What is the purpose of the martial arts?

[Ai Hate]

On 2002-04-15 17:44, Shoto Tiger wrote:

 

I guess I have got more interested in the Kata, history and language and one day would like to get the hang of Kumite, once again I live in hope.

 

Plus every reason mentioned previously!

concur. as for me, i first took karate cause i just needed sth to do apart from studying. to get away from the stress every once in a while, i guess. after a few months of not training frequently, i decided to give it a serious shot and actually liked it. and have been training every since (haha. i talk like a long time, no? actually, it's just about 3 months )

 

from the very first day, i was empasized that it's not only about training physically, but also mentally.

 

now, the more i learn, the more i like it. i hope to train as hard as possible, but not stressing on it too much that i lose the fun i'm having. i started training seriously cause it's fun and it's still how i view it.

 

if one day it's not fun anymore, i'll probably quit.

 

$.02

[Ti-Kwon-Leap]

The purpose of martial arts varies with the frailties of each respective martial artist. When you mix combat techniques, philosophy and humans with agendas, well you get the idea. My personal goal is to minimize the jealosy factor and learn from others as much as possible

[EnvE]

On 2002-04-11 15:59, TKD_McGee wrote:

 

Hehe all the martial arts places i been to have a bunch of rejects with money.. Basically people need to feel important and have someone with a black belt boss them around..!

 

But what rank of Black Belt...?

 

My instructor is 5th.

[shotochem]

Originally MAs were designed for fighting and thats

 

what they are. Now we become more technologically advanced with all these new exotic and easier ways to kill people without as much physical exertion. The fighting is more secondary.

 

They are an art form to challenge each of us physically and mentally. Is it not the destination but the journey? IMHO without the challenge of seeking improvement in ourselves, we might go the way of the dinosaur....... ead OH No, too much thinking for one night!!!! Need mind candy....Help!!!!

 

 

[Martial_Artist]

Martial arts are nothing more than a tool of defense for me. I have religion and the spirituality & philosophy I find there is sufficient. The martial arts provide a means whereby I can defend my rights, life, loved ones. I look to the martial arts not as a replacement or supplement to religion, but as a tool of defense.

 

Others find religion in the martial arts. The question doesn't have a right answer. The martial arts are what you want them to be. A confidence booster, a self-discipline catalyst, a defense tool, philosophy governing life. All are correct.

[Crucio]

well, lets list the good points and the bad points of the martial arts we've taken. If enough people do it, and do it honestly, then maybe we will get somewhere.

 

I do however agreee that there is a MA for every person, but still, these opinions may be very interesting

 

I take ATA taekwondo. So far i have enjoyed it, and i feel it is the right martial art for me, atleast to start. I will someday move on to hung-ga or jow-ga kung-fu and ofcourse play around with hapkido. One thing that has become apparent to me is, just as there is a martial art for every one, everyone has their own martial art too. Taking a combination of martial arts, and then building upon each MA's moves which enhance your own skills is by far better than taking just one. If you make up a move even, that may prove to be beneficial, although i would go with some sort of MA, because of the approximate 2000 years of refining and perfection that went into some, that you cannot compete with.

 

Anyways

 

ATA TAEKWONDO

 

Michigan, USA

 

Good:

 

1. I have long legs, and i am 6'2", which is sorta tall. So i can keep most people at distance

 

2. My Sabunim is great. He and the higher blackbelts are strong, quick and dont hold back much while sparring, all of which i like.

 

3. Since taekwondo IS the national sport of korea, i can treat it as just that, a sport. I quit basketball and track for TKD, and i think it is a far better use of time and strength. I can get aggression out, increase my strength, increase my focus and my control and flexibility (wild and crazy acrobatic sexual moves LOL)

 

4. It is a form of self defense, so that is always nice to have

 

5. TKD increases confidence and "is a way to develop new personal power, confidence, and the ability to put your beliefs into action. It is a self-improvement program that has physical, mental, spiritual, and philosophical dimensions. Tae Kwon Do is a way of life. It is the art of living in a way that will help you become a winner"

 

6. ATA is more traditional than ITF or WTF, its sister oganization is WTTU. It does not encompass a lot of the japanese techniques that were included in ITF TKD, it has a great amount more kicks and is based on the songahm philosophy.

 

7. theres other good points, but i cant think of them

 

8. there is noone my age at the dojo who spars, everyone there is stronger than me, and they dont give me a chance to get full of myself like many many other martial artists i know who think they are the best.

 

9. the disipline is very good, 25 pushups for saying "i cant" 50 for being late, for saying "sorry" , things like that

 

10. Light GIs are very easy to move in and aikido and judo people have a hard time of fighting u without the thicker clothes to grab.

 

BAD points

 

Im going to do this as honestly as i can

 

1. I know that this is actually a good thing, but its annoying i have to wait 2 months for every belt testing

 

2. its expensive

 

3. noone my age (i wanna feel full of myself lol)

 

4. very limited selection of weapons (hung-ga is 50 I belive, depending on style)

 

5. Hand techniques, although there and in many different combinations, forearm, elbow, knifehand, backfist, punches, ect. Just arnt utilized as much as they could be. This is why i probably will take kung-fu in some years, i have the great kicking from TKD, and the great weapons and hand techniques from kung-fu and the air kicks from hapkido

 

6. there is a lot of grappeling and stuff in tkd, but i havent learned much of it. so i guess there should be more???

 

7. there is very limited spiritual and KI training in TKD. Lots of mind and body, but KI use is mostly implied and if spiritual is taught, it has for some reason been left out of my dojang.

 

8. Inadequate reqruits and Sabunims which are in it only for the money, have given taekwondo a pretty crappy rap. I mean, Im not sure i that i would rather have movies be made about it, but, people still are like, "why dont you do kickboxing or something" and that gets really annoying. Also, many people have seen the demo teams, and were not impressed. They were just little kids ofcourse not! Still, one person told me TKD was stupid and he could kickbox my ass, becuase he saw so 8 year olds doing spin kicks and forms really slow. I, showed him the difference between the hook kick and the spinning side and spinning cresent and he was apologizing.

 

thats all i can think of. now, my opinions on other martial arts, i obviously cant do all of them theres like 100 just in korea.

 

aikido- great if you are willing to be a completely dedicated and peacful person. There is no competition!!! Good for Ki and spirit.

 

Kung-fu (generalization, all styles)- has many different stances which apply to a wide range of people. Also, it has well rounded attacks (remember the 2 TKD fighters against JET LI in kiss of the dragon? They needed more hand attacks) It is good for mind, body, spirit

 

kickboxing- i dont consider it a real martial art.

 

reason: in a martial art, you jump into your prime area of offense, do combos, block punches, then jump out and block, then repeat.

 

In kickboxing, you come at each other and hit each other untill the other quits, the time is up or someone passes out. What skill does that take? its only endurance and strength. Atleast in a martial art i have forms and skill too.

 

Theres others, but i wrote a lot already

 

btw, where did the KAIOKEN smiley from dbz go? i dont see it anymore.

 

 

[Crucio]

i want to see your opinion of what i wrote, and your opinion on the martial arts you have experiance in, then your opinion about arts that you have never taken... but have an opinion on

[Crucio]

heh, guess noone cares about what i wrote, o well

[KickChick]

OK ... well I'll acknowledge your post Crucio. As far as I can see, you have stated all of your personal viewpoints with regards to the style of TKD in which you train and to other styles which you obviously have no real knowledge of.

 

There are many views I tend to disagree with you on ... but you have stated your opinion and it has been duly noted.

 

We all train in MA for different purposes and goals. Martial arts are not something one does occasionally for self-defense or to improve physical fitness, rather, they are a way of living ones life in a way that enriches its enjoyment. This is the true secret of the martial arts.

 

 

 

 

[tessone]

I would suggest that that viewpoint is even a historical one. Certainly the martial artist of feudal Japan was certainly concerned with saving his neck, but that wasn't the focus of his studies (at least not from what I know of history).

 

Similarly, a lot of people that I've seen, both before and after I started training, went into the dojo/dojang concerned about getting up the ladder, how much they had left til their next belt, etc. I'll admit that I think that way too, sometimes. But more often, it's very powerful to think of each new form or technique you learn as another step towards more comprehensive knowledge, and think less of "I have to learn X and Y and Z for my next belt test," and more along the lines of "this aspect of the form develops this aspect of my body, mind, or spirit, and directly contributes to this other form, technique, or whatever that I need to improve."

 

For me, that's what martial arts is all about. It's in some ways just a construct--I'm not in MA to learn how to fight, because I likely won't have to use it. I'm in MA to be in MA, for the challenge of it.