Fill In the Blank... "The Most Important Skill In Martial Arts Is..."

[Rich Parsons]

Open mind.

With an open mind, one is open to critical thinking. One is open to new ideas. One can listen to others and question others as well. An Open mind realizes there is more than one solution, and that you may have to learn multiple solutions. You do not accuse or condemn other arts. AN open mind is more concerned about themselves than others when it comes to training.

My thoughts.

Now, Rule number one is Avoidance. Avoid getting hit. Avoid arguing with the instructor. Avoid closing your mind. Avoid point fingers at others. etcetera ...

 

[the system]

With Respect,
Supra Vijai

first off i was making a point. and the lifelong white belt is a metaphor if you dont understand it than you probably havent learned anything from the arts. it means to always think of yourself as a rookie, a begginer it humbles you. and secondly if you need a belt system to prove you have gotten anywhere then you truly are misunderstanding the essence of the arts. they are a training system to develope warriors. even the most soft and flowing internal arts like tai chi. and i can assure you, that the belt rank you hold only builds an uneccesary ego that in a real life situation would probably get you killed. and i do love my training i never said i didnt i merely stated that without the ability to will the self and the body to perfect onesself through the arts whichever you choose to train in something you obviously missunderstood. it will go in one ear and out the other so to speak. and i do appologize for the lack of proper sentencing but i am learning to program and it messes with my normal typing archatecture. the point i was trying to make with the ball ref was that if you dont have willpower involved in every part of your martial arts training. than teaching you would be like forcing a child to stand up straight so to speak. if you dont will yourself to perform proper technique than it would take ages to build any muscle memory making every aspect of the art you train in null and void and the 4 main arts i actualy am activly studying ten and there is no primary art one should learn

 

[Supra Vijai]

With Respect,
Supra Vijai

first off i was making a point. and the lifelong white belt is a metaphor if you dont understand it than you probably havent learned anything from the arts. it means to always think of yourself as a rookie, a begginer it humbles you. and secondly if you need a belt system to prove you have gotten anywhere then you truly are misunderstanding the essence of the arts. they are a training system to develope warriors. even the most soft and flowing internal arts like tai chi. and i can assure you, that the belt rank you hold only builds an uneccesary ego that in a real life situation would probably get you killed. and i do love my training i never said i didnt i merely stated that without the ability to will the self and the body to perfect onesself through the arts whichever you choose to train in something you obviously missunderstood. it will go in one ear and out the other so to speak. and i do appologize for the lack of proper sentencing but i am learning to program and it messes with my normal typing archatecture. the point i was trying to make with the ball ref was that if you dont have willpower involved in every part of your martial arts training. than teaching you would be like forcing a child to stand up straight so to speak. if you dont will yourself to perform proper technique than it would take ages to build any muscle memory making every aspect of the art you train in null and void and the 4 main arts i actualy am activly studying ten and there is no primary art one should learn

Alrighty, having a metaphor is fine, having humility is commendable and the lack of needing a belt to prove your worth shows maturity. That said, when making a profile about yourself to give other members of a worldwide forum who are often strangers some insight into who you are and where you are coming from, an actual art and rank would help. As for my own personal views on belts, well they aren't secret by any means and I've posted them on here in several threads. See this is where we differ, I don't see the arts as a training system to develop warriors. If I wanted that here in Australia, I'd get myself a bit fitter and go enlist as an Army reserve or look at one of the other branches of the military. You don't see Marines learning 10 martial arts as part of their standard training. They learn MCMAP and that's it but that doesn't mean they aren't widely considered some of the fiercest warriors on the planet.

As far as your point about ego, I know plenty of egotistical goons who have never stepped into a Dojo just as I know plenty of serious high level martial artists who are not egotistical goons. Belts these days may be about giving kids a sense of value (quite important mind you) and the advent of the McDojo may have diminished their value but from a more traditional point of view, belts served to show time in an art. You started off with a white belt and rather than grade or change belt colours, you kept it and trained and trained and over time, the belt would discolour and darken eventually getting to the black colour we associate with time and experience as well as proven ability.

I'm glad you love your training. I apologise if it seemed like I was talking directly at you in my post but I was not, it was a general commentary that if Person A does not love what they are doing or learning, then Person A needs to re-evaluate if they are in the right art for them and possibly move on. Perfection to me is a dangerous thing... it doesn't really exist, only what can be perceived as perfect or rather, the challenge presented by striving for perfection. If perfection in an art was truly possible, you wouldn't have practitioners devoting their whole lives to constantly getting better and improving themselves - in more ways than just the fighting.

Again, having a child stand up straight has many advantages for the child both in the current time frame and later life which are both physical and psychological. I for one didn't have great posture as a little kid and already my back is paying for it The willpower is an interesting one. You can "will" ability to yourself all you want but unless your (Person A) name is Neo and you (Person A) are in the Matrix, it isn't going to mean squat compared to actual blood, sweat, tears and hours upon hours of training to get the technique right. Then repeat that for every other technique. As you go, you'll notice those things you slaved away at come a lot more naturally when you need them because they're in muscle memory AND they are correct technique. Simply stating that you need will to build muscle memory quickly doesn't account for correctness, understanding or internalizing the material. Futher, stating that "it would take ages to build any muscle memory making every aspect of the art you train in null and void" is a HUGE claim. I'm 5 years into my own training. I'm starting to get thing working from muscle memory under adrenaline now but they are still extremely gross motor actions. Saying that means every aspect my art is null and void is frankly, a little insulting. I'm not training MA for quick survival on the street. I'm not sure if you quite get the difference just based on your posts

Not saying there is any one art that is amazing and 100% complete and foolproof and should be the primary. If there was one, everyone would be in it defeating the need for the diversity we have now. That said, what do you get from training in 10 arts? Wouldn't you be better off picking one (or 2 or 3 if you really want) and working the bejesus outta those? Striving to get perfection in 3 arts would be a full time gig I'd imagine. As a kid I used to be interested in magic and every tape I bought or magician I spoke to said the same thing: there is no point knowing 20 complicated tricks and an hour long act if you can't perform them properly. You are much better off with half a dozen basic tricks that are quick & easy to set up and execute. If that's on a stage where someone isn't (I hope) trying to actively hurt me, then I sure as hell wouldn't want long, complex and unrefined on the streets. But that's just me.

 

[the system]

a few very good points but this is turning into quite an informative conversation our ideas are clashing in perfect flow like two like two martial artist testing their skill and knowledge against one another alright ill explain what i mean by willpower in more detail. quick note this would be a great thread sort of technical debate but i do agree a few of your points my reasoning for stating willpower started with an article i read about five years ago in science magazine is was a report that a psycologest probly spelled wrong. became very intrigued about the high dropout rate for the navy seals hellweek part of thier training. they are forced to stay up for seven days straight performing physical tasks so demanding of the body that nato has tried to stop it. with only one hour of rest a day. he became intrigued by this and followed them around doing test for two years . he fund out first that the whole system was designed not to find the most physicaly fit they explained that during the formation of the seals program. through millions of dollars of reaserch that the man who has a fiery will the want and desire to do what he has set his heart to do. the men with the strongest willpower where the ones that acompleshed thier goals without hesitation against any odds and that the shear intent of will to make physical movment expands the neural pathways to the limb in witch it is focused on in creasing control and yes muscle memory he found out that as soon as a potential seal candidate loses even the slightest focus thinks he cant one time than he fails and rings that bell. the first thing that is drilled into them before they ever get of that bus is willpower excersises that is why i have stated that will power as one of the most important skills to have becouse americas most elite protective force our bravest and strongest warriors are choosen by thier willpower and with 100% mission success rate with no faluires is track record i can trust. now i have question to ask if you dont believ me try this its simple and oly takes a week about fifteen minutes a day right befor you go to sleep lay relaxed with your eyes closed and to yourself say these words with an open mind I am completely calm (once)
My right arm is heavy (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My right arm is warm (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My heart beats calmly and regularly
(six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My breathing is calm and regular
... it breathes me (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My abdomen is flowingly warm
(six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My forehead is pleasantly cool
(six times)
I am completely calm (once) after you get done and dont open your eyes say my form is perfect 30 times then say my will is undeterd i can do anything 30 times then with as much mental effort and willed intent as you can state my muscle memory is faster than light and lasts longer than energy 30 times than ask your to set up some tests on muscle memory for you i guarentee youll see improvment in all the aspects in your life

 

[Chris Parker]

Dude. Sentences. Paragraphs. Or no-one will bother to read your posts.

 

[Supra Vijai]

Dude. Sentences. Paragraphs. Or no-one will bother to read your posts.

What he said...

a few very good points but this is turning into quite an informative conversation our ideas are clashing in perfect flow like two like two martial artist testing their skill and knowledge against one another alright ill explain what i mean by willpower in more detail. quick note this would be a great thread sort of technical debate but i do agree a few of your points my reasoning for stating willpower started with an article i read about five years ago in science magazine is was a report that a psycologest probly spelled wrong. became very intrigued about the high dropout rate for the navy seals hellweek part of thier training. they are forced to stay up for seven days straight performing physical tasks so demanding of the body that nato has tried to stop it. with only one hour of rest a day. he became intrigued by this and followed them around doing test for two years . he fund out first that the whole system was designed not to find the most physicaly fit they explained that during the formation of the seals program. through millions of dollars of reaserch that the man who has a fiery will the want and desire to do what he has set his heart to do. the men with the strongest willpower where the ones that acompleshed thier goals without hesitation against any odds and that the shear intent of will to make physical movment expands the neural pathways to the limb in witch it is focused on in creasing control and yes muscle memory he found out that as soon as a potential seal candidate loses even the slightest focus thinks he cant one time than he fails and rings that bell. the first thing that is drilled into them before they ever get of that bus is willpower excersises that is why i have stated that will power as one of the most important skills to have becouse americas most elite protective force our bravest and strongest warriors are choosen by thier willpower and with 100% mission success rate with no faluires is track record i can trust. now i have question to ask if you dont believ me try this its simple and oly takes a week about fifteen minutes a day right befor you go to sleep lay relaxed with your eyes closed and to yourself say these words with an open mind I am completely calm (once)
My right arm is heavy (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My right arm is warm (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My heart beats calmly and regularly
(six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My breathing is calm and regular
... it breathes me (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My abdomen is flowingly warm
(six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My forehead is pleasantly cool
(six times)
I am completely calm (once) after you get done and dont open your eyes say my form is perfect 30 times then say my will is undeterd i can do anything 30 times then with as much mental effort and willed intent as you can state my muscle memory is faster than light and lasts longer than energy 30 times than ask your to set up some tests on muscle memory for you i guarentee youll see improvment in all the aspects in your life

I'm familiar with hell week (at least in theory) and one take on it that I've heard is that the Navy does not make SEALS, the SEALS show up for BUDS with about 4 times as many who think they can make it only to find out that in fact, they can't. 80% atrition rates do imply that only 20% have the mental grit to go the distance but comparing SEALS to civilians, martial artist or not, is a bit of a mismatch. 100% mission success rate is again a very big call and what do you define success? no casualties? all objectives completed? no "friendly" kills? Regardless, once again simply willing yourself to get through it isn't completely enough and the willpower needed to go to the gym or get through an obstacle course is very different to the willpower needed to seriously injure or kill another human being even in self defense. I will completely pay the idea that you need the will power to get into the gym and get through a work out or to go to training or to practice techniques at home. That's the willpower to overcome laziness or fatigue, get off your butt and do something. That by itself does not however, guarantee skill in any way.

Speaking of, that's a cute exercise there. I've got mild Insomnia so I've actually had that recommended to me by a sleep specialist as a way of calming the brain. To be honest, I find it clears my head so I can think about even more stuff but in a logical fashion I think you are going for the mind over matter approach or placebo effect wherein you believe something works so it does, just keep in mind the issues with correctness as mentioned before or probably more dangerously, false confidence. If I tried that exercise every day and convinced myself I knew Dim Mak as used by JCVD in Bloodsport and train muscle memory to punch in a certain fashion, I'd still break my fist the first time I hit an actual stack of bricks. That's against bricks, I'd rather not think about what the outcome would be against an assailant.

 

[Josh Oakley]

Just want to pop in real quick and say that whole white-belt-turning-in-to-black-belt-by-training-and-getting-dirty story is a myth.

K. I'm good.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[Supra Vijai]

Just want to pop in real quick and say that whole white-belt-turning-in-to-black-belt-by-training-and-getting-dirty story is a myth.

K. I'm good.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

Cool, it's just what I'd heard myself but if it's wrong then I stand corrected

 

[rickster]

Power; Because if You can hit hard, even if you cant call on anything else Youve learnt, You can get by.

I slightly disagree.

Because there will/could be a time when you are faced with someone that can take a hit and/or hit harder than you.

So your wits should prevail (Not all battles are won by the strongest force)


As for "open mind", many martial artists tend to close theirs slightly focusing on their art, or what they do, as being paramount.

A "open mind" should extend beyond biased notions, prejudices, and fixed opinions or beliefs.
(I.E. Martial art history/lineage is so vague, but so desired into the form of rank or recognition, that "open mind" sometimes gets thrown out)

 

[rickster]

Just want to pop in real quick and say that whole white-belt-turning-in-to-black-belt-by-training-and-getting-dirty story is a myth.

K. I'm good.

Yep. And it takes a open minded person to reverse their opinion from belief and accept this

 

[GaryR]

The most important overall skill IMO is to be able to dynamically apply the basics of your style/art well under duress. (assuming your methods are of course effective )

This encompasses of course a few things, but I don't think narrowing down any further is fully appropriate.

G

 

[pgsmith]

The most important overall skill IMO is to be able to dynamically apply the basics of your style/art well under duress.

So what you're saying is that the most important skill in martial arts is learning and understanding a martial art?