Want a big tip to perfecting your martial techniques? This open secret is part of traditional kung fu wisdom and now seems to be scientifically verified. You may be hearing or reading of the 10,000 Hour Rule, expounded by the popular author, Malcolm Gladwell. He states a general theory on acquiring excellence in any field from the Beatles in music, Einstein in physics, Gates in technology, and we can extrapolate Bruce Lee in martial arts.
The “10,000 Hour Rule” essentially postulates that achieving extraordinary abilities of a specific task requires practicing twenty hours a week for ten years – or 10,000 hours. Now let us apply this to mastery of a martial art skill.
Every martial artist who throws a simple front kick, reverse punch or perhaps more specialized tiger claw or dragon take down may seem skillful after five years. But according to this theory, it is still not enough time for true excellence.
In Chinese, the words kung fu, have the same meaning of this rule although it doesn’t quantify the amount of time. In the calligraphy above, the character “kung” which means work or effort is comprised of two radicals: effort and time. Therefore, only through disciplined hard work and effort doing a specific skill over a long period of time will bring true skill. The word “fu” means human and the Chinese character juxtaposes the character for human and heaven, subtly implying a divine or cultivated person.
Whether you are dedicated to capoeira, krav maga, wing chun, jkd or mma, the 10,000 Hour Rule provides insight into the what is needed to attain superior technical abilities – not true mastery. That requires two to three times that.
Is there any specific fighting technique or form you want to make awesome? Narrow it down to a core of three techniques or a single form and apply this rule. If the wisdom of traditional kung fu and Gladwell’s rule are scientifically valid, then you are on your way to mastering those martial techniques.
Question: There are certainly many successful martial artists fighting and teaching, who have haven’t practiced the arts a decade. What are the implications? What do you think?
Keep exploring and practicing,
Lawrence Tan
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Tags: 10000 hour rule, kung fu, lawrence tan, malcolm gladwell, Martial Arts, outliers, tandao
There’s an old saying relating to martial arts, I can’t recall where I first heard it:
100 Days until the basics are understood
1000 Days until the skill becomes complete
10000 Days until mastery
Many years ago I had the opportunity to train with Grand Master Pan Qing Fu when he was living with my Sifu, Bob Schneider. He had a slightly different, although no less profound, take on this theory. Many times he would say, “When you can execute a technique correctly 1,000 times in a row you then know the technique.” The key word being “correctly”.
Jake,
Great quote – I think I’ll steal it -lol. I personally don’t know the amount of hours and day, but it is all about repetition over time — a long time.
Thanks for sharing your insightful quote.
M.Tan
HI Sifu Lloyd,
Is Grandmaster Pan from the Silk and Iron movie? Nickname — Iron Fist?
Anyway, as you know, it takes several years to expertly execute a technique. It takes decades of experience in different situations and against different opponents to hard wire or internalize the move into the nervous system so it becomes utterly instinctive.
Thanks for your insightful feedback (as it always is)!
M.Tan
This is bleak–I probably have less than 8,000 hours of standing post meditation since the mid-nineties. I really envy those statues on Easter Island–such effortless relaxation.
Hello Master Tan,
Yes, he is the one from Iron & Silk. I wrote several articles about him, including his “iron fist” training for Inside Kung Fu back in the mid 90s. My Sifu, the late Bob Schnieder, was a Disciple of Grand Master Pan.
Lloyd