Approaches to learning martial arts

jks9199

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Between comments on one thread about whether or not to wear a black belt as you start learning a new martial art, and the recent spate of "how do I choose a martial art/what is the best art/etc" threads, I thought I'd share my views about different approaches to learning martial arts. I'm coming from a lifelong fascination with martial arts combined with more than 20 years active training in a single, comprehensive, and vast system, and lots of discussions and reading over the years... And, of course, this is my opinion only. It's inherently right (or wrong); it's just what I think and what I've seen.

I'm not going to get into differences between end goals, either. Some folks are after combative skills; others are training for health or personal development; others are just plain having fun. Whatever the end goal -- they're all training! In a like vein, I'm not going to discuss what is or is not a "system."

And I'm going to use an analogy. Of course, analogies are never perfect. Work with me, please. The analogy is going to be simple; food and dining. We've all eaten; most of us have been to a variety of restaurants. So, I think that this analogy will work pretty well...

So... with all that out of the way, if you haven't left in boredom already... This is what I think:

There are many approaches to learning martial arts. Some people choose to learn one system, deeply and thoroughly. They commit to attending classes regularly, learning about the culture that underlies the system or art, the history and traditions that surround it, and making themselves a part of that art. If their training was to be compared to a restaurant, they're eating at a prie fixe (forgive my spelling) type of restuarant, where everything is decided on by the chef, and they simply go in, eat, and pay the bill.

Some others choose to focus on one art, but aren't quite so rigidly bound as the first group. They aren't really into the culture or other things beyond the system; they just want to "do it." (Some systems embody this approach; they don't bother requiring students to learn many foreign terms or artificial forms of behavior and ritual.) Going back to my analogy, these people are going to a restaurant, and choosing from the dinner platter/combination menus. Unlike the prie fixe, they choose what they want -- but they take the package they choose, even they don't really want the fries.

And others still don't care about a single art; they just want "what works." They jump from style to style, school to school, based on whatever catches and holds their interest and meets their personal definition of "useful." These people are ordering from the a la carte menu; they're only getting what they want, in the manner they want it. No fries for these guys... unless they want them! Some of these guys do use an underlying basis, so it's like they're only going to a particular type of restaurant -- but they're still only taking what they want.

Of course, the truth is that most of us are somewhere between the extremes. Me? I've chosen to train in one style for many years, and am continuing to train in it. But I'm also open to learning from and about other arts, and I haven't even tried to learn the language of my home style's nation of origin. (Nor have I been required to...) And I've been playing with spending some time learning Judo, just because it's interesting to me. So, it's kind of like I've been going to the same type of restaurants, eating from the combo meals -- but I'm thinking of going to a different place for a break...
 

still learning

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Hello,Each of us where brought up by our Parents or Roles models...this affects our thinking and opinions.

What is interesting to you may not be interesting to me.

So your choice of the martial arts and what you want to learn will differ from most people.

(that is why restauants have so many different foods on the menu.)

Go your own way.....do your own thing....for your peace of mind.

Life is a two way street, stay on the right side, keep moving forward!

(for some they take the wrong way street, move backwards to often,never can catch up with what life has to offer)

Enjoy your training (whatever martials arts you want to do) .......Aloha

PS: I like Japanese restauants because you can use CHOP sticks. Kiai!
 

JBrainard

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One day about 6-7 years ago, I got hungry for the first time in my life. I walked into a Japanese restaurant. I loved the food, so I ate there for a while. Then they jacked up the prices and I quit eating there. Left with nowhere to eat, I read up on (and tried a few of) all of the different foods you can eat. I did this for about 4 years. Then, one day, I realized that always getting the sampler plate wasn't satiating my hunger. So I checked out a restaurant of good repute, which was ok. But from that experience it dawned on me to think long and hard about what I REALLY wanted to eat on a regular basis. It wasn't that hard to figure out really, I had been working up to that decision for 4 years, after all. So, based on that decision, I checked out what promised to be a good restaurant, and got hooked on the food. In a few years I will probably start trying the sampler plates again, but I am happy with my current diet.
Wait a sec, did that make any sense to anyone but me? :)
 

still learning

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Hello, May of us learn to eat all the food on the plate....later in life it becomes two plates at one meal. (MOM's says eat everything on the plate because somewhere someone is going hungry.) WE left none for anothers too!

Eating can be an enjoyment which leads to a bigger body and extra large clothes. Only the shoes stays the same size? What can we eat to make the feet BIGGER? ...Hum?

Today: It is ( EAT TO LIVE.....NOT LIVE TO EAT!)....EASY TO SAY ....hard to follow, because of bad habits we have learn.

X means extra ... today extra large shirts, extra large pants, extra large underwears, extra large (not head) hat still same size, and extra large food portions. Get rid of the X ....things will change.

Eat to live, you will have a whole life, eat and eat, will shorten that life, eat wisely and only the good foods.

All this from a over weight martial artist...is changing his patterns....of eating and wanting to life a longer life.

.........Aloha (when in Hawaii enjoy the Luau's - A Hawaiian party of multiple foods.) includes a pig cook underground,taro/POI,lomi lomi salmon,sushi,raw fish,salad bar,fruits, mai tai's and more...
 

kidswarrior

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Between comments on one thread about whether or not to wear a black belt as you start learning a new martial art, and the recent spate of "how do I choose a martial art/what is the best art/etc" threads, I thought I'd share my views about different approaches to learning martial arts. I'm coming from a lifelong fascination with martial arts combined with more than 20 years active training in a single, comprehensive, and vast system, and lots of discussions and reading over the years... And, of course, this is my opinion only. It's inherently right (or wrong); it's just what I think and what I've seen.

I'm not going to get into differences between end goals, either. Some folks are after combative skills; others are training for health or personal development; others are just plain having fun. Whatever the end goal -- they're all training! In a like vein, I'm not going to discuss what is or is not a "system."

And I'm going to use an analogy. Of course, analogies are never perfect. Work with me, please. The analogy is going to be simple; food and dining. We've all eaten; most of us have been to a variety of restaurants. So, I think that this analogy will work pretty well...

So... with all that out of the way, if you haven't left in boredom already... This is what I think:

There are many approaches to learning martial arts. Some people choose to learn one system, deeply and thoroughly. They commit to attending classes regularly, learning about the culture that underlies the system or art, the history and traditions that surround it, and making themselves a part of that art. If their training was to be compared to a restaurant, they're eating at a prie fixe (forgive my spelling) type of restuarant, where everything is decided on by the chef, and they simply go in, eat, and pay the bill.

Some others choose to focus on one art, but aren't quite so rigidly bound as the first group. They aren't really into the culture or other things beyond the system; they just want to "do it." (Some systems embody this approach; they don't bother requiring students to learn many foreign terms or artificial forms of behavior and ritual.) Going back to my analogy, these people are going to a restaurant, and choosing from the dinner platter/combination menus. Unlike the prie fixe, they choose what they want -- but they take the package they choose, even they don't really want the fries.

And others still don't care about a single art; they just want "what works." They jump from style to style, school to school, based on whatever catches and holds their interest and meets their personal definition of "useful." These people are ordering from the a la carte menu; they're only getting what they want, in the manner they want it. No fries for these guys... unless they want them! Some of these guys do use an underlying basis, so it's like they're only going to a particular type of restaurant -- but they're still only taking what they want.

Of course, the truth is that most of us are somewhere between the extremes. Me? I've chosen to train in one style for many years, and am continuing to train in it. But I'm also open to learning from and about other arts, and I haven't even tried to learn the language of my home style's nation of origin. (Nor have I been required to...) And I've been playing with spending some time learning Judo, just because it's interesting to me. So, it's kind of like I've been going to the same type of restaurants, eating from the combo meals -- but I'm thinking of going to a different place for a break...

Interesting analogy. Learning theory and practice have been hobbies of mine since, well, I guess the mid-70s. So, yeah, yours makes sense (but as you said, it's yours, and there are sooo many. :))
 

Shaderon

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After trying one restaraunt that didn't suit me becasue it was the same soup every day, I'm now trying another. I love the food here so far, it's very chewy and hard going but I like that, it toughens my jaws. Plus the clientelle are fantastic in the place I go.

However I do keep my eye on what else is available, mainly because I'm nosey and like to see what others are eating.

Hey this is fun but I probably didn't make an ounce of sense :D
 

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