Exploding the Myth of the So-called Internal martial arts?
Today in the Chinese internal martial arts, there seem to me a lot of individuals that are willing to believe in anything. No matter if the storys they were told is false.
Today I feel most of the So-called internal martial arts is a big myth. A individual who wants to learn how to fight, in my own personal opinion should seek out westen boxing, Karate, judo,Chinese san shou, Hang Gar, wing chun or some form of freestyle combat training.
Because so far I see these methods are the only ones right now, where people are sparring with some form of light or full-contact unrehearse.
Because today in the world of the so called Chinese internal martial arts. There are not many indviiduals that can apply what they claim. Many internal practitioners don't even do sparring. Forms is these people way of seeking the truth in combat. Even today in the motherland (China) where these internal arts are said to come from. There are few people that can apply real techniques from these so called internal systems in a unrehearse situation.
Today the so-called Chinese internal martial arts is taking over by fakes and unskilled individuals that can't utilize the art. To hide their shortcoming in these known fighting systems, they talk of energy theory and metaphysical methods, so that they don't have to demonstrate, and if they do dispaly techniques from the style they practice. Most of the time its going to be rehearse, this way, they know your attack is coming. (Easy to stop an attack when you ready for it, and can see it coming.) FIX SITUATION.
Then you have individuals on the internal that post their so-called fighting Knowledge on the internet, telling the whole world, how great their Sifu fighting method is. Nothing wrong with that, as long as you post Who you are, and not hide behind fake internet names.
Individuals that hide behind fake names, most of the time don't have any real martial art experience anyway. These kind of people are always acting like their knowledgeable, but in fact these individuals that hide behind fake names and post on the internet, are actual unskilled and inexperienced. They are truly lost individuals, that don't know themselves. One must never be afraid to evaluate new information and accept it if it is proven to be true.
The bottom line is, people that post and hide behind fake names fear instability, but this is also how people react in the internal martial arts, FEAR!!
Most People today that practice the internal martial art fear instability, therefore it is natural for them to resist the destruction of their old belief system (endless form training) until they have an aceptable belief system to replace the old.
Its just time for some people to open their eyes in my opinion. The so-called internal martial arts, are said to be killing arts, if thats true , then how come today there are very few individuals that can apply these so-called fighting systems in a unrehearse situation. No matter the skill level.
Now some of you may say, well the Chinese have a historical survey, and many books that disscuss some of the most famous internal masters beating people, utilizing their great internal fighting skills.
And my reply to you would be, that most of these storys are just storys past from one Chinese person to the next. Most internal martial arts, have several storys, some of them, to far out to be true.
Two hundred years ago, Napoleon Bonaparte made a very important statement. He stressed the fact that, history is a lie agreed upon. We must understand that the stores and historical facts have changed to suit the purposrs of the dominating cullture. (think about!)
Take a big real look inside the so- called internal martial arts, and tell me what you see more of today?
TRUTH OR MYTH?
I myself, personal see people that practice the internal Chinese internal martial arts living a myth most of the time.
If nothing change soon, the internal will be, just that internal. (Playing endless forms by yourself.) Now thats internal for your ass.
Peace out.
BlackTaoist
(Lao Qiang)
Re: Exploding the Myth of the So-called Internal martial arts?
I absolutely agree with what BT says: "people that practice the internal Chinese internal martial arts [are]living a myth most of the time."
But the thing is, this is true for ALL martial arts (including boxing), and this is true even in legit Chinese MA schools where the teacher has real skills. It's human nature for a percentage of people to be lazy or confused or both. But BT, you really get worked up about it!
So basically I think what you are saying is true -- except when it isn't. I mean, it's a little wierd for a guy who has searched for the best internal artist in NY to say that the internal arts aren't worth studying. Right? So we gotta chuckle a little when you say that.
I also had to chuckle a little when you said "The bottom line is, people that post and hide behind fake names fear instability, but this is also how people react in the internal martial arts, FEAR!!" -- and then signed with two nicknames: BlackTaoist and Lao Qiang! I mean that's a little humorous, too.
So BT, I want to say I >totally< respect your knowledge and insights. If I was moving to NYC I'd be asking you where I should train -- which is like asking someone a matter of live and death.
But I also gotta chuckle sometimes because you get worked up over stupid people. Man, there's always going to be stupid people! And even if the stupid people are forced to go to only legitimate schools, a lot of them are going to be too lazy to train for real!
-crumble
Jamie Shart
Chicago, USA
I understand where BT is coming from...
Until his untimely passing, I was a student of Dr. Fred Wu. The man was the most knowledgeable internalist I have ever personally met. After his passing I continued to train with his senior Bagua student.
I am currently on hiatus while I apply to graduate school, but one of my consistent problems in training has been that very few of my fellow internal students are even interested in sparring.
So, the problem runs even deeper than just bad teachers. There are plenty of good teachers with students who don't see the necessity or utility of sparring. Perhaps they are stuck on this myth that by endlessly doing internal forms they will become an enlightened warrior, who is unstoppable in combat.
These kinds of delusions are a byproduct of the myths surrounding the history of our arts, and could be the greatest threat to preserving them as viable combatives.