I began my personal study of the martial arts because I wanted to defend myself. I was also under the impression that defending myself demanded that someone else had to get beat up. However, I knew deep down in the pit of my stomach that I did not want to damage anyone that badly. Seriously, I was between a rock and a hard place. I felt trapped between my inherently peaceful way of life and my no-nonsense fighting style. I needed to find a way out of the never ending cycles of violence that fighting can set in motion. I needed to retrain my mind so that I would be able to recognize less harmful opportunities to end a fight. I did not want for my reactions to violence to be greater violence.
How could I defend my self with out seriously harming my attacker? How could I possibly maintain my peace in times of war when just being you is a reason to fight. And, of course, I was impressed with the effect of good ole' fashioned blow for blow action. Being in the dojo was like being in a really great movie. However, I was unhappy and discontented on the inside. On the one hand I was a skilled fighting artist confident and secure while, on the other, I was vexed over the damage that my art had the capacity to cause. I needed to find a fighting style that was just like my very own personality. I needed to be myself at all times so I started searching. That said, I began my study of Jiu Jitsu. Jiu Jitsu literally means "peaceful art". The philosophy of the Jiu Jitsu is to neutralize an opponent without harm. The art form involves chokes, throws, strikes and submissions. It's also notable to mention that most Jiu Jitsu philosophers assume that a fight will end up on the mat ninety percent of the time.
I learned much. However, the most valuable lesson that I learned was that it is possible for people to defend themselves without resorting to all out warfare tactics. There are many alternatives to violence and the execution of them during trying times is a skill that will be developed by few. As time went by, I found myself in Aikido classes, reading books and watching instruction DVDs on arts such as Tai Chi. I learned to control my breathing and to be more patient. My entire understanding of the way things operate in the world slowly began to change. I also learned that there are many strategic advantages to the peaceful fighter. I felt creative again. I had found the thing that I originally wanted from the martial arts. I found a way to defend myself without perpetuating violence. Looking back at my introduction into martial arts I'd have to say that honesty with regard to my very own personality was essential to choosing my personal fighting style. I knew that if I was not content with what I was doing, I would not be dedicated to it for very long. Meanwhile, the field of martial arts is extremely broad. There are fighting styles that are very fierce and aggressive as well as fighting styles that go to extraordinary lengths not to harm the opponent. And while the philosophies of many martial arts may be similar, they can vary greatly in practical application. Consequently, I would have to advise people that are considering learning a martial art to first take a good look into their own personality then, be honest with their finding, and lastly adapt a fighting style. Your fighting style should be an outward expression of your personal philosophies. Knowing how you personally feel about conflict is of the utmost importance. Regular practice will ensure that when you are tested, you will be able to maintain your position fluidly.
Choosing A Martial Art
A martial art simply is any skill that is intrinsic in warfare. The word martial means "military." So historically, a martial art is a military art. The first things that usually come to mind when discussing modern fighting systems are leaping, kicking, punching, blocking, inverting elbows, twisting necks, throwing, and weapon fighting. But also horsemanship, javelin throwing, archery, spear fighting, halberd fighting, wrestling, knife fighting, rifle, shotgun, and pistol firing, demolitions, logistics, and battle strategy can all be described as the field of martial arts. Anything that a soldier might do in battle is a martial art.
By martial art usually it is meant aikido, arnis, boxing, capoeria, chow gar, choy la fut, hapkido, hsing'i, hun gar, jeet kune do, jow gar, judo, jujitsu, karate, kempo, kick boxing, krav maga, kung fu, pa kua, penjak silat, praying mantis, savate, shaolin, tae kwon do, tai chi, white crane, wing chun, wu shu and more! It is clear to see the list is very big and it is actually get to see how many martial arts systems there do you think and how many methods of self defense can be formulated.
There is a long running joke in the martial arts, that basically says when someone says theirs is the best style, what they really mean is "I study X". Keep an open mind and open eyes, and you will find the style or styles that best fit your needs.
Often within a martial arts school it is taught that 'this exact style is the best system and it was created to beat all the others'. Of course every martial artist would seem to think their style is the best because that is the style they have chosen to do, but in actuality what they are saying is 'this is the best style for me as it suits myattitude and I like the teaching environment'.
Just because a style doesn't focus on whatever it is you are interested in doesn't make it a bad style, it just makes it not the right style for you. Be wary of anyone who says otherwise. #1) Safety - You must maintain 100% safety when entering into the opponents attack range, this means to control any dangers that could occur by being in control of them. (Methods of entry must be sophisticated yet simple, fast as well as safe!)
#2) Attack - Pertinant is the ability to attack when you decide, with no worry or problems. The attack should be made up of a great handling of the opponents weapons. (Attacks must be structured to have within them a 100% defense!)
#3) The ability to change and - Techniques, attacks and defenses must flow but not necessarily at a constant pace. Adaptability to choose what's next is vital!
Whatever martial arts you choose take your time so you do experiment a little before you decide and enqire with the school what combat systems equipment they utilize to get the best from your training.
This article was written by P. Sundbye who has been training in various martialarts for the last 11 years including Wing Chun Kung Fu, Aikido, Tong Long and the Lee Total Control system.
Both Michael Russell & are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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