Importance in your training?

[searcher]

In these modern times how important is increaing fighting skill to everyone as it pertains to your training?

 

With so many people bashing on the usefullness of kata these days, how do you feel about kata and its effectiveness in helping you learn to fight?

 

The reason for me asking is that we ARE training in a martial art and we should be able to at least fight a little bit. I do not want this to turn into another fight over kata vs. fighting skill, but I would like to know how important fighting is to everyone.

[italian_guy]

Self-defence is not my primary reason why I'm doing MA but I think that kata practice togheter with their bunkai (or oyo whatever) are useful for self defence. Even if the pattern are pre-defined at least they teach you how to move against some attacks.

[Shorin Ryuu]

For me, fighting is everything in my martial training. If I didn't think it would help me in a fight, I wouldn't train in it.

 

All the other things (discipline, self-control, social interaction, etc.) are welcome, but merely ancillary benefits.

 

I don't need the martial arts to have those things. I might use the martial arts as a medium to do so, but no more so then I would in every other aspect of my life (martial arts just takes up a good deal of time in my life, that's all).

Even if the pattern are pre-defined at least they teach you how to move against some attacks.

 

If you read my other rant...I mean post... in the Maintaining Tradition vs. Evolving Your Martial Art (http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=16284), I will address what I see in this as a flawed perspective, even though I am a huge advocate of kata.

 

 

 

Of course, I have mixed feelings about the term "Martial Art" itself, but I might address that at another time.

[belar86]

I think that overall everything that you learn in karate is important - from fighting skills to kata, however different aspects of it are more important to you at different points in your training.

[Jade]

With kumite you learn how to fight ONE adversary, with kata you train how to handle a more difficult situation...

[searcher]

Thank you for the posts everyone. I recently asked some of my students the same question. They all basically answered that the reason they were training was for the fighting aspect. I myself have went to and from fighting as being my primary reason for keeping up my own personal training routine. I try to go beyond looking at kata as some mystical set of moves that are for conveying some "ancient secrets" that have been incorporated into the kata by the masters of old.

 

I have to give kata training its due respect in my own training. It has increased my level of conditioning and my balance. My techniques also seem to flow better also as I continue working toward mastery of each form.

 

Thank you all again for your replys.

[isshinryu5toforever]

To me there are stages to your development as a martial artist. At first you learn to fight. You can use your physical skills to defend youself. The second stage, you know you can defend yourself, but you don't need to fight if you can convince the other person not to. The last stage, there is no need to fight. You feel safe, and even if someone beats you up, they will slowly understand and eventually they will no longer want to fight. Martial arts is as much about the spiritual world as it is about the physical. You learn how to fight so you never have to.

[Shorin Ryuu]

To me there are stages to your development as a martial artist. At first you learn to fight. You can use your physical skills to defend youself. The second stage, you know you can defend yourself, but you don't need to fight if you can convince the other person not to. The last stage, there is no need to fight. You feel safe, and even if someone beats you up, they will slowly understand and eventually they will no longer want to fight. Martial arts is as much about the spiritual world as it is about the physical. You learn how to fight so you never have to.

 

I agree with you on some points, at least.

 

If martial arts is the only venue in your life for spiritual and/or mental development, then yes, I would agree even more. This is the case with many people, I might add. I think many people get a lot of extra benefits beyond the physical ones from martial arts simply because a lot of them have not had other kinds of life experiences or activities that would have already instilled in them those virtues.

 

However, I don't need martial arts exclusively (or inclusively, for that matter) to do any of those things, and hence my focus on the fighting aspects.

[isshinryu5toforever]

I understand that many take up the martial arts to learn to fight. I just believe that the more you allow yourself to become part of the martial arts, not simply the training, the less you really need the physical skills you acquire from the martial arts.

[Shorin Ryuu]

I understand that many take up the martial arts to learn to fight. I just believe that the more you allow yourself to become part of the martial arts, not simply the training, the less you really need the physical skills you acquire from the martial arts.

 

Um, you do understand what I am saying, right? Maybe you do, but your posts (if they are directed towards me) seem to indicate that you do not. Or maybe I'm misunderstanding you.

 

I'm taking martial arts for the fighting and combative ability because I do not need martial arts for my spiritual and/or mental development, character, etc. There are many that do, but I, personally, have other venues that do those things for me now, and have done them for me before I even started training in the martial arts.