The Art Of Follow Through

Shortly after I retired from the military, my dad attempted to introduce me to his favorite pastime; golf. Admittedly, I never really had a burning desire to learn the game. Chasing around a little white ball and trying to knock it into a small hole is just not the type of challenge that excites me, but I knew how much Dad loved the game, so I gave it shot. About a week before we were scheduled to play, I bought a couple of golf videos and picked up one of those “wiffle” golf balls to practice driving in the backyard.

To mine and my dad’s surprise, my first two drives were actually pretty good. It only took me about seven follow-up shots to put the ball in the hole each time. I know that sounds like a lot, but it was my first time…get off me. After the first two holes, I had an unearned sense of confidence that quickly dissipated throughout the day.

The unfortunate thing about golf is that once you start sucking at it, you continue to suck at it until the very last hole. There were times I dug up the green so bad, the moles were embarrassed for me. We had to let other golfers play through several times because I couldn’t connect with the ball. I’m pretty sure I bent one of the loner clubs Dad got for me and I lost at least five of his golf balls. True to form, Dad never said a word until we got in the car. “Son,” he said, “I love you and I’m glad you’re home. But we’re not going golfing again until you get some lessons.”

As much as I hate to admit it, there are several life lessons golf can teach us. Patience for sure but something I gleaned from that experience was the importance of follow through. Anybody who has ever swung a baseball bat, tennis racquet or golf club has and understanding of follow through. Basically, it means that you can’t do something half way. If you’re going to hit a home run, make a good impression, achieve a sales quota or complete a life goal, you put everything you have behind it. As with many other things, this is especially true in martial arts.

Japanese sword masters understand follow through very well. In order to test their technique and skill, advanced swordsmen will practice cutting through rice stalks or old tatami mats that are rolled and formed into a shape that simulates a human neck. If the master's technique is accurate, the blade will cut right through the target. However, if the cut is too shallow or the practitioner fails to fully commit, the sword will create a jagged slice or perhaps not even complete the cut. While it may seem barbaric compared to western culture, samurai warriors prided themselves on their ability to make clean and decisive cuts when facing an enemy. You see, a precise strike to the neck with the intention of severing the head was considered to be humane because it would reduce a victim’s suffering and pain.

The art of follow through is a constant challenge in most martial arts training. A lot of people would love to twirl the nunchaku (nunchucks) like Bruce Lee and I’ve seen some pretty fancy demonstrations but there’s a big difference between showmanship and application. Try to hit a solid object with two sticks bound by a small rope or chain and you will understand what a lack of intent and follow through does to your hands or your head. The same holds true for any number of striking and kicking techniques. I was introduced to point-fighting early in my karate training and I can tell you that it’s essentially a game of tag with hands and feet. One of my instructors actually told me that it wasn’t important that I knew karate but that I looked like I knew karate in order to win a tournament. The thing about point-fighting is that there are strict rules about excessive contact. If you spend the majority of your time training to be a good point-fighter, you have a tough time learning about follow through and supseqently, practical application.

Over the years, I’ve had a lot of potential students inquire about martial arts lessons in our dojo. People call or email and some even come to watch a class or two. They appear interested, tell me they are excited to train but then never call back or return to the dojo. We’ve had other people train for a couple classes and then we never hear from them. I’m sure people have a lot of good reasons for not calling back or quitting but I can only surmise that part it has to do with lack of follow through. Commitment is surprisingly a tough thing for a lot of people. They want to train, tell me how interested they are in gaining confidence, discipline, losing weight, etc., but just cannot or will not commit. Many of us have a desire accomplish something, but once we see how difficult it is, we change our minds. And we make a jagged cut through our goals, perhaps through life. How many times have we all backed away from a challenge only to regret it later down the road?

Follow through is not easy and takes practice and patience. It also takes a certain level vulnerability. You have to be prepared to fail and perhaps get hurt once in a while. And you have to put in the reps. But those who push themselves to step up to the plate, the golf tee or to life have far more potential to gain something rather than those who merely want to achieve but never commit.

Dave Magliano

Tatsu Dojo

Jissenkan Budo

Dojo Cho