Unsure of the art taught at my dojo

[drop bear]

i was talking specifically about people not being asked to write an essay on how ''swimming made me feel( insert any pass time and award)before being given a life guards badge

There is a bit of academic study surrounding sport though.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I actually think it's far more universal that you suggest, and would go further to say that the non-fighting benefits of MA have little to do with MA. Further, the intangible benefits (e.g., respect, character, self-discipline, self-esteem) are a by-product of applying oneself to developing skills in pretty much anything, from learning to play chess to getting your welding certifications.

I wholly agree. I was referring more to the purposeful focus on those areas of development, but developing those areas is more the result of applied discipline over time, regardless of what the application is.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

i was talking specifically about people not being asked to write an essay on how ''swimming made me feel( insert any pass time and award)before being given a life guards badge

Understood. I was just saying they could be, if the lifeguard course wanted to do more than teach them to save folks from drowning.

 

[jobo]

There is a bit of academic study surrounding sport though.

yes but not generally of the sports men themselves taking higher level qualification. some of them are barely able to read

 

[jobo]

Understood. I was just saying they could be, if the lifeguard course wanted to do more than teach them to save folks from drowning.

saving lives is rather there job, what more were you thinking of ? selling ice cream while they wait for someone to shout help ?

 

[drop bear]

yes but not generally of the sports men themselves taking higher level qualification. some of them are barely able to read

Martial arts combines them.

 

[jobo]

Martial arts combines them.

i think thats far from a universal truth, most ma including most instructors, it seems from my experience,are clueless about performance training,( they just use bro science)which is why those who take a bit of time to read up( no actual qualification needed in the internet age) have a significant advantage

if your going to quote MMA at me, that may be true at the pro level but its probably the trainer rather than the athlete and youve already produced a picture of some '' elite '' level fighters who clearly are under trained to a significant degree , so clearly they are lacking a sports scientist to guide them

if performance training isnt a defining factor in MMA there wouldn't be wide spread doping

 

[isshinryuronin]

While devoting oneself to any pursuit will develop certain intangible benefits as byproducts, in TMA, these benefits are not collateral byproducts, but primary intentional goals. They are inherent in the "do" of karate-do. This is where TMA is different from most other pursuits. There are few activities capable of changing one's physical body, way of looking at the world, and way of looking at oneself, all at the same time, to the extent MA can.

To illustrate this uniqueness in another way: There are chat rooms for chess players, I'm sure, where they discuss strategy, tactics, history and so on. But do they discuss physical training, philosophy, character development? Probably not much. If welders have such a site, they may talk of hours worked, types of metal, equipment and other technical issues. But again, I doubt if philosophy, moral standards, humility, and outlook on life are regular subjects of discussion.

Is there any site out there where, in addition to technical matters specific to the activity, these other topics are discussed on a regular basis? By chance, there is. And it happens to be MA oriented! Now, if I could only find it........

Just want to wrap up this line of thought regarding how MA is different than other pursuits as far as collateral vs designed intangible benefits go. I have realized that the main difference between MA and, say chess, music, business or welding is this: MA teaches how to do physical damage to another human being (while putting oneself as risk of injury as well.) Without guiding principles, respect, humility, responsibility, etc., the results could be nasty.

At least as far back as the creator of White Crane (the main forerunner of what we now know as Karate) these principles have been emphasized by the masters - practically all of them, in fact. Healing arts were also part of MA at one time. These things were so important to them that they wove these teachings into the fabric of their curriculum. So, TMA is rather unique in this regard. Again, these intangibles are an integral part of TMA, purposely incorporated, and not just a beneficial by-product.

 

[Steve]

Just want to wrap up this line of thought regarding how MA is different than other pursuits as far as collateral vs designed intangible benefits go. I have realized that the main difference between MA and, say chess, music, business or welding is this: MA teaches how to do physical damage to another human being (while putting oneself as risk of injury as well.) Without guiding principles, respect, humility, responsibility, etc., the results could be nasty.

At least as far back as the creator of White Crane (the main forerunner of what we now know as Karate) these principles have been emphasized by the masters - practically all of them, in fact. Healing arts were also part of MA at one time. These things were so important to them that they wove these teachings into the fabric of their curriculum. So, TMA is rather unique in this regard. Again, these intangibles are an integral part of TMA, purposely incorporated, and not just a beneficial by-product.

Harm to another human? I don't think that's a given.

 

[_Simon_]

Harm to another human? I don't think that's a given.

Of course it is! Proof!

 

[Gerry Seymour]

saving lives is rather there job, what more were you thinking of ? selling ice cream while they wait for someone to shout help ?

I said if they wanted to. If they wanted tot teach other life skills, they might use things like writing to works on those. It’d be beyond the life saving, so not pertinent to the job of a life guard.