Originally posted by mantis108


That's nothing inheritly wrong with this rationale especially in a self taught environment. However, this may not be the suitable approach to traditional CMA.

Shuai chiao is a traditional CMA, and it takes this approach. Why would it differ for other styles?

Openning a MA magazine today you will find almost all applications that shown are the same to the point that it's boring. This is what the principle base rationale brings. On the one hand, it makes styles more compatible. On the other hand, it makes styles lose their identity, which may or may not be of concern.

I can see your point there, however A style will not lose it's identity. principles are common things, but they don't change the essence of the style. look at the examples I showed. Also, the shearing principle is present in wing chun. will it look the exact same? heck no, because the principle is fitting within the style that is applying it. In addition to that, there are other obvious things, like footwork. My judo/sc and muay thai footwork will never look like my longfist footwork, and none of those will ever look like mantis footwork. Also, there will always be the individual style within the core style. muay thai is muay thai, however, I may prefer knees and the rear leg roundhouse, whereas my coach may prefer elbows and the front leg roundhouse.

Another problem is that it circumvents the checks and blocks there are intended for the TCMA stylists to overcome leading the student to think that he/she knows it all in a relative short time.

how? With a structured curriculum, this should not be the case.

In other words, one of the goals of TCMA is not to blinde side ourselves by following one dimensional thought pattern when dealing with TCMA training process.

I don't see how it's one dimensional. IMO, what's more one dimensional is teaching set applications for techniques. It doesn't encourage a lateral thought process. For example, you may have a sifu who teaches grabbing a strike and pulling your opponent into a strike of your own as the only application of "shoot the bow" The student may get in the habit of only using/seeing that application and never even begin to think that maybe that technique could be a fireman's carry... When you understand a principle, what you can do with it is limitless.

I don't feel stress myself. Because I know my journey and I don't have the need to look elsewhere unlike the case this particular karate club is doing. But it is their journey not mine.

Anyway, We shall see the result.

I apologize, that was a miscommunication on my part. I meant to say that the student shouldn't stress about it.