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“Stay ‘unreasonable.’ If you
don’t like the solutions [available to you], come up with your
own.”
Dan Webre
The Martialist does not
constitute legal advice. It is for ENTERTAINMENT
PURPOSES ONLY.
Copyright © 2003-2004 Phil Elmore, all rights
reserved.
Which Path is THE Path?
Guest Editorial by Special Projects Editor Danny Rowell
Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it.
Andre Gide
Somewhere in the endless arguing among practitioners of
traditional martial arts (TMA), Reality Based Self-Defense (RBSD), and
sportfighting systems (NHB/UFC/MMA), an important concept is lost.
I don’t see the “Problem with TMAs,” or any other “fighting
style” as having anything to do with the style, but more with who is the
stylist. The concept so often lost, and the concept we must consider, is
this question: What are they trying to accomplish in their
training?
Don’t consider the art, traditional or otherwise.
Consider its purpose.
A good friend of mine has a background in
Shaolin Kung Fu and has admitted to me on many occasions that much of what he
trains is less than perfect for actual, practical execution. That is why he
cross-trains when possible, reads voraciously, and seeks out new information
and training methods.
Does that mean that he will stop doing Shaolin Kung Fu? Probably not. He’s got
a lot of time and energy invested in it AND he derives many benefits from it
that go beyond self-defense training.
So
who’s really to blame in the whole TMA vs. RBSD vs. MMA vs. WTF scenario? Is
it the young student who gets brainwashed into thinking that all he will ever
need is Taekwondo kicks to defend himself? How about the RBSD wannabe
who trains in camo pants, combat boots, and a black t-shirt to jab, poke,
twist, and stomp while showing no mercy to his would-be attacker? Maybe it’s
the young stud who likes to prove himself as the superior fighter by climbing
into the ring every other month and pounding his fists into some guy’s head
whilst the same is being done to him. Then there are my personal favorites,
the members of the I have a gun, Ill just shoot em crowd.
Which is the best way? I cannot answer that question. Each way has
advantages and disadvantages. No system is complete for everything. You, as
the consumer, have to make intelligent choices.
Personally, I have chosen a system that meets my demands. I have an excellent,
open-minded instructor who has a teaching style that not only educates me, but
challenges me to come to my own conclusions. I spend more time disagreeing and
debating with my instructor than just about everything else. Why do I do this?
Do I do it to be a pain is his ass? Well, maybe sometimes. But what I really want is to
benchmark what I think I know with those who have different experiences and
perceptions. I constantly put forth my ideas to my instructor set and
my friends (and enemies) on the Internet. Call it baptism by fire, but I like
to see if I can logically defend and explain things and justify why I think
the way I do.
Sometimes I can do this, sometimes I cant. That does not change the nature of my
pursuit. In this process Ive made a lot of friends. Some of them agree with
me and some of them do not. I treasure these friends, as they serve a good
function in keeping me on my path with my feet firmly planted and my eyes and
ears wide open. Ive also met some real assholes in my travels. By “asshole”
I mean the most sincere and literal term you can conjure in your
imagination. An asshole serves one purpose to spew out shit, whilst letting
nothing (and I do mean nothing) get back in. These narrow-minded know-it-alls
are much more dangerous to an aspiring artist than any of the “Ill take your
money and lie to you” types.
Why do you train? This is the
concept so often lost in the shuffle.
The Professor McDojos of the world will take your money and
feed you some crap, but the Sphincter Set (S.S. for convenience) seek to
indoctrinate you through constantly changing focus and tactics. The best way
to check to see if you are in the tutelage of Professor McDojo is to miss a
payment. The best way to check to see if you are under the influence of the S.S. is
to disagree with them. The hammer will fall, the pack will howl, and the
proverbial bull will give you his horns
Let’s get back to the key issue of this piece. Whats the best way to train? I cant
answer that for you and neither can anyone else. Some people claim to have
that ability, especially if youre willing to give them what they want in
return. The best advice you can get from people comes from one of my favorite
quotes:
A good way to judge people is by observing how they treat those who can do
them absolutely no good.– Anonymous
As we say in every issue of The Martialist,
the choice is yours. Choose wisely. Figure out what you
want and why you want it. Then go out and find a way to make it happen.
All we ask from you is that you come back
and share it with us so that we, too, may learn.