Matt Stone
Master of Arts
I know that the argument for and against forms practice is an ongoing hotly debated topic. I also know that there are a heck of a lot more instructors that don't know squat about forms than there are that do.
But.
Given the nature of forums like this one, why are so many MAists still anti-form in their orientation?
Also, I was reading some posts elsewhere on MT and on other forums, and I really get a kick out of people that are either looking for or training in schools that claim their MA is teaching "real world" self defense... Like traditional arts never dealt with "real world" attacks? Then I hear about how these more modern arts are dealing with "modern knife attacks" and such... So, what, do people nowadays attack in totally unique ways that people a hundred years ago didn't know how to use?
These kinds of things really frustrate me... I can understand the difference between a traditional style that trains in traditional forms but never (for whatever reason) trains in actual hands on application of their techniques, and a traditional school that makes their students suck floor as a daily training drill. I can understand the difference between a school that only drills defenses against archaic weapons and one that teaches gun defenses (whether they are worth a ***** or not). But contrasting a "modern" school against a traditional school based on the factor of "modern" self defense techniques confuses me... people have been punching, kicking, stabbing and swinging clubs pretty much the same way since day one...
Anyone care to clarify these mysteries for me?
Gambarimasu.
:asian:
But.
Given the nature of forums like this one, why are so many MAists still anti-form in their orientation?
Also, I was reading some posts elsewhere on MT and on other forums, and I really get a kick out of people that are either looking for or training in schools that claim their MA is teaching "real world" self defense... Like traditional arts never dealt with "real world" attacks? Then I hear about how these more modern arts are dealing with "modern knife attacks" and such... So, what, do people nowadays attack in totally unique ways that people a hundred years ago didn't know how to use?
These kinds of things really frustrate me... I can understand the difference between a traditional style that trains in traditional forms but never (for whatever reason) trains in actual hands on application of their techniques, and a traditional school that makes their students suck floor as a daily training drill. I can understand the difference between a school that only drills defenses against archaic weapons and one that teaches gun defenses (whether they are worth a ***** or not). But contrasting a "modern" school against a traditional school based on the factor of "modern" self defense techniques confuses me... people have been punching, kicking, stabbing and swinging clubs pretty much the same way since day one...
Anyone care to clarify these mysteries for me?
Gambarimasu.
:asian: