Due to the fact that the text of Jan Bloem is not displayed correct to everyone I want to try it on this way because I thinks that it is worse it. Thanks to Louie Earle for the advice :-) The text was already written years ago. It is about Karate but I think it shows the Problem of a lot of martial arts and its masters. [... There are no secrets in martial arts. Just ignorance and laziness! Hi evryone, Today I was checking my old computer files. I found a short column I wrote for a Dutch martial arts magazine about 15 years ago. I think the content is appropriate today. I translated it as good as possible. I hope you like it. JB Just a few more years of practice, and then you understand the true meaning of this kata. No, its too early. Will come when youre 4th Dan or so.” Or, “These are special applications that are only explained when you are ready.” These statements are based on my own experiences. Self-defence expert Marc Animal McYoung could’ve written a book about the mystical secret of martial arts techniques. Probably with the title: Martial arts are secret techniques and other bull shit! To come straight down to business: our beloved martial arts know no secret techniques! We tend to see mystery where there is really only misunderstanding. This misunderstanding is caused by the fact that throughout the many years there was no transmission of knowledge. For example, when we compare the way of karate was taught 100 years ago with the teaching of karate today, we see little difference (a few exceptions, that is). It is still monkey see, monkey do . In educational terms: imitation. My conclusion is that knowledge is not passed on, but a specific method of teaching. This means that we nowadays often lack real knowledge about the origin, meaning and applications. In the absence of this understanding, terms such as secret or hidden techniques made their entry into the terminology of our martial arts. In other words, the concept of secret techniques is more a by-product of the way in which karate is taught. And thats the way it has been taught for years. And lets be clear, imitation only makes sense at some stage (beginning) of a learning process. Martial arts are taught as a technical trick. That many tricks for yellow and orange and so on. In itself there is nothing wrong with it. But after earning a brown or black belt, we will still happily continue with this nonsense. All in the hope that we finally discover the secrets of martial arts. Well, folks, the martial arts do not have any secrets and if there were any, the current teaching method is not the way to discover them. Unfortunately, the way most martial arts are taught does not change when you reach a higher rank as a black belt. They keep on imitating their (Oriental) masters. So, didn’t we learned a lot today, didn’t we? The fact that this last question is asked, tells me enough. Much has been learned, on the level of imitation. On a deeper level, however, little to nothing. Many martial arts school put a lot of emphasis on technique. But to me the technique is of little importance. In essence, martial arts) should emphasise concepts and principles on which all the techniques are based. In this view techniques are only used as examples of these concepts and principles. What can we do to improve? Lets start with a critical analysis of what we actually are doing. Stop with the glorification of the great masters. Of course we respect them, but that does not make them (half) gods. I also think we have to get rid the ‘our style is the best’ way of thinking. Styles are just created by a particular person who adapted the general principles and concepts of fighting to fit to his own possibilities. When we use our style as a reference of reality, we actually use the interpretation of a specific person, with specific qualities who experienced that this worked for him a very long time ago, as our reality. Nothing more, nothing less. Teachers will have to spend more energy in discovering the concepts and principles of their style. Nice all the kata, but what are the similarities? Which movement and tactical principles can be identified? Those things should be the starting point of education. But we are also a bit lazy. We prefer to imitate, even in educational level. Fortunately we have teachers who are willing to dive into the depths. I would say, look them up and learn from them. Good luck! JB
Posted on: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 14:49:46 +0000