Different Strokes: The many faces of MA training....

[Fu-Pow]

I just had a bit of an epiphany last night....

You can basically break MA student's goals into 8 categories (in no particular order):

-Health
(Meaning there is a preexisting health problem that will be helped by MA development...usually obesity)

-Fitness
(Someone who is already "healthy" and in decent shape who wishes to increase their general physcial fitness and performance)

-Self-Defense
(Not only physical technique but psychological aspects as well)

-Aesthetic/Form Movement
(Some people just like the "look" of a particular MA. Obviously, the Wushu crowd is included here but also anyone from any style that stresses over the detail of form)

-Character/Self-Confidence Development
(Pretty self explanatory. Especially important for kids.)

-Spiritual/Philosophical Development
(Usually in conjuction with some sort of Chi Gung, but also embodies the philosophical underpinnings and "moral code" associated with most martial arts)

-Sport/Competition
(People who usually get involved in MA's for other reasons ie self-defense but over time wish to test/improve their skills in a competitive environment)

-Tradition/Culture/History
(People who are really want to understand the traditional culture that a MA developed in ie language, custom, style of dress, etc. )


Now any one student of MA's might have several or more of the goals of the 8 that I listed.

In addition some of those 8 are going to overlap.

However, I'm wondering. Is it necessary to master on a deep level ALL of the aspects.

Or is it better to specialize? Is it necessary to specialize?

Are certain aspects, "requirements" and some superfluous or are all equally important?

I already have my opinion so I'm not really asking this as if I don't know, but I'm just curious what other people think.

[MasterKiller]

It took you 10 years of training to figure out people study martial arts for different reasons?

[rogue]

and that most of the reasons people train are wrong headed.

[red5angel]

wrong headed?

[Meat Shake]

Yes.
As opposed to right headed.

[David Jamieson]

Is it necessary to master on a deep level ALL of the aspects.

It depends what you think, they're your aspects. :)

[MasterKiller]

Originally posted by Meat Shake
Yes.
As opposed to right headed. Unless you are 7*, who is bent-to-the-right-headed.

[rogue]

In my opinion these are some of the worst reasons for taking a martial art.

Fitness & Health: I know more fat, out of shape black belts who are gasping for air after a 30 minute workout. You are better off learning to eat right and visit the gym several times a week. Why look for fitness in an activity where you stand a good chance of getting injured and not being able to train?

Self-Defense: Too much can make one paranoid.

Aesthetic/Form Movement: Learn to dance, you can use it more often and chicks will dig you.

Character/Self-Confidence Development: Work in a soup kitchen and take up rock climbing.

Spiritual/Philosophical Development: Try religion, EST, or any number of self help groups.

Can you learn most of the above from MA, sure but that is not the purpose of for any "martial" art. Martial arts are about fighting, the sports crowd gets this, some non-sport people get this too, those bagua body guards along the spice road definatly knew this. Martial arts is a dangerous activity that will lead to injuries in the course of your training but I have never heard that explained to any new student, but I do hear alot about self development..
People sugar coat what martial arts are about because to say "I like to go head to head with an opponent and defeat him" just isn't acceptable to the general public, which is probably a good thing. Moving martial arts further from their intended purpose just makes them the mess that we see today.

Sore subject with me lately, I've started to help teach the kids and lower belts and the things that people want from the martial arts never includes what they were designed to do, hurt someone. Same thing when some mom gets her kid into a sport to make him a better person, all the kid wants to do is score and be on a winning team.

[stubbs]

reason number 9:

- get to watch girls wrestle
________
MEDICAL MARIJUANA CARD (http://mmjp.org)

[Fu-Pow]

People sugar coat what martial arts are about because to say "I like to go head to head with an opponent and defeat him" just isn't acceptable to the general public, which is probably a good thing.

Isn't this self-defense?

[stubbs]

i think of self defence and fighting as two seperate things.
________
BUY SILVER SURFER (http://vaporizers.net/silver-surfer-vaporizer)

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by MasterKiller
Unless you are 7*, who is bent-to-the-right-headed.

red's woman seems to dig it...

[rogue]

...as does Red. The bend gets all the nooks and crannies. :D


Isn't this self-defense?
The way I look at it is martial arts are a general fighting skill set which can be used for defense or offense with the ability to harm to degree.

But to fu-pows question, I think most of what goes on in the average martial arts school is superfluous. The more superfluous trappings you have to deal with the less time for actual skill to be developed. 20 + years in MA and I finally see the light.:o

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by stubbs
reason number 9:

- get to watch girls wrestle

reason number 10:

get to wrestle with girls who like to wrestle.

[Chang Style Novice]

To Rogue:

There once were six blind men who wanted to know what an elephant was...

[stubbs]

Originally posted by Chang Style Novice
To Rogue:

There once were six blind men who wanted to know what an elephant was...

were they feeling its trunk?
________
BRUNETTE SEX (http://www.****tube.com/categories/15/brunette/videos/1)

[rogue]

There once were six blind men who wanted to know what an elephant was...

Good point CSN, but none of the blind men in the story ever figure out what the elephant really is. Calling an elephant something it isn't still doesn't change the elephant. What if you see the elephant? :)


The Blind Men and the Elephant
by John Godfrey Saxe

It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind

The First approached the Elephant,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
“God bless me! but the Elephant
Is very like a wall!”

The Second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, “Ho! what have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me ’tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant
Is very like a spear!”

The Third approached the animal,
And happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus boldly up and spake:
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
Is very like a snake!”

The Fourth reached out an eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
“What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain,” quoth he;
“ ‘Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a tree!”

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: “E’en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a fan!”

The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Than, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
Is very like a rope!”

And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong!

Moral:

So oft in theologic wars,
The disputants, I ween,
Rail on in utter ignorance
Of what each other mean,
And prate about an Elephant
Not one of them has seen!