The Elephant and It's Castle: Structural Strength in Training
Devon Boorman ·
“I’m the elephant, who carries a castle as freight. I never kneel or lose my stride.” Tom Leoni translation - Fior di Battaglia, Getty Museum
To harness the ideals of the elephant in your martial form you must consider:
Structural Alignment
Placing your body in optimal positions to apply and resist force. Finding the ground path (the line that force must travel through your body to the ground) is essential to learning how to apply great power and resist mighty blows.
Weapon Alignment
Whether your fist or a sword, there are optimal and suboptimal places to do your work. Find the centreline of your body and do most of your work there. Positioning your weapons too high, too low, or too broadly will make it challenging to connect to the ground path through your tool.
Order of Operations
Sending the weapon first is not just a tactically advantageous idea, it allows you to put your body into its most optimal alignment before you meet your opponent. Emphasize good timing of hand and foot in all your training.
