Spartacus Maximus

Passed a certain point in one's training is it really possible to accurately evaluate one's skills and progress or is there invariably a tendency to overestimate or underestimate oneself?

Cooking is also quite a bit of fun...and venison is delicious!

Isolation is something that comes from within the mind. Although it is a good opportunity to practise concentration and test one's mental endurance, going to a mountain or other such place is not necessary, nor is it the only way. A martial artist who is able to train with the highest level of concentration, dedication and focuss in spite of whatever noise or distractions around, can do it anywhere. Doing it surrounded by urban life noises and stress is probably more challenging than in a serene mountain environment with a gently gurgling stream or waterfall.

What reasons would likely be cause for refusing to instruct anyone or quit teaching despite being qualified to do it? Martial arts history includes several accounts of reknowned experts who, for a variety of reasons quit teaching or refused to take students for a time. The founder of Uechi-ryu, for example, quit teaching for many years after one of his students killed a neighbour.

Curiously, there are no karate dojo anywhere around offering the same system or a similar one despite being located in an area with a high density of martial arts representation. Shorin ryu in all its variations is probably the largest in Okinawa and has quite a large presence in several countries, too.

Well the way the school in Japan is structured is that the martial arts teaching is done by instructors who are recognized by their own governing body for the ryuha or system they teach. They may or may not also be qualified to teach an academic subject. In other words, the martial arts are everywhere and many but not all professors are involved in martial arts. Students graduate with a degree plus a grade in whatever martial art they have trained in for the duration of their programme. In the case of a basic 4 year undergraduate level it is X major plus a minimum of shodan in a martial art taught at the school. Bearing in mind that a student has scheduled training daily as well as in their free time as much as allowed. That's the best explanation without going into fine detail.

There is always a choice and making that choice is up to the individual. The results of those choices good or bad is nobody else's fault. To be influenced, one has to be open and receptive to that influence. Realizing and accepting this is the first and most important step towards being able to hold onto personal convictions; without blaming whomever or whatever is different for one's own lack of judgement. That is what the author/host of the video spectacularly fails to understand. There are countless martial artists with a huge variety of personal beliefs who have trained for their entire lives under instructors who held their own beliefs. Yet the majority of these did not "convert" and kept their own. Consider for example, the first generation of Western students of East Asian experts who trained on location in China, Okinawa and Japan. When one's personal beliefs or philosophy is firmly rooted, merely having an instructor who follows a different one will not be enough to change it. Especially if, as most people do, said instructor is very minimal and private on exposing such deeply personal thought. Even if the instructor is fairly open about it, as long as there is no preaching or other type of pressure to adopt whatever it is the instructor believes.

If sweating makes a cotton gi difficult to move in, it is more than likely due to being the wrong size or wrong fit. If all else fails, maybe a custom fit might be the best way to go. Different brands have different cuts, so trying to find a good fit takes more than one try. It is highly recommended to try before buying one if at all possible, and check that the full range of movement is un hindered. Also consider the cling factor of cotton when damp.

There are also two similar institutions in Japan, but these are supposedly fully accredited and recognized school with regular academic degree programmes. Students have the option of training full time in one or two martial arts in parallel to whatever academic field they choose. Basically it is like other college/universities except all the clubs, teams and other non-academics are martial arts related.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with integrating one's personal view with one's personal practise of martial arts. Nor is it condemnable to be open about doing this. What is unethical and reprehensible is using the martial arts(or anything else) as a tool to promote dogmatic thinking based on negative personal experiences. This is willfully using a false image for profit and/or self-promotion.

There are only a few "mainstream" or "common" Korean systems . The ref are either eclectic blends of these or offshoots. There is a very large number of these taught mostly in USA and founded by Korean experts who immigrated there, Korean Americans and their first generation students since the early to mid 70's

It seems that Willie Nelson trains in a Korean system. Perhaps Tang Soo Do.

Experts like him are invariably paradoxal people. Despite a lifetime of training to develop frightening skills, they are very modest and mild mannered. A few years ago there was a popular martial arts themed television programme where a couple of amateur martial artist travelled around the world sampling different systems. At the end they would have a friendly challenge sparring match with someone from that system. At the end of the Okinawa episode, both hosts were very disappointed because ALL the Okinawan experts very flatly, but politely rejected their request to spar.

The best general answer to this is: however long is necessary for the candidate to demonstrate what the instructor asks to see. Many dojo have a physical fitness part where candidates are tested for endurance with a predetermined number of push-ups, sit-ups or running. These almost always make up half or more of the time. Personally, experience includes both the 4 hour marathon type of test as well as the shorter one based on the demonstration of designated kata, pair and group application drills and breaking(boards, tiles, bats etc). Each candidate is finished in under 30 minutes.

Correct again. Everything he describes is just plain ordinary instruction by a somewhat eccentric instructor. All of this is then interpreted as "evidence" to support the author's own distorted views. Anybody who has been involved in martial arts training or teaching for long enough has some experiences with more or less eccentric types. However there is a wide gap between being eccentric and cultish. It is very easy to to see how people like the author of the film might liberally assign their own meaning to certain cultural aspect of martial arts taken out of their context. Usually this s done to further their own agenda, promote their view or out of sheer ignorance. Things like: bowing to instructors= a servant type relationship Having portraits on the wall= worshiping those depicted Grading ceremonies= rituals Use of unfamiliar foreign language terms= incantations, prayer

If recent historical accounts are at least somewhat reliable, having never been in a fight is/was something for which many famed experts were known for in Okinawa. Itosu Anko comes to mind, as does his student Chibana. There will always be people who will only accept a truth when it bites them on the backside. Mr Higaonna is certainly not someone that these types would want to test. Then again, it is not very likely that experts such as him would be inclined to prove his skills in that way.

In general people, even many martial artists, have difficulty distinguishing between fighting and defending oneself. There is a big difference verses these two concepts and knowing it can spare much aggravation and trouble. The aim of fighting is to win or beat the other person. The aim of defense is to get away with the least harm as possible as quickly as possible. Hit and run before the other person recovers. Any lawyer or witness will be hard pressed to claim that someone breaking and fleeing form an altercation is the aggressor.

Even if they are not used for fishing, tying fishing flies is also a lot of fun for the art of it.

Solid post indeed. It is very telling that the one presented is a very one-sided story as there is nobody else with similar experiences. No fellow (ex)-martial arts, no instructors etc, absolutely no one. It looks as though the entire film is a compilation of footage stuck together by the author for his so-called documentary all of which is probably done without anyone's permission or knowledge. Any instructor finding footage of themselves and their school in this manner would probably be rightfully upset.

Following the links from the YouTube video confirms that it originates with a fringe group. It comes as no surprise that there might be more behind this video than just the expression of skewed and distorted views.

There are an infinite number of things that give expert martial artist credibility besides the number of times they have actually had to use their skills. Morio Higaonna's case is not unique and there are quite a few other experts who either have never been in a fight situation. It should also be noted that more often than not, such experts are very aware and humble about what they are capable of and therefore might not readily discuss experiences where they were forced to use what they know. What gives credibility is how they teach, what they teach and how they train.

The movie referred to and several other videos are all on YouTube and very easy to find. Just type in the title "the dragon revealed". After being pestered by close relations about this, seeking help to counter and explain from a martial artist point of view seemed like a sensible thing to do since treating them like strangers with the same "MA is bad for the soul" would not do.

It is probably accurate to say that, as far back as it is realiably documented, most Chinese systems are no more than 500 years old. Going further back is increasingly unreliable and difficult because of several historical and cultural factors.

Maybe this person was unlucky enough to be in an area with a higher than average percentage of martial arts schools run by cultish, unscrupulous manipulative conmen with dishonest business practises. Who really knows, there are more than a few out there in the martial arts world. Then again there are those types of individuals who are just unable to see anything but through their own filter of delusions of conspiracies. These people only see what they want to see. Neither logic, nor reason put immediately before them clear as day will have any effect.

Indeed. Isshinryu and many others are approximately the same age. There is a well known old photo commemorating one of the first official gatherings of all the Okinawan experts taken around mid 1900. Among the two or three rows are nearly all the founders of the styles existing at that time. Goju ryu, Shorin ryu, Uechi ryu and everything in between. The photo is quite easy to find and it is included in countless websites and books.