Misconceptions You are Cured Of

[SimonM]

Life is a process of learning.

Sometimes what we learn is that what we thought we knew was wrong.

What have you learned you were wrong about?

I'll start: I used to be a bit... well... more like Uki than I now am.

At that time I believed, against all evidence that Qi was real and came up with all sorts of pseudo-scientific rationalizaitons for it.

Then, as I got older and more experienced, I realized I had been wrong.

Qi, whether you believe it to be the mystical jedi force or simply a projection of a mystical immortal soul does not exist.

Those things explained by qi are better explained by other, more rational, explainations.

So that is what I was wrong about - in the martial arts realm.

What about you?

PS: Please keep this martial arts related.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Hmmm, that's a toughie...

First off I learned that no style is an island and that if one truly wanted to be a well rounded MA one must study various specializations.
In regards to chi and "internal energy", I have learned ( at this stage anyways) that "co-ordinated energy" ie: total body mechanics, is one version of "chi" and I have learned that the bio-electical field all living creatures have is another.
Perhaps.
I was wrong about the value of grappling, and I was right.
I was wrong about Dim Mak, and I was right.
I was right about how crucial sparring and fighting are in the development of a fighter, BUT I was wrong in regards to how crucial that are in the continuing development of a MA.

Just to name a few...

[lkfmdc]

Once upon a time, I believed I could fly, I believed I could touch the sky, I flew up so very high, but the sun melted my winds, and I fell to earth.......

pass to the left hand side

[Crushing Step]

I used to think (because I was taught this way) that if my TKD kicks were strong enough and fast enough, then grappling of any kind was unnecessary.

I never believed that "90% of street fights go to the ground", but at least I haven't heard that in at least five years.

[SimonM]

90% of street fights end in the position where the stronger, faster, meaner and better skilled fighter wants them to end.

[SPJ]

I used to think only the bad guys resort to violences to get what they want.

I used to think good guys no need to fight. and good guys win all the time.

--

now I know that bad guys would trick you first, if all fail then they fight. if first sign of trouble, they flee the scene.

now I know good guys have to fight, too, and not necessarily win all time.

--

now I realize that no matter how good your fighting skills are, you still need tactics and strategy. such as run away if you are outnumbered.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRf-p...eature=related

steven chow believed that he may win over several big boys, apparently, he may not.

--

to know our limits or weakness is as much as important as learning and gaining some skill of fighting.

oh

in the movie, steven failed miserably in trying to be a bully, I meant he really sucks big time to be a bad guy. something bad happened to him everytime he tried to do be a bad guy. I laughed so hard.

--

It really takes goodness from others to bring back goodness that we have all along in each and one of us.

--

[sanjuro_ronin]

90% of street fights end in the position where the stronger, faster, meaner and better skilled fighter wants them to end.

Sig worthy dude, sig worthy.

[SimonM]

bows Thank you, thank you, hold the applause, just throw money.

[sanjuro_ronin]

bows Thank you, thank you, hold the applause, just throw money.

Better than money:

[SimonM]

LOL! I'll check it out when I get home from practice tonight.

[naja]

Better than money:

[Lama Pai Sifu]

I used to think that people who made a good living teaching Kung-Fu/martial arts either had to;

1) have bad martial arts
2) become a sell out

Nothing could be further from the truth. Do some people fit this criteria? yes, of course. But there are lots that don't.

I used to think that Kung-Fu had all the groundfighting you needed to fight a grappler.

You need to have some BJJ experience today; too many people know it.

I used to think that all the Chinese teachers in NYC/San Francisco Chinatown must be awesome at Kung-Fu.

Some are. More are not.

[uki]

Life is a process of learning.

yet once a being reaches the inflection point, life is a process of remembering.

Sometimes what we learn is that what we thought we knew was wrong.

still worried about what is right and what is wrong...

What have you learned you were wrong about?

what have you been right about?

I'll start: I used to be a bit... well... more like Uki than I now am.

let me guess... you grew up; not all flowers bloom at the same time, nor do they bear the same flowers.

At that time I believed, against all evidence that Qi was real and came up with all sorts of pseudo-scientific rationalizaitons for it.

yet you could not grasp the concept of something existing without some form of tangible proof... lack of faith.

Then, as I got older and more experienced, I realized I had been wrong.

you allowed popular belief and thought models to mold a wall around your mind.

Qi, whether you believe it to be the mystical jedi force or simply a projection of a mystical immortal soul does not exist.

which is most likely why your life might adequately be described as rather... boring?

Those things explained by qi are better explained by other, more rational, explainations.

you have all the classic symptoms of being afraid of the unknown. if you cannot explain it, you deny it's existence.

So that is what I was wrong about - in the martial arts realm.

perhaps, but you've revealed tomes on your self.

What about you?

i dunno... what about me?

PS: Please keep this martial arts related.

well a martial artist did post it on a martial arts forum board... i am quite sure it will be related to martial arts in some shape or form.

[SPJ]

I used to think you may not do dragon and lion dance on the ice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Soxxa...eature=related

wow. I was wrong.

[uki]

I used to think you may not do dragon and lion dance on the ice.

there is a pond near my house and several large puddles that tend to freeze over... form practice on ice is awesome.