It's about getting home safely...

[Ultimatewingchun]

That's my take (personally) on martial arts training by this point in my life and after three decades + in wing chun. So here's a post I made on another thread the other day...would like to start a discussion about two things in regards to that post.

First, what is your take on the purpose of your martial arts training (it's not limited to just wing chun, per se)...

Secondly, if you agree with what you're about to read, then what's your take on what to focus on: ie. - various strategies, various techniques, various self defense situations you believe are the most important? And what's your take on what you try to prepare for mentally, emotionally, condtioning-wise, your state of mind, etc?

Or is it mostly about the sash you wear? (Be honest!) The comps you've won? The title you've been given? The way others in your school/organization look upon you?

Or have you reached a point where you believe that at the end of the day none of that really matters...

Because what really matters is getting home safely - all the more true (hopefully) since you've adequately prepared yourself (hopefully) to run when it's time to run, walk away when it's time to walk away, talk your way out of it when it's time to negotiate - and last but not least, fight (hopefully successfully) when it's time to fight.

And again, if you buy this - then what's being covered in your training regimen?

So here's the quote:

"Realistic comps are great for developing fighting skills, chi sao is great for developing certain wing chun moves and sensitivities, hard contact sparring/rolling with your guys is great for this, crosstraining in other arts is great for that...

but at the end of the day, it's about always being prepared for what could happen in real life.

I've come to the point where I just don't want to spend any time anymore training/learning anything that I think has a very low percentage chance of ever happening in the real world, ie.- because it can't be done on a hard surface, because it would leave you too vulnerable to an attack by someone's comrades right in the middle of the altercation, because it's a move that's too difficult to land - like a spinning backfist or high kicks, etc.

I'd rather be doing things like working with weapons that you could actually have in your possession on the street without immediately facing an arrest if you're caught with them (a baseball bat, a knife whose blade is less than 4 inches long, two sticks, etc.)....

I'd rather be training unarmed moves against a knife, scissors, stick, some sort of pipe attacks...training to go up against (and how to get away from) multiple opponents...

quick and efficient takedown and finishing moves to follow standup striking/kicking - the use of knees, elbows, phoenix knuckle strikes, and a whole array of "dirty" tactics, ie.- attacks that focus on the eyes, groin, back of the head, and other vulnerable spots on the opponent's body...

knowing 2 or 3 ways to quickly break an elbow, a wrist, dislocate a shoulder joint, an ankle, rupture an achilles, or a few different neck cranks, a few different variations about how to put someone to sleep with a choke or strangle, etc...

BECAUSE there just aren't enough hours in the week to train (and stay sharp in) all these things if you're also spending hours and hours trying to "perfect" your chi sao, hand forms, wooden dummy, sword forms, dragon pole forms, "light contact sparring", etc.

(It's the serious contact sparring that needs to be focused upon, imo).

Or spending hours and hours trying to learn the latest and greatest variation of the rubber guard, or the 14 different ways to pass his guard or half guard, the nine different variations of this or that submission, 11 different variations about shoots to the legs, 7 different throws, 10 different ways to sweep, etc.

Pick out what you believe to be the top (most important) 30-40 different "scenarios" - the totality of which includes different situations/defenses/finishes/ways to attack - and work them to death...

that's what makes the most sense to me.

IN OTHER WORDS, SPECIALIZE IN TRUE "SELF DEFENSE"...the real historical purpose of martial arts, imo.

[Vajramusti]

I have been interested in martial arts and sports since 1945. Was fortunate to find top quality wing chun in 1976.Haven't misseda day of wing chun since then. Continuing to evolve in wing chun skills, understanding the art and being prepared for self defense-those continue to be my goals.

However, Interested in what is happening in other martial arts and sports.

Running is not always an option- so stay prepared to take care of yourself---specially keep developing some of the best weapons- awareness and sharp/quick thinking.

If someone has a different path- no complaints.

Automobiles, guns/knives, illness and the side effects of war are the real challenges to going home.

joy chaudhuri

[stonecrusher69]

For me personally , I started in the M.A. way back because my friends where into it. I wanted to fit in so I got involved,but later when I started my Wing Chun Training I really was got into it.Self defense was something I was looking for.and something that made sence and worked for me,but much later, it was also about finding myself in the art and using it to express my self.I was always into the arts (painting,music,and M.A) I don't paint anymore but music and M.A are my passions in life.It's what I enjoy doing the most. So to me M.A. it's more then just getting home.If it was only about self defense I would given up a long time ago because.Once you learn how to kick and punch why continue to practice?

As far how or what you should train is a personal thing.I would say it depends on what you are looking for and training for.What I train for may not be enough for someone who what's to fight the master from the mountain per se.I think training with as many people as possible is a good thing,but I don't think yoiu always have to train many styles of M.A. Every style has an answer you just need to find it

[anerlich]

I've never felt particularly in danger, though I've felt a need to be careful. For me, wanting to be good at self-defense really meant becoming more confident, assertive, and streetwise as a person.

Personally, I believe in the message of the book "Strong on Defense", i.e. (my interpretation) martial skill is one of the less important attributes to avoiding violent crime - avoidance, awareness, and preparation are always better than actual physical defence. And, as Vic and Ernie both said, it's about survival, not victory or revenge.

Joy is right in that there are many more things that deserve more attention than the potential of assault; you are thousands of times more likely to die of lifestyle-related disease or a car accident than a violent attack.

Most problems can be avoided by staying away from places where illegal drugs are consumed, alcohol is consumed to excess (that's "to excess", folks), respecting other people's relationships and rights (e.g. not playing around with other people's wives, girlfriends, etc.), and just not being stupid (reckless driving, annoying strangers, etc.)

If you want to fight crime and injustice, get a job where you can do it professionally.

In short, training X hours a week solely in case you are violently attacked is IMO a sad way to live.

From MA, I've found whaat it means to encounter and overcome pain, discomfort, problems and adversity. To become a confident and reasonably brave person. To turn my self-image from wimp to athlete.

While I have a high degree qualification in the WC organisation to which I belong, I know this says little about me to those not involved in that organisation. Nor do I particularly enjoy the usual reactions to this from people I meet. I proffer this information only if asked, and often feel embarassed if someone brings it up in a non-WC context.

At present, I enjoy being a student of BJJ much more than being an instructor of Wing Chun. It's about the process of learning and continuing self-transformation, not the milestones you might pass. I thought in the early days that being a MA instructor would be really cool, but while I enjoy it and try to do it well it's not really the best part of the involvement at all for me. When done well, teaching is about the students and not the instructor in any case.

It really is the purported quest for enlightenment, though IMO there are many small enlightenments rather than one big one. And this IMO has only passing similarities to the concepts of the same name espoused by cultures or religions.

I agree you have to test yourself. I also think you learn more from losing to a better opponent than you do from winning. Not that anyone gets sick of winning :)

[couch]

From MA, I've found whaat it means to encounter and overcome pain, discomfort, problems and adversity. To become a confident and reasonably brave person. To turn my self-image from wimp to athlete.

This is perhaps not what brought me to MA, but it is what I think keeps me around it for so many years. And for me, it's about my 'internal' image or self-esteem: turning it from wimp to athlete. :D

For me, fighting and combat is one of the scariest things that I can imagine. Therefore, being comfortable in that 'three-feet-of-personal' space helps me deal with that.

Some people may say that it's not about self-development or self-perfection...that it's all about fighting and combat...but what you think about, you bring about. It would be a hard life thinking always about combat. So for me, it's about squashing my ego-self and improving my self-image, because only to myself do I have something to prove.

[Kevin Huang]

To me, training martial arts is like insect repellent.

The person who properly trains a great martial art like Wing Chun tends to avoid and be avoided by the criminal element.

The more one trains the LESS he's going to get into a fight. And that's why people should keep up their training!

[WoodenYummy]

I agree with Victor's thoughts, generally. I think the Self-Defense aspects are the primary reason I study WC, but not the only. I am NOT studying this so I can go fight in MMA tournaments or anything of the like, my sailor days are behind me and so are the bar-room brawls... I do still find the validity in studying all the more complex techniques and skills that may not actually work in a real situation though because I want to learn the whole art (with a goal of teaching it someday). But as another post(er) mentioned, situational awareness goes a LONG way to avoiding these situations in the first place.

Stripping the art down to just what will work in a self-defense situation is the same sin as stripping the art down to just what will work in the MMA ring, isn't it? I try to value the whole art. My Sifu tells us that many of the more complex moves and drills are practiced not so much to be used in a real fight, but rather because they help increase your speed and dexterity, particularly footwork. I do appreciate the fact that as one advances technically, we naturally tend to strip the art down to the things that work for tus individually, I think that is a natural progression. My view is that I want to learn all of it so I can teach my (future) students as much as I was taught. Not that its a criticism, but I think this is at least a part of why so many people's WC is different. because their teachers were taught one thing, and then as they progressed as students, they dropped what they didn't like, and emphasized what they did. Thats my view anyway.