Ever had someone tell you martial arts is stupid?

[loki09789]

CeiCei posted a similar thread. My in-laws think MA is pretty stupid and a distant second to a firearm. .

I use to respond to the 'I prefer guns' mentallity by asking them "do you have your gun on you now?" and generally the answer is a big fat no and I say "what good is it to you then? I carry my brain with me everywhere...."

If done well, martial arts is a scientific study of problem solving at mach two when the world is falling apart around you. Martial arts training should/can include some firearms familiarization/training as well.

"Gun NUTS" that look down on martial arts are too busy pidgeon holing to understand.

Check out Masaad Ayoob and the like if you want to see/read people who see the connections instead of the differences.

 

[shesulsa]

We seem to agree, Paul.

Your post reminds me of a time when my teacher gestured towards another student we had at the time (was a Navy Seal in Vietnam) and asked me what I would do if someone like him came at me. I responded, ".45, Sir."

"Got one?" he asked.

"No, Sir."

"Then you'd better come up with something else."

:asian:

 

[Sin]

Guns and Blades are too final for me. i would much rather let the guy live, than live with the guilt of killing someone when there was another way.

 

[loki09789]

Guns and Blades are too final for me. i would much rather let the guy live, than live with the guilt of killing someone when there was another way.

The 'other way' is generally the better choice, for sure. Just look at the way that use of force laws are written to see that this is the general consensus. But, in self defense situations what we would prefer and what is necessary at the moment might not be one in the same.

 

[CMack11]

We seem to agree, Paul.

Your post reminds me of a time when my teacher gestured towards another student we had at the time (was a Navy Seal in Vietnam) and asked me what I would do if someone like him came at me. I responded, ".45, Sir."

"Got one?" he asked.

"No, Sir."

"Then you'd better come up with something else."

:asian:

That's too funny!

I keep my MA studies pretty much a secret (only my immediate family members and very close friends know), so I don't hear this too often. But I typically ignore people like this anyway.

 

[The Kai]

I get the "Gun Thing" alot-always said there is only two things between your gun and you. Little ole me and my dumb *** martial arts-How ya feeling now?


Had a felow martial artist get confronted by two guys at a bar, with the "martial artsndon't mean **** to me". Looking at each other for support approval, they looked back to see a exposed blade in thier face! (Not recommended, but diffuse the situation)
Back in High school buddies loved showing up my Mad skills. Found out that when trying to apply a jointlock, or Counter strike at a nice pace left alot of oppurtunities open, went thru months of this. So one day a buddy attacked and I countered at speed-then i was amean guy!
Todd

 

[loki09789]

Back in High school buddies loved showing up my Mad skills. Found out that when trying to apply a jointlock, or Counter strike at a nice pace left alot of oppurtunities open, went thru months of this. So one day a buddy attacked and I countered at speed-then i was amean guy!
Todd

YUP! That idea of 'intention' and 'context' and 'justified use of force' are so important. If you are not intent on delivering a technique close or at the reality of application, it will just lead to getting embarassed - and it only reaffirms that MA is BS to those doubters. They, and sometime we, forget about the 'intention' issue in techniques.

We do this in training all the time. "Throw a straight right" and you do your technique at a 'learning pace'.... at that pace, if your training partner is a doubter intent on showing you up, he/she won't move 'within the rules' of training pace and you will 'lose.'

Oh well, let them feel superior...if that is what they need to feel good, they must really be needy

 

[DeLamar.J]

The problem is that there are so many watered down schools now that people off the street can sometimes walk right in and school everyone. Then that gets passed through the grapevine, and all of a sudden martial arts does not work. There are REAL schools out there, and when they run into one, the ignorant opinions will be knocked right out of them.
My good friend is the top student at chinese martial arts school where they have whats called an open challenge policy, where anyone has the right to fight the top student at any time, or if someone has a rank higher than you, and you feel they do not deserve it, you can challenge them, if you win then you take there rank and they take yours.
People with ignorant opinions will get smacked around very quickly if they come into a school acting that way.

 

[kroh]

Hey Paul (loki),

can I use that problem solving mach two comment...Quoting the source obviously...

Wonderful explanation....
Walt

 

[loki09789]

Hey Paul (loki),

can I use that problem solving mach two comment...Quoting the source obviously...

Wonderful explanation....
Walt

Absolutely, I actually adapted it from an explanation of fencing that called it 'chess at mach two' and just expanded it to apply to all MA and a broader context.

 

[kroh]

Thank you Sir...

Walt

 

[Kamaria Annina]

I really don't that from anyone, if anything it's the other way around. Two people I know, who don't seem to like me for any particular reason hated me. Funny thing is, when these two people found out (one found out from her sister, and another seeing me walking into the training center) they are acting strangely nice O_O

 

[OC Kid]

yea I usally get the what if have to fight a boxer in which i reply I would use my feet, then I hear the you cant stop a bullet to which my normal reply is..you got one with ya (No!)..pretty stupid remark huh??

 

[someguy]

This is my response :btg: :whip: take this :whip: and this :boxing: and a bit of this :boxing: oh and some of this :hammer: bwahaha :enguard:
Then I finish it off with this :moon: .
NOt really I just was looking for an excuss to us a bunch of smiles.
THat done. Big nick has the right idea for this. "........." :wavey:

 

[kroh]

roflmao

 

[chinto01]

Most people who do not understand what the goal of the martial arts is tend to say this. My own mother said this until she saw how it really improved my life. People will always mock what they do not understand.

 

[gmunoz]

Many people have a preconceived idea of what Martial arts are. Of course I get confronted with the Bruce Lee questions and comparisons. No one has really ever told me they're stupid. Actually they've been more impressed and think it's cool.

 

[shesulsa]

People will always mock what they do not understand.

This is one of my favorite sayings. :ultracool

 

[TigerWoman]

Maybe this a younger generation phenomena, saying out loud to a martial artist that what they do is stupid. Adults even if they may think it, at least are usually silent. I prefer it that way. If they want to know, they ask or investigate it before passing judgement without enough information. So who is it now that looks stupid? TW

 

[BlueDragon1981]

I had one person say "Your martial arts is not going to do anything against my 45?"...I just laughed and said "Do you think that is why I study martial arts..so that I can go up against your 45?" I didn't get a response.


Most of the time when someone says this to me...I simply ignore them. I can take people harrassing me....but when they are mocking someone else I know that is martial arts and they aren't as good at taking harresment...well then I have been known to say some words...lol...you will just have to leave what I say up to your imagination.....and no 99% of the time it does not involve fowl language or body language.