MA is beautiful. Watching practitioners of Bagua for example. They way they move is incredible. Or even in my style, watching my friend who is a 3rd degree perform some of his earlier forms, its simply amazing. the fluidity is outstanding.
one of the things i find "beautiful" about the MA's is that its amazing to watch, especially when it is someone that has a lot of skill, but also because of how deadly and destructive it could be. Its like a tiger. they are beautiful and majestic animals but they are also 800lbs of pure power.
B
Yes B, this is what I am thinking also. Beauty is in the observation of the adept. It would be imprudent to regard our own expertise as beautiful yet perhaps to others it might be - as it is with you observing your pal practicing forms.
I have at the back of my mind issue with classifying something as beautiful that has such a measure of destruction inbuilt. I like your tiger example. The tiger is undoubtedly awe inspiring when it hunts and its precision and powerful stealth are technically unsurpassed. I think a tiger on the hunt yes possesses an awesome beauty. Yet the act of the kill is functional (to feed). The actual act is not beautiful? Would you agree? Does this make sense? I am not sure how to equate what I am saying to the tiger analogy, though I like it very, very much, thank you
I don't know if he is still doing it, but at one time, Jhoon Goo Rhee promoted kata that were specifically designed for beautiful flowing movements, set to classical music.
But I think you are referring to a beauty from efficient movements performed in a flawless manner? Yes, I think there can be beauty in that. It may not be a whole kata, but a single technique, or even a particular move in a kata.
Thank you for the Jhoon Goo Rhee example. I wish it were possible to see this also. And I think yes kata are designed I think to teach many things such as fluidity, balance and stance and so these are almost always examples of what is good to look at, I agree entirely. I think though even in free randori there is potential for a beautiful match when one or both practitioners can utilise their kata and their technique to effortlessly control the other. Do you think that is right? Or is sparring by two adept practitioners purely functional and got nothing to do with beauty? Thank you for your thoughts
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Peace favor your sword,
Kirk
Yes Kirk, I think that is true. I wonder along your martial journey has any practice struck you as being a beautiful thing? Can efficient function beget beauty in MA do you think?
Tell that to your wife and then compliment her on her looks.
It's not so much that beauty is subjective ("in the eye of the beholder") so much as it is a matter of being able to recognize it when it's present. Beauty, like other things, can be difficult to recognize, let alone explain, for many people. And there are times when, even when you do recognize beauty is present you don't necessarily appreciate it. For example, I recognize that the Mona Lisa is a beautiful painting, but I don't really appreciate it as much as I do other works of art that show less ability and less beauty.
Pax,
Chris
I like this analogy Chris, thank you. I wonder though, if beauty cannot be recognised instantly then is it beauty at all do you think? Does true beauty require a measure of consensus? And is Mona Lisa a beautiful painting of a woman or a painting of a beautiful woman? And most importantly, is beautiful a word ever to be indexed against martial art? Thank you for your thoughts
Can Martial Arts be Beautiful? Speaking as one who thinks Yuzo Mifune is awsome to watch and I saw Marvin Hagler ring side at a demo...Yes
X_S thank you for your thoughts and for posting these excellent visuals. I cannot deny as a layperson that these represent something truly beautiful as I see it. Can I ask please, are you just lucky to be student of a beautiful discipline or is it not by chance that there is beauty in these forms? I wonder does all ultimate technical efficiency lead to a work of beauty? What do you think? Thank you again, I am grateful
I went to a TKD tournament once where they had super slow mo HD instant replays on a big screen at the back of the room. It looked awesome, but turned out to be pretty dangerous, as after every good point the competitors would stop to admire their handiwork on the screen. This guy's form is not brilliant, but it kind of demonstrates what I mean, there is a grace in TKD that I can really appreciate:
Dear Gnarlie, grace is an excellent choice of word, thank you. The slo-mo totally adds to that sense of physical poetry. I like that very much. Can I ask please, do you think that being graceful in this way precludes being functional? I mean functional as in damage-causing? If your practice is beautiful is it inclined not to be regarded as functional? Thank you again
Xue, I must say I'm a little surprised and disappointed.
I thought you would use this as an opportunity to show a Michelle Yeoh pic
Since you dropped the ball....
Bah.. pretty pictures
I will let you away with it so long as you show me some proper beautiful MA and not just beautiful people
yes it can, so can many weapons, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think martial arts are lovely, but also done properly deadly efficient defense.
Thank you for this! I agree that weapons practice is some of the most fluid and obviously beautiful practice. You have said that the arts are attractive and BUT ALSO can be deadly efficient. I wonder is there any truth in an idea that beautiful practice will always LEAD to deadly efficiency? What do you think? Thank you again, I am grateful.
