# It Is All The Same! - Link: https://brianejohns.com/2016/07/06/blog-it-is-all-the-same/ - Published: 2016-07-06T16:57:00-04:00 - Author: Brian Johns > _I am pleased to present a guest post from my good friend, RoseAnne Mussar. She > hails from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and trains in Modern Arnis at the [6Tigers Academy](https://6tigers.ca/) > in Barrhaven (Ottawa) under Renshi Janet Heffernan. She also trains in the American > Cane System, often traveling to New York for training. Here, she expounds on why > it is all the same_! _She has written about her [experiences in the martial arts](https://brianejohns.com/2016/03/28/blog-never-too-late/), > and why she started training._ ## “It is all the same!” – my story in three acts and finale. **Act 1:** Lately, I have been having many_ “light bulb moments” in stick class. Times where I feel I have gained an important insight, and say to myself “gee I never thought of it that way”, or “that makes so much sense!” Maybe it’s because I’ve been doing this a while and am starting to get a clue, or I’m just better _focusing in class and being in the moment. **Act 2:** Professor Presas travelled the world for decades, teaching Modern Arnis as “the art within your art”. He was known to say “_[it is all the same!](https://brianejohns.com/2020/01/13/blog-archie-moore/)_” This is truly a profound insight into the world of martial arts training and practice. The more I think about it, the more gobsmacked I am at its brilliance and profundity. Gobsmacked I tellz ya! **Act 3:** I am very fortunate to train not only with my dear hubby Gary but also with our son Cameron, who is both unbelievably brilliant AND good-looking (sorry – just fulfilling my contractual parental obligations here). He has an encyclopedic memory for Modern Arnis techniques, and often corrects me when I forget the proper sequence, or use the wrong version of a particular disarm or whatever. He also has a knack for [making connections](https://brianejohns.com/2016/04/04/blog-the-power-of-similarities/) that I would never have thought of. This kid is my external hard drive of knowledge. ### Finale: In a recent class, we were doing a basic block-check-counter drill against all 12 angles of attack. This is basic, basic stuff, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn from it or apply more advanced techniques. I have done this drill many times with a basic “slice” block – an introductory level block that gets you used to blocking a stick with your stick and following through with a counter attack. But now that I am a brown belt student, it’s time to step it up. The blocking technique is changed to have more power, speed, and efficacy. But after doing the simpler block a bajillion times, I sometimes have a hard time remembering to do the more advanced version, especially on the lower #8 and #9 strikes. ![](https://i0.wp.com/brianejohns.com//wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Similarities.png? resize=560%2C315&ssl=1) Similarities between the #8 strike and the down block. So Renshi Janet reminded me: “It’s like a down block and a golf swing.” Block the# 8 strike as if you were doing a down block (or low block in karate), but with a stick in your hand. It is exactly the same (and for the record – way more power and speed than a beginner-style slice block). ![](https://i1.wp.com/bamboospiritmartialarts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/8vs8- scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C765&ssl=1) 8 vs. 8. The #9 side is like a golf swing (or tennis forehand if you prefer). It is also the same motion used in reverse sinawali boxing – except with a stick in your hand. Or the reverse double sinawali stick drill for that matter. So many connections – IT IS ALL THE SAME. ![](https://i2.wp.com/bamboospiritmartialarts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/9vs9- scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C765&ssl=1) 9 vs.9. Then my handsome and brilliant son offered this gem: “Mom, just meet the 8 and 9 with an 8 and 9.” ### WhaBAM! The connection comes full circle! 󠀁[Connections within connections](https://brianejohns.com/2022/06/29/blog-making-the-connections/)󠁿! CONNECEPTION! I love nerding out about martial arts. This is the kind of thing that keeps me jazzed and coming back for more. For me it’s as much an intellectual exercise as a physical one. Modern Arnis is unabashedly, SHAMELESSLY, honest about its connections to other arts. I think this also provides a strong foundation for the student to make connections between various techniques within the art. Plus, I think it speaks to the commonality of human experience. We all have the same basic physiology: our arms and legs all have the same joints; our nerves run along the same pathways; our muscles do the same things. We all have the same wants and needs: to live a happy life; to keep ourselves and loved ones safe. ## It IS all the same, because WE are all the same. ### Share this post: * [ X ](https://brianejohns.com/2016/07/06/blog-it-is-all-the-same/?share=twitter) * [ Facebook ](https://brianejohns.com/2016/07/06/blog-it-is-all-the-same/?share=facebook) * [ LinkedIn ](https://brianejohns.com/2016/07/06/blog-it-is-all-the-same/?share=linkedin) * [ Threads ](https://brianejohns.com/2016/07/06/blog-it-is-all-the-same/?share=threads) * [ WhatsApp ](https://brianejohns.com/2016/07/06/blog-it-is-all-the-same/?share=jetpack-whatsapp) * [ Email ](https://brianejohns.com/2016/07/06/blog-it-is-all-the-same/?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20It%20Is%20All%20The%20Same%21&body=https%3A%2F%2Fbrianejohns.com%2F2016%2F07%2F06%2Fblog-it-is-all-the-same%2F&share=email) * [ Print ](https://brianejohns.com/2016/07/06/blog-it-is-all-the-same/#print?share=print) ### Like this: Like Loading… ### _Related_