"Show me a better style"

[Kennedy_Shogen_Ryu]

A little disclaimer before I begin my post, I am in no way attempting to start a "my style is better than your style" post nor am I suggesting that the style I study is better than anyone else's.

That being said...

My instructor has just returned from a trip to Okinawa to train with the head instructor of our style (Shogen Ryu.) While there they were sitting around one night when my instructor asked Grandmaster Taba why he has dedicated so many years of his life to Shogen Ryu. Grandmaster Taba responded with this statement "show me a better style than the one I study now and I will begin to train it." At first I thought of this as an egotistical statement. But the more I thought about it I thought, how great the respect and dedication that one can show for their style can be.
My question is have you ever known anyone to have that kind of dedication to one particular style. Or do yourself feel that kind of dedication to one particular style?

 

[Drac]

My question is have you ever known anyone to have that kind of dedication to one particular style. Or do yourself feel that kind of dedication to one particular style?

Most of the Masters and Grandmasters that I have met have a pretty broad backround in the MA before they settled in their current discipline..I myself have been exposed to a number of varied disciplines before settling where I am today..I incorporate various compoinents of these past arts into my current one...

 

[terryl965]

I believe most that have at least twenty years in a particulor style would say the same. And yes I believe my style is best suited for me and that is whay I stay with it fo so long.

 

[Kacey]

At first I thought of this as an egotistical statement. But the more I thought about it I thought, how great the respect and dedication that one can show for their style can be.
My question is have you ever known anyone to have that kind of dedication to one particular style. Or do yourself feel that kind of dedication to one particular style?

Yes - to both. My sahbum (28 years in TKD) and his sahbum (41 years in TKD) have that kind of dedication, as do several of the other masters I've met in the course of my training and many of the other seniors I've met. I think Terry hit the key point in his post:

I believe most that have at least twenty years in a particulor style would say the same. And yes I believe my style is best suited for me and that is whay I stay with it fo so long.

Once you find a style that is right for you, you will find a style you can truly stay with and dedicate your life to. People are different, and what works for person A may not work for person B; that's just the way it is. And has been stated in many other ways and places, it's not just the art - it's the instructor, the climate of the class, and a host of other things that make a particular art work for a particular person - had I started TKD somewhere other than where I did, it could easily have not been right for me - not because of the art, but because a different instructor might not have been the right instructor for me as an individual.

 

[charyuop]

I have always thought that hard and soft style after so many years (when you get to be called GrandMaster) tend to blend. Like two paths leading to the same peak of a mountain.
Sure there are differences between styles, but once your reach a certain level they tend to become thinner and thinner.

 

[Brandon Fisher]

I just was privledged enough to spend a total of about 5 days with Hanshi Seifuku Nitta from Okinawa. Nitta Sensei has a similar attitude as Taba Sensei, but he said to me that okinawan karate contains everything you need its a matter of learning it and being able to put it into play. The Okinawan's are amazing to me, the ones I have had the opportunity to spend time with and learn from they are so knowledgable about so many aspects its just amazing to me.

 

[tellner]

I'm not sure that it says anything one way or the other about a person's character. We all think we're doing the best we can with the resources available to us. If we thought there was something better out there that's where we'd go, and that's what we'd do.

The first question is "better for what?" I'd be willing to bet that when it comes to firearms and small group tactics, horse stealing, mounted lance, tomahawk and bowie knife all of us are sucking hind teat compared to what any Apache kid 150 years ago learned from his uncles. And the same undoubtedly holds true for every single Karate black belt from Okinawa, Japan or Korea with the Gracie family and all the Chinese masters for the last century thrown in for good measure. The Apache martial arts were perfectly adapted for the Apache and their needs. It isn't what you or I are looking for today. And they wouldn't be interested in what we do.

There's a point where it really does become egotistical or at least short sighted and stupid. And no matter how advanced a practitioner is it's always a danger. When you stop saying "This is good stuff. It's on a par with anything else out there," and start saying "It doesn't get any better than this. My style is the best," you've crossed the line. It's also about the time that you will fatally underestimate someone because he isn't one of the Elect who does your style. "Pride goeth before destruction" and all the rest of that.

You expect it from beginners. But it can be even worse with advanced practitioners. Many of them have only had mild interaction with the outside martial arts world in quite a while. They have a lot of their self concept invested in the style and the organization. That's the frame. The picture is pretty easy to paint in. They should know better. What's worse is that they should know that nobody is best at everything. Everyone has specialties. If he can get you to play his game better than you can get him to play yours he's better regardless of style.

I think that what I do is pretty darned good. And I don't think there's another school nearby that will do a better job of giving me what I'm looking for. What's more, I've met a number of world-class teachers, not just guys with more belts than a men's clothing store. I know that Stevan Plinck is absolutely top flight and can hold his head up with them. But there are others who are at least as good and who are better at their specialties. And there are other who were and are better. No doubt about it. If you forget that it's a short trip to hero worship and delusion.

 

[whitetiger2001]

I studied Shaolin Kempo and I truely belive it is the best style. Not that it's better than anyother because there are many to choose from but because it's the one that is best for me. Others have fascinated me and there are some I'd like to try but mine has what I need. I feel that the expression "Show me a better style" is subjective and for someone of that rank, with that immense amount of experience to begin a new one would be to abandon something that they have found works well for them. We all have reason for the styles we study, physical limits play a big role (I can't perform really high kicks so styles like TKD are out).
As MAs, the roads we take are different but I feel that the journey leads us all to the same place, an understanding of who we are and the knowledge that we are more than we think. I'm starting to get into the esoteric here but its true. When we start, we don't know what we can do and over time, with practice and good instruction, we learn that we can be or do far more than we think.

 

[giorga]

that's it

 

[jim777]

My brother's Shotokan instructor got his 5th Dan in the early 60's, when that was as high as you could go. His instructor was one of Funakoshi Sensei's original students. He got in a fight with someone in the JKA years ago, and so now he is still 5th Dan, and has been for 45 years or so. He is old school hardcore "Shotokan is all you need". He will ban you from the school if he finds you are taking another style. And, though it is entirely irrelevant, he can jog on his fists. He is the man.

 

[tellner]

Strange that he will ban you for taking another style when you consider that he almost certainly took Judo and Kendo.

 

[jim777]

Yeah, there is absolutely no questioning him at all LOL