a bad thing. Sometimes the fall, if it doesn't kill us, makes us stronger.


In my last post about 3-D Functional Grappling, I really worked hard on the technical aspect of grappling and that was just scratching the surface. I was able to work with 3 athletes over the Christmas holiday on grappling and we went over the some of the fundamentals that I discussed in my two posts on Grappling/Wrestling. After our small group sessions, to say that they had improved was an understatement. Myron, who has only been studying grappling a few months, was able to return back to his home studio and compete and beat guys who were his level and above. He even said that the people who he sparred against noticed a marked difference in his abilities. His desire to improve himself along with his understanding of the principles of functional grappling, allowed him to elevate his performance after only a few hours of dedicated practice with me.

As Myron and I corresponded on his progress, we both came to some conclusions regarding the Functional Grappling. The first that if principles are not understood, the fundamentals movements will not be fully understood and executed. He also thought that while the information could be very technical, it was necessary. With this feedback, I thought that maybe the balance of ART AND SCIENCE was off. Too much technical focus can lead to what one of my mentors calls "paralysis by analysis", and I think that's where I was. I was so wrapped up in the details of the science that I forgot that this was a MARTIAL ART.
With at least a basic understanding of the science, the art of the grappling comes much easier. You are able to flow a bit more because the flow is still anchored to principles. Yes, I still feel like learning techniques is important; HOWEVER, the more I coach grapplers and wrestlers, the more I feel like they have to be able to express themselves as artists who are free to improvise as well. "Live" grappling/wrestling is seldom like drills. Its an important part but this is where I feel many teachers and coaches get hung up on.

When I think about this BALANCE OF ART AND SCIENCE, I feel that is applicable to everything that we do. As a jazz pianist, it was vital that I spent the first few months of my practice learning scales, chord progressions, finger/hand/elbow placement, posture. I had to learn all of the scales in their respective keys as well as the chords. Learning Jazz Theory in college was one of the hardest classes that I took next to Money and Banking but it paid off in the long run. When I got to a situation where I needed to analyze a particular progression or scale, it was almost second nature to me. However, when I improvised I really was able to play. There were many points where I felt that I had reached some kind of limit to my playing in either classical or jazz piano so I returned to the science of piano playing. I returned to posture, scales, chord progressions, breathing and all the things that are "boring" to many. When I did this, my playing went to another level. All of these technical aspects are rooted in Principles of Function.

As I return back to the blog, I will focus on the Balance of Art and Science. Yes, we need to know the 3-D Anatomy of the body, Chain Reaction Biomechanics and Functional Muscle/Soft Tissue Function. Those are all important. However, we must step back and be flexible enough that we are able to improvise and adapt to situations still based on the Principles of Function.. The human experience is an ongoing process. We do not learn to a certain age and then stop. If we do, we find ourselves becoming robots who drag ourselves through the day only to return to base, recharge and do it all over again.

The 3-D Human Experience is Mind/Body/Spirit. They are not separate, and finding balance throughout our the WHOLE experience is a lifelong journey. Embrace it.

I will continue posting. I apologize for not doing so sooner, but I needed to re-evaluate the blog and my reasons for doing it. Thank you all for reading. There is definitely more to come.

Om Shanti,

Will