Music and martial arts.

[greenbelt_girl15]

I don't know how much I've thought of martial arts and music blending together.But I do play the piano and with some of my well memorized songs I just close my eyes and alow myself to meditate while I play. A form of meditation in motion I suppose.

[L0G1C]

This is just me, but Hip-Hop really gets me into the mood at Dojo. Before i do a format, i'll listen to either some extremely Hyphy music or some raw east coast, maybe even Wu-Tang Clan. I also play african-latin drums and those can get me into a quick frenzy of MA. I try to play them like Taigo drums, too. Those will get me amped.

[Tef]

L0G1C has a point, Hip-Hop instrumentals have gotten me into a rhythm of practicing. I'll try to do one technique every bar non-stop for a song. Evne when i stay in horse stance, i use a song as a timer. like, "well, i know this song is 2 min, so lets do horse stance until the song ends."

[parkerlineage]

I frequenly write out bunkai or kata in musical notaiton for my students that read music. I think it's very helpful.

[Shui Tora]

I play the piano (for a long time!) and most of the songs that I play (from RPG's like Final fantasy and anime films like Spirited Away) are mostly Japanese Composed anyway!

When I meditate (time pending) I create the song that I want to hear... I then create myself playing that very tune on the piano.

I s'pose you can look at it this way; playing the piano, you have to have subtle, but following movements to your hands... A bit like Karate (aka; Tensho kata)

Playing the piano also allows you to strengthen your fingers and joints... very handy! (excuse the pun!)

So; in my view, i think that both music and MA do go together... No matter what the instrument...

[cathal]

At our last training session with Master Woon-A-Tai we had the opportunity to practice with music. We paired off and on every fourth beat of the song, one of us would attack, another four beats later the other would attack. This really helped you to learn the rythm of a fight. Now when I hear music I try to find the rythm of combat in the song. It seems to have enhanced my listening to the music as I pay more attention to the song, the music, and the words.

Just another way the martial arts have improved my life.

[Shui Tora]

^ Yeah; it's good to listen out to the rhythm of a song, then you can let your body go with that beat... Seems kinda silly, but in some circumstances it works!

[baronbvp]

I frequenly write out bunkai or kata in musical notaiton for my students that read music. I think it's very helpful.

My thoughts exactly. Kata is a song and the motions are the notes. If you can see the math in the movement, you are some-body.

[boyo1991]

to me, it only has to do with the beat, and sometimes if its calming, takes away stress...

[Takusankage Soke]

Music and martial arts are very similar, almost one in the same. Music consist of many notes and chords all working together, as does the martial arts. When you study, you want to strive for harmony as you would for a musical masterpiece.