What Kind of Pie is Best? (Finding a Martial Art)

Bill Mattocks

Sr. Grandmaster
MTS Alumni
Joined
Feb 8, 2009
Messages
15,627
Reaction score
4,433
Location
Michigan
A very common question on MT is something along these lines:

"Hi! I'm new and I'm looking to begin training in martial arts. Which art is best?"

An alternative attempts to be more focused:

"Hi, I'm new and I'm X years old and my body type is Y and I've trained in Z arts but not since childhood and I was wondering what art is best for me?"

What kind of pie is best? Or alternatively, what kind of pie is best for me?

Martial arts is LOCAL. On any given day, a student from dojo A can be called a better martial artist than a student from Temple B and vice-versa. It depends on so many factors, which is why there has never been a 'best style' even when one defines 'best' by strict rules.

What I mean by that is that there are great and lousy instructors in every art you can name. None are free of frauds. Few are so bad that they have no good instructors.

Furthermore, a great instructor whom you can't get along with isn't a very good instructor for YOU in many cases. A facility that doesn't appeal to you, fellow students who leave you cold, none of those are good things for you, even if 'everyone says' the instructor, facility, and students are top-notch.

Bottom line, although we are happy to help in any way we can, most of us are going to say the same thing every time this question comes up.

1) Find out what schools are available where you live.

2) Determine if the style of martial arts taught is something you're interested in. Some people prefer to grapple. Some like high kicks. Some like stand up fighting. Some want to learn self-defense only. Some want to compete in tournaments and potentially win trophies. Some want to get in better physical condition. Or any combination of those. All are legit reasons to train, but you want to match your desired outcome with what's being taught or it won't work for you.

3) Make sure the costs and times of instruction work for you.

4) Do your best to investigate the instructor and their stated credentials. There are many frauds out there. Some have very convincing certificates and group memberships hanging on their walls; check them out anyway. There are quite a few fraudulent organizations that exist to confer these things on anyone who sends them money.

5) Attend as a visitor. Go more than once. See how things are done, and decide if that's something you think would interest you.

6) Self-assess. If you're seriously overweight, out-of-shape, older, less flexible, or differently abled, there may be things you cannot physically do unless you are willing to put in the time and effort to do those things along with training, if you are able to.

7) If the training facility uses contracts, ask what happens if you move, become unable to train, or decide it's not for you. Consider how you'll feel paying a monthly fee for several years when you're not able or willing to train anymore.

But what pie is best? The pie you like. The pie you're willing to commit to. The pie that's available near you, at a price you're willing to pay. The pie baked by a good baker, who has access to good ingredients. That's the best pie.
 

Xue Sheng

All weight is underside
Joined
Jan 8, 2006
Messages
34,275
Reaction score
9,390
Location
North American Tectonic Plate
Bill, you've always inspired me about Martial Arts. And now you've inspired me about pie.

Going to make one right now. :)
DANG IT!!!! Now I want pie

Rhubarb. Not that strawberry/rhubarb blend. That is an inferior pie.

Actually, Apple...NO cherry....NO WAIT!!!! Apple.....
 

Xue Sheng

All weight is underside
Joined
Jan 8, 2006
Messages
34,275
Reaction score
9,390
Location
North American Tectonic Plate
Reminds me of
A very common question on MT is something along these lines:

"Hi! I'm new and I'm looking to begin training in martial arts. Which art is best?"

An alternative attempts to be more focused:

"Hi, I'm new and I'm X years old and my body type is Y and I've trained in Z arts but not since childhood and I was wondering what art is best for me?"

What kind of pie is best? Or alternatively, what kind of pie is best for me?

Martial arts is LOCAL. On any given day, a student from dojo A can be called a better martial artist than a student from Temple B and vice-versa. It depends on so many factors, which is why there has never been a 'best style' even when one defines 'best' by strict rules.

What I mean by that is that there are great and lousy instructors in every art you can name. None are free of frauds. Few are so bad that they have no good instructors.

Furthermore, a great instructor whom you can't get along with isn't a very good instructor for YOU in many cases. A facility that doesn't appeal to you, fellow students who leave you cold, none of those are good things for you, even if 'everyone says' the instructor, facility, and students are top-notch.

Bottom line, although we are happy to help in any way we can, most of us are going to say the same thing every time this question comes up.

1) Find out what schools are available where you live.

2) Determine if the style of martial arts taught is something you're interested in. Some people prefer to grapple. Some like high kicks. Some like stand up fighting. Some want to learn self-defense only. Some want to compete in tournaments and potentially win trophies. Some want to get in better physical condition. Or any combination of those. All are legit reasons to train, but you want to match your desired outcome with what's being taught or it won't work for you.

3) Make sure the costs and times of instruction work for you.

4) Do your best to investigate the instructor and their stated credentials. There are many frauds out there. Some have very convincing certificates and group memberships hanging on their walls; check them out anyway. There are quite a few fraudulent organizations that exist to confer these things on anyone who sends them money.

5) Attend as a visitor. Go more than once. See how things are done, and decide if that's something you think would interest you.

6) Self-assess. If you're seriously overweight, out-of-shape, older, less flexible, or differently abled, there may be things you cannot physically do unless you are willing to put in the time and effort to do those things along with training, if you are able to.

7) If the training facility uses contracts, ask what happens if you move, become unable to train, or decide it's not for you. Consider how you'll feel paying a monthly fee for several years when you're not able or willing to train anymore.

But what pie is best? The pie you like. The pie you're willing to commit to. The pie that's available near you, at a price you're willing to pay. The pie baked by a good baker, who has access to good ingredients. That's the best pie.
Good stuff Bill..... Reminds me of a post I did a few years back

What Is The Best Martial Art?

 

drop bear

Sr. Grandmaster
Joined
Feb 23, 2014
Messages
23,337
Reaction score
8,070
Ned Kelly pie.


Well I guess that was a short thread.
 

Damien

Blue Belt
Joined
Mar 17, 2021
Messages
247
Reaction score
206
Location
Sydney
I fully agree, but committing to pie sounds like a serious long term relationship. I feel like it would go mouldy after a while. Can you divorce a mouldy pie, or do you need to continue sharing your bed?

These are the serious questions we need to be answering here people!
 

mograph

Master of Arts
Joined
Apr 10, 2008
Messages
1,802
Reaction score
990
You'd never make it across the bridge.
nGMrD.gif
 

Steve

Mostly Harmless
Joined
Jul 9, 2008
Messages
21,920
Reaction score
7,475
Location
Covington, WA
Ned Kelly pie.


Well I guess that was a short thread.
You know, I've made this a couple of times since you posted about it a few years ago, and they're pretty good. If I ever travel to Australia, I'll try to find a real one.
 

Steve

Mostly Harmless
Joined
Jul 9, 2008
Messages
21,920
Reaction score
7,475
Location
Covington, WA
I think this is an excellent metaphor. different pies for different people who have different needs and preferences. A nice message.

Even if we're as generous as possible, we're making some presumptions about these pies.

first, I think folks typically think about excellent examples of whatever pie they're thinking about. Not all pies are exceptional. Most aren't worth the calories, to be honest. Gummy, mushy, or burnt crusts. Fillings are too sweet or not sweet enough, soupy, or too dry.

For example, Apple pie is great, but most of them look like this... more of an apple soup with pie-crust dumpling. Yuck.

applepie.png


Some pies are so poorly baked the food is dangerous to eat.
burntpie.png


Some of them look like pies, but aren't even real food. They are pie like objects, made to mimic pie, but intended for some purpose other than to eat (e.g., print ads)

41i7S46EFtL._AC_SX466_.jpg


Some aren't even pies at all, but the person who baked it thinks it's a pie because they really don't know what a pie is.

chocolate-chip-cookie-16-600x868.jpg
 

Steve

Mostly Harmless
Joined
Jul 9, 2008
Messages
21,920
Reaction score
7,475
Location
Covington, WA
It’s Marionberry for me but I think @Xue Sheng would prefer the bacon pot pie.
Mmm. Marionberry.

In other news, the more I think about this metaphor, the more I like it. If schools are like bakeries that are selling pies, which are martial arts styles, it makes even more sense.

Some of those bakeries would give you a donut and insist it's just as good as a pie. "Donuts are actually the best pies you can get. More pie-like than a pie!" To be clear, if you like donuts, this is probably okay, until you try to tell someone else about your great pie and they're like, "Dude, that's a maple bar."

Some give you an apple, a pinch of cinnamon, and a Kaiser roll and tell you to use your imagination. "If you eat all three of these together, it's exactly like an apple pie. Trust us (and please put that actual pie down)."
 

Latest Discussions

Top