the arts over the years - what have we learned?
the age old debate on what is the proper practice, best technique, and most beneficial training methods has been scattered across the board since the inception of "martial arts" in the ancient past. mankinds individual methods of protecting oneself from extinction be it from man, beast, or outright natural calamity - people have indulged in the concepts of improving physical and mental proficiency to a science which has sprung forth into various trunks, branches, leaves, and nuts. looking back on our martial arts history in our own personal lives and how it began, how we trained over the years, how we haven't, how we have incorporated new ideas to our own personal regime of where our martial arts training has lead us - has our training led us into grander horizons or are we still perfecting the same old form, from the same old dude, from the relative same old time, long ago?? one thing i discovered in all my earthly travels is that the master resides in each and everyone of us, practice is the key - what we practice is what we become, which ultimately is who we are. have you become what you set out to be when you began to practice? i know i have - the martial arts has changed my life for the greater good. my newest fun is rattan short sticks. brought two sets home from mindanao and find myself playing with them alot, interestingly enough i have 3lb iron sticks i use for club juggling that i can now use for stick fighting conditioning. good stuff these... martial arts. :)
Agreed, but there's more to fight than just sparring partners
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Jimbo
I'm now in my 40th year of MA since I became serious about it, and though I haven't been able to spar since 2009 (due to an injury I've had since 2005), and I am not a 'fighter' now by any means, in the past I was willing to spar almost anyone.
Your fight, Jimbo, is within now. Ultimately, that's the hardest fight of all. There are all of these metaphors about how the greatest enemy is yourself, but for any lifelong martial artist, that means coping with aging, the loss of faculties like speed, endurance and quick recovery, the accumulation of scars. That's why I venerate the seniors, the practitioners who have more than a half century of life. They survived. Especially now that I've joined that community, and see so many of my old classmates who have gave up, moved on, and can only talk about their glory days, I have the utmost respect for elder practitioners. Without their physicality, they only have their martial wisdom to rely upon, and that's the real essence of it.