An instructor tells a student, “Slow down. You are moving too slow.” On the surface, it’s a nonsensical command. But in personal safety training, the path to understanding is not always a straight line; to truly learn something, you must first be willing to question what you are being taught. This is the essence of Paradoxical Teaching, a core method in Kyo-Jitsu Ryu designed to challenge a student’s assumptions and uncover the truth hidden within a seemingly illogical statement. While we define it in our glossary, this post delves into why this method is so powerful.
What is Paradoxical Teaching?
“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.”
— F. Scott Fitzgerald
Paradoxical teaching is the use of statements that appear self-contradictory but contain a deeper, underlying truth. An instructor might tell a student, “Slow down. You are moving too slow.” On the surface, this makes no sense. How can moving slower make you faster?
This creates a moment of cognitive dissonance, a mental friction that modern educational research has found to be highly effective for promoting deep conceptual change. The conscious mind flags the statement as incorrect, saying, “Wait! This shouldn’t work!” This mental friction is the key. It forces the brain to stop, question, and obsess over the puzzle until it can resolve the contradiction. The student must analyze why their frantic, rushed movements are actually inefficient and how deliberate, precise, and *slower* actions can lead to a more effective and ultimately faster outcome.
Common Paradoxes in Training
These teachings are not riddles for the sake of being clever; they are tools designed to break down rigid, linear thinking and build a more fluid, adaptable mind. Here are a few examples:
- “Strength has nothing to do with power.” This forces the student to differentiate between brute muscular force (strength) and the efficient application of biomechanics, timing, and positioning (power). A small person can generate immense power without being “stronger” than their opponent.
- “Look at nothing and see everything.” This addresses the concept of “tunnel vision.” Instead of fixating on a single point (like the opponent’s fists), the student learns to maintain a soft, wide focus, allowing them to perceive the entirety of their environment and the opponent’s body language without being distracted by any one element.
Why This Method is So Effective
The goal of Kyo-Jitsu Ryu is not to create robots who can only mimic and parrot techniques they don’t understand. Our purpose is to cultivate free-thinking individuals capable of making conscious, clear decisions under pressure, with a full understanding of the likely results.
Paradoxical teaching is a direct path to this goal. It bypasses rote memorization and forces the student to engage in a process of discovery. By wrestling with the paradox, the student doesn’t just learn a technique; they come to understand the principle behind it. They learn not just what to do, but how to do it, why it works, and, most importantly, when to apply it.
A Guide Through the Confusion
It’s important to acknowledge that for many new students, especially those seeking confidence, this method can feel… strange. When you’re already feeling insecure, being told something that sounds like a riddle can be frustrating. You might think, ‘I’m here to learn how to be safe, not to solve puzzles!’ or even feel that the instructor is using ‘fancy talk’ to belittle you.
Let us be clear: These feelings are completely normal. In fact, that moment of confusion is a critical sign that you are on the verge of a breakthrough. It means your brain has stopped running on autopilot and is actively trying to build a new, better understanding. It’s not a test you’re failing; it’s the workout your mind needs to get stronger so you can stay calm and think clearly under pressure. The role of a good instructor is to guide you through this temporary confusion, not to leave you stranded in it. The goal is always to empower you with real, unshakeable confidence.
A Story from the Mat: Effortless Strength
I once had a student I was teaching about the effectiveness of pure bio-mechanical structure. I carefully positioned their body—adjusting their stance, aligning their joints—and then gave them a simple instruction: “Relax completely, but don’t change this position.”
I began to push on them, softly at first, then with gradually increasing pressure. Soon, I was leaning my full weight against them at a 45-degree angle, and their structure held firm, supporting not only my weight but the force of my push. They stared at me with pure incredulity, their muscles not straining, their body simply… aligned.
I looked them in the eye and delivered the paradox that would unlock the lesson: “Learn to relax until your strength requires no effort.” Then I walked away, leaving them to ponder the experience. That student never forgot the difference between muscular tension and true, structural power.
Mental Exercise: Deconstruct a Paradox
Consider the statement: “To control your opponent, you must first give them control.”
- Initial Reaction: What is your immediate, logical objection to this statement? Why does it seem wrong?
- Find the Truth: How could this be true? Think about leading an opponent’s momentum, baiting them into a predictable action, or creating an opening by feigning weakness.
- Apply It: How could this principle apply outside of self-defense? Think about a negotiation, a debate, or even a difficult conversation with a loved one.
This simple deconstruction is the core of paradoxical learning—turning a confusing statement into a profound, usable insight.
Ultimately, paradoxical teaching is a mental forge. It uses the heat of confusion and the hammer of critical thinking to shape a mindset that is both resilient and adaptable. The statement that seemed illogical at the start—“Slow down. You are moving too slow.”—now holds a clear truth. And without realizing it, you’ve proven the deeper paradox we began with: by questioning the very ideas on this page, you have come to understand them. This is a method that respects a student’s intelligence, challenging them not just to learn, but to truly understand.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What exactly is paradoxical teaching?
Paradoxical teaching is a method that uses statements that seem contradictory on the surface to reveal a deeper truth. For example, telling a student “slow down to get faster.” It’s designed to challenge a student’s assumptions and encourage critical thinking rather than simple memorization.
2. I’m new and a little anxious. Isn’t this just going to confuse me more?
That’s a very valid concern. Feeling confused or even frustrated at first is a completely normal part of this process. It’s not a sign you’re failing; it’s a sign your brain is working hard to build a new, deeper understanding. A good instructor will guide you through this confusion, which is a temporary step toward building real, lasting confidence.
3. Why is this method effective? What is cognitive dissonance?
This method works by creating what’s called “cognitive dissonance”—a state of mental discomfort when holding two conflicting beliefs. The brain is naturally driven to resolve this conflict. When a student hears a paradox, their mind obsesses over it until it can make sense of the underlying principle, leading to a much deeper and more permanent understanding than just being told the answer directly.
4. What are some other examples of paradoxical teachings in Kyo-Jitsu Ryu?
Besides “slow down, you’re moving too slow,” other common paradoxes include “strength has nothing to do with power,” which distinguishes muscular force from biomechanical efficiency, and “look at nothing and see everything,” which teaches broad, relaxed awareness over narrow tunnel vision.
5. Why not just teach the techniques directly instead of using confusing statements?
The goal is to develop free-thinking individuals, not robots who can only mimic movements. Direct instruction can lead to rote memorization, but it doesn’t build adaptability. By forcing the student to reason through a paradox, they learn the *why* behind a principle, not just the *what*. This allows them to think critically and apply the concepts creatively in unpredictable situations.