new systems in the martial arts

[unknownstyle]

what are your feelings on someone starting a system of their own, do you think it is abandoning their roots or enhancing them?

[KempoTiger]

In short....7/10 times abandoning, 3/10 times enhancing

[Goju_boi]

theres been people that have started their own style on this website,youre not the first

[Shorin Ryuu]

I think there is a bias, sometimes unfair, among traditional practitioners against those starting their own martial art. Some of this is the "if it's not broke, don't fix it" mentality. For others, it is a fierce sense of loyalty to their way of doing things. For others, it is a recognition that very little is new under the sun and unless there is a rather unique formulation that is so radically different from something already existing and at the same time is actually worthwhile, there is little "need" for it. Even if there is something like a political split or instances where someone does not get along with a style hierarchy, it is considered a bit odd to go out of your way to market your style as something really revolutionary. For example, if I end up leaving my present organization (no plans on doing that whatsoever in actuality), I'm not going to name my system Grand Ultimate Karate Kungfu Deluxe (combat edition)...I'd probably just call it "Okinawan Shorin Ryu".

On the other hand, in Okinawan karate (and karate in general), the notion of rigid style distinctions is a relatively new one and most "styles" were based on the individual teacher as everyone's karate was personalized...Bruce Lee would have been happy had he done more of his homework. Furthermore, most existing styles that are deemed traditional are instances where "back then", people of sufficient skill and understanding formulate a systematic way of teaching their understanding of the martial arts and not merely just a hodgepodge of techniques from various styles.

That being said, the ratio of those forming their own system who offer a coherent and well-integrated approach to martial arts regardless of how many styles it incorporates (one, two or more) to those who merely lump together techniques from various styles is rather small.

Due to the ability of people to train nowadays from a wider range of choices than usually was available to people "back then", I recognize there is a chance for someone who really analyzes what they do to come up with a personalized way of doing things that may not fit well under the label of one specific, existing style. There are some who manage to do this. But again, the trend is for people to gain breadth rather than depth, causing their system to be viewed with less legitimacy than others.

[tkdBill]

Good analysis, Shorin Ryuu.

I think we should also look at the qualifications and experience of someone making up their own style. If they are not a true master in an existing style, how can they truly devise a new system that is legitimate. They would have to appoint themselves as "master" of their new art without ever mastering anything. I think that the years (decades) spent mastering a martial art allow someone to have the wisdom necessary to develop an art.

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[KempoTiger]

In "long" outside of my prior nutshell analysis.....what Shorin Ryu said.....well actually about half of what he said. He put more thought into this than I have

[unknownstyle]

well i asked because my instructor is forming his own system based on israeli principle and a few other arts mixed with traditional shorin ryu, and is catching flack about from certain people. so i wanted to know everyones opinion about it

[viskous]

as shorin ryu said there is a big difference between lumping together what you think are the best techniques(which lots of people have been doin) and actually formulating a relatively new theory and or aproach to fighting and then building the curriculum around that

[KempoTiger]

Well a different perspective on this would be that lets say a student/instructor has realized some flaws in techniques he/she teaches. What if they were to remove those techniques or drastically change them to be more efficient in their eyes, and in the end made a new system?

(I'm speaking of re-creating perhaps one of the already existing hybrid type styles of martial arts)

[Goju_boi]

isn't that what ed parker did?Didn't he make Kempo fit for the american body type?