Make Your Own

Creativity is part of learning.  When we create something and then release it into the world, we discover if it works.  In a martial context, we can create a punch counter, practice it in the air and then test it on a partner.  If we get punched in the face, it didn’t work.  If we don’t get punched in the face, end up in a better position and get a couple counter strikes in on our partner… it worked!  Simple stuff, really.
To help the students relate this creative activity to closest weapon to closest target, they had to follow two rules when making up a punch counter: 1. No duplicating targets and 2. No duplicating striking surfaces.  Thus you couldn’t kick twice to the shin or knee twice to the groin.  Similarly, you couldn’t punch to the nose then punch to the throat.  These “no duplicate” rules hopefully helped push the students into somewhat novel territory so that they begin exploring different targets and different weapons thus allowing them to find the closest weapon and closest target easier.
Check out the student’s thoughts here.