Welcome back!Thanks to my previous post on the importance of learning and continuing to practice the basics, a few people have asked why I think it is that so many martial artists are quick to neglect the basic techniques when it comes to training, so I thought I would try and answer that question here [...]
Entries Tagged as 'Martial Culture'
Martial Arts Competitions: How Useful Are They?
December 15th, 2009 · Comments · Martial Musings
I decided to write this article for three reasons. Firstly I read Wim Demeere’s treatment of the subject recently and I wanted to add my own thoughts on it. Secondly, my friend lost a cage fight at the weekend, and thirdly, I’m thinking of competing in a sport Ju Jitsu tournament next year. [...]
Don’t Be A Mimic- The Right Way To Master Martial Arts
October 26th, 2009 · Comments · Training Advice
Just recently I read a very interesting article written by Matt over at Ikigai blog in which he explained the subtle difference in meaning between the two Japanese words “shirimasu” and “wakarimasu”, both of which seek to convey the concept of understanding, with shirimasu conveying a shallow understanding and wakarimasu conveying a much deeper understanding. [...]
Tags: Development·Martial Culture·Mastery·Mimickry·Technique·Traditional
Black Belt Responsibilities: Are There Any?
July 25th, 2009 · Comments · Martial Musings
I came across this very question in a forum recently and I was more than a little surprised at some of the answers that were left in response to it. What surprised me most was the apathy towards such a question, like it didn’t matter if someone in that position within the martial arts had [...]
Tags: Development·Martial Attributes·Martial Culture·Traditional
Is MMA Useless for Street Self Defense?
July 20th, 2009 · Comments · Street Self Defense
Since MMA first got a grip on the world’s imagination as “the best fighting system there is” there has been a lot of talk and discussion about its usefulness outside the cage and its relative merits as a street self defense system. The superiority complex held by many MMA proponents is often carried [...]
Why the Dog Brothers are Snapping at the Heels of the UFC
July 12th, 2009 · Comments · General
Have you heard of the Dog Brothers yet? If you haven’t you soon will. The Dog Brothers are a group of underground fighters who are currently challenging the supremacy of the established UFC tournaments by staging their own even more brutal and “real” tournament fights.
I had never heard of the Dog Brothers until [...]
The Realities of Street Self Defense
June 29th, 2009 · Comments · Street Self Defense
It is often said by martial artists that if they use the skills they have practiced for years in training in a real street self defense situation then their actions will be perfectly justified because they will be doing so in “self defense”.
To my mind, this is a very dangerous attitude to have if you [...]
Tags: Law·Martial Culture·Street Defense
Hardcore Training Vs Commercializm
May 29th, 2009 · Comments · Martial Musings
I have been practicing traditional martial arts training in the same dojo now for over twenty-five years. The training hall itself has existed for many more years before that. When I first began training there it was quite run down; it was just a fair sized hall with wooden floor and a couple of changing [...]
Why Every Dojo Should Have a Bouncer
May 15th, 2009 · Comments · Street Self Defense
I believe that every dojo should have a bouncer -and I don’t mean on the door to stop people getting in. I mean one or more members of the dojo should work as a bouncer. If no one there is a bouncer, then get a job as a bouncer yourself, if only for a few [...]
Tags: Bouncing·Martial Culture·Psychology·Street Defense·Technique
Best Way to Avoid Street Violence
May 10th, 2009 · Comments · Street Self Defense
Street violence is a fact of life in these modern times but some people are more susceptible to it than others. I firmly believe that if you encounter a lot of street violence in your life then in some sense you are attracting it through your own mentality. The vast majority of people who have [...]
Tags: Martial Attributes·Martial Culture·Motivation·Psychology·Street Defense·Technique
