can I get everyones thought on this?

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hapki-bujutsu

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CREATING A MARTIAL ART
By Soke Daniel Verkerke

Having been training in martial arts for many years, I have seen and heard of many new styles. There are actually thousands of new martail arts students founding their own styles and opening their own schools yearly.
If you are joining a martial art school for the first time, how can you tell how good your instructor is? Who knows, your instructor may just be making up the lessons as he goes along. Your instructor could be telling you anything and you would not know any better.
On the other hand, the founders of the most popular martial arts of today started out the same way. They had studied various ideas, formulated them together and started teaching to those who wished to learn. One of the mistakes some of the founders student's made was instead of following their instructors insight into learning and creating more, they limited themselves to what they have been taught, and let the idea of expanding themselves die with their teacher.
There are many types of instructors teaching all sorts of philosophy, beliefs and ideals. If I were to describe all of them I would be writing a novel. The main concern of this article are the instructors who claim to teach their own style. I have met many of them, so I know the problems that do arise.
I know anyone can open a martial art school and say they teach their own style. You could have one months training, open your own school and have those young and impressionable believe you are a martial arts superstar, and it does happen. You could come out of jail with no martial arts background and open a martial arts school using your survival in jail as your credentials. Some instructors read a few books, copy the ideas they believe and open a school with little or no physical experience. On the other hand look at the late great Bruce Lee. His formal training was very little. He read alot of books and wrote down many ideas. He studied many western concepts from fencing to boxing, wrestling and various philosophies.
It is possible for an artist to create. There are some painters who were never taught to paint, but can still paint beautiful paintings. Dancers who were never taught to dance, but show the greatest grace and originality. Some have never been taught to sing or play instruments, but send chills down your spine when you hear them. These are natural artists, the same holds true in martial arts. All an artist needs is inspiration and the ability to express themselves through their medium.
Mind you, there are some forgeries out there. Those are the ones who claim to teach their own style, but are only teaching what they have been taught. They learn a style of Kung Fu and Karate then combine them. It does not matter how many styles you combine, they still are not yours. Others use the names of popular styles even when they have not trained in them.
If you trained here and there, and teach whatever you learned here and there, that's what you should claim to teach. There is nothing wrong with telling the truth. In the end you earn respect through interaction, not through lies or bogus certificates.
I was once asked, "what styles did I learn?" I replied, "Judo, Karate, and Tae Kwon Do, among others." I was then asked in a statement, "So if I studied Judo, Karate, and Tae Kwon Do I would know your style?" I replied, "No, I know Judo but I don't teach it. I studied Judo to analyze and find the positive and weaknessess. I used the techniques as an inspiration to see how they can be reversed, or to reverse a reversal. I use my imagination and creativity to find different applications to a simple technique. I enjoy the exploration of a new technique, that is what my art is all about. I don't look at a technique, copy it and say, I know that technique. (I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that approach.") Each new technique you learn should be an inspiration, an exploration for creativity and imagination. The same goes for any technique from Karate, Tae Kwon Do, or any other form and style. I don't claim to teach other styles even though I studied them. You see the end result in my art is different from what inspired me to create it."
One of the greatest accomplishments a founder of a martial art could attain would be recognition and acceptance by peers and senior Grandmasters. There are various Grandmaster boards which will review your martial arts background and proposed style. You may think, how can anyone judge someone else's style? Well, there are senior masters with over forty years experience who have just about seen everything. Some of these masters who have nothing to gain or loose can make an educated decision. Actually, any master who is not trying to gain control or power, who is not governed by greed and has an open mind will be quite capable of recognizing, accepting and respecting a fellow martial artist who has demonstrated his physical skill, mental and philisophical insights. Your first step should be respecting other masters and their styles, then you may begin to earn their respect and acceptance.
Since anyone can open a martial arts school, I would recommend that if you have created or inherited a style you should have your system reviewed by a Grandmaster board or Sokeship council. This should separate you from all the fakes and forgeries that are instructing with little or no experience. A legitimate Grandmaster board should not charge a membership fee. Your membership should be based on authenticity, skill, and experience. If you manage to pass the requirements of a Sokeship council not only will you gain acceptance from your peers, but also respect and recognition.
To all the Grandmasters who earned their experience through selfsacrifice and dedication, "Os" and for those who have not yet proven themselves, keep training and instructing with true devotion and dedication.

By Soke Daniel Verkerke / Seicho Jutsu
 

Jay Bell

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It's honestly quite difficult for me to give much seriousness to someone who incorrectly calls himself a Soke and talks about "Grandmasters" and "Sokeship Counsels".

If people have the need to use Japanese titles in their self-proclaimed arts, is it so difficult to do a bit of reading and find out the correct usage?
 
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MartialArtsChic

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Originally posted by Zepp
Wouldn't this thread be more appropriate in the General MartialTalk Forum?


There is one there. Looks like this was double posted.
 
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Black Bear

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So what makes something a bona fide new martial art? What makes it worth saying, hey, this is my new martial art?

A lot of instructors (both traditional and RBSD) create their own curriculum. They don't need a name to validate it. If it is good it will stand on its own merits.

Many people, often young people, have told me that they had created their own martial art, or were going to. I tell them go ahead, I'll be the first person to make fun of you.
 

Touch Of Death

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Originally posted by Black Bear
So what makes something a bona fide new martial art? What makes it worth saying, hey, this is my new martial art?

A lot of instructors (both traditional and RBSD) create their own curriculum. They don't need a name to validate it. If it is good it will stand on its own merits.

Many people, often young people, have told me that they had created their own martial art, or were going to. I tell them go ahead, I'll be the first person to make fun of you.
Yeah Mr. Parker was really very young when he created AK to bad you weren't there to make fun of and discourage him. "An ounce of Logic is worth a ton of tradition..."EP
Sean
 
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Black Bear

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Not really. There was no internet then, or even desktop publishing. All I would have been able to do at the time would be to point and laugh. That is not nearly as satisfying as widespread public humiliation.

Anyway, read my posts: I never suggested that it is never appropriate to start one's own art, or that a young person shouldn't do it. Every art was developed by someone. It's just that when an idiot tries to do so, someone should do them a favour and call them on it.
 

Tapps

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There is a big difference between combining things into a legitimately new system and repackaging someone else’s system and giving yourself some Uber-title.

I've met people who have done both.

Ask about lineage and influences.

If someone tells you they are the beginning of everything in the system Run away and bring your wallet with you.
 
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moving target

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That realy sounded to me like he was trying to validate himself. Realy it isn't that hard to tell if someone knows what they are doing.. just read about what you are doing from many diffrent angles and ask lots of questions.. If inconsistencies start poping up than the person probably doesn't know what they are doing. And I'm not just reffering to information, ask about the physics of a blow and the affect of striking the target, ask how force is gennerated and ask why the conclusions of the given art have been drawn.
 
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8253

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I just have a question about this subject and that is: Is it actually possible to create a "new" Martial Art? After all when you look at it logically there are only so many ways to punch, kick, block, etc. I believe that you may just be creating a new philosiphy although with all of the different philosophies around these days even that would be hard to do.
 

Rick Wade

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Define new Martial Arts.

My definition of a new Martial Arts = No such of a thing

My definition of a new style = is a style that is less than 100 years old then it is ensured to transend the ages. Now just judging on the past as well as seeing how it is spreading American Kenpo will definetly transend the ages. I defineatly wish you the best of luck starting a new style. But my advise is get with the other master and let them validate your system.


Thanks

Rick
 

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