My own style...

[Draven]

I'm not gonna market a new martial art, but I agree with old philosophy that once yours the art is yours to mold as you like. So I'm at a point where I'm seeing principles, physics and body mechanics instead of techniques and everything is devoid of form, style or fixed resolve.

My karate and personal method of training is different then my instructors, what comes now?

[ninjanurse]

Food for thought: If we all go off in our own directions and leave our teachers principles and practice behind, who is left to carry on the style and tradition as it was passed down to us?

While it is true that you "make your martial arts your own"- as individuals that is inevitable as we physically and mentally adapt based on body style, physical limitations, environment, etc.-"your martial arts" are a culmination of all that you have been taught and you will inevitably teach the same principles, ideas, theories, to your students-hopefully in the same way it was taught to you so that your students can "discover" their "own art" too.

[cathal]

I agree with ninjanurse, but would also like to ask you about your martial arts background. How long have you trained, and what arts are you trained in/practicing now?

[stoneheart]

We all express our martial arts differently even when we practice the same style. This is due to body type, athletic level/physiology, and even mental temperament. Just because YOU express yourself differently from your teachers, it does not mean you must diverge so long as everyone realizes this.

Remember that their teachings help lead you to your current path. Why then is it a necessarily "wrong" path to them or to you?

[Draven]

Been in MAs since I was 2 I'm 26 now, I hold rank in American Jujitsu, Ninjitsu, Shotokan and Goju Karate and judo. Now I'm kinda sorting what works for me and what doesn't and have had my own personalized sub-program in MA training based on sport medicine, physics, biology and basic applications since about 14.

Now I'm just finding me, I'm not trapped by traditionalism, but idealism. The idea of self-perfection which means more then style or form. I was brought up in Shotokan but cross trained in everything I could, I've even studied some kung-fu...

[younwhadoug]

seems like you know quite a bit. why take away from it just to call it "your style".. i think if you can add to it, great. update and add but keep training. i understand you have been training for a life time... but so far its a short life time. give training another 20 years. just a thought!

[bushido_man96]

I understand what you are saying. I have been with my current instructor for 5 years now (I think ). He is a slender, lanky guy, with great flexibility. I am a short, stocky, heavy guy with good flexibility and speed for my size, but lack the height. I study TKD, in which height can be a major advantage.

So, when my instructor teaches, I have to adapt tall guy strategies and principles to short guy, or I have to study my body and movements, and come up with my own way around. This is how we all make each of our arts our own.

Now, should I ditch my instructor, just because he is tall? No way! He is an excellent instructor, and has helped me to adapt somewhat to fighting taller people than me, which usually includes everybody.

Now, when I perhaps have my own school, I can take with me what he has taught as being able to fight tall, how tall guys fight tall guys, how the fight short guys, and my knowledge of how short guys should fight tall guys. So, I have learned so much, and even though I have my own way, I can still help the tall guys to find their way as well.

Maybe a little long winded, but does that make sense?

[Brandon Fisher]

Let me shred a little insight on this subject. I came from a hybrid system one that the founder called a branch of Shotokan however it did not have kata until I started adding it in 1995 this was 30 years after its creation. When my instructor and I had a falling out for whatever reason I don't know I took the curriculum and I created for him kata and all and added more to it to create Sejitsu Shin Do. I added things that I was not allowed to teach such as the dynamics of the techniques, bunkai of the kata and more. I am a traditionalist though I teach everything in a traditional manner first then I will show a more modern application was the base is laid.

If I had stayed in Indiana and stayed training in Shorin Ryu - Shorinkan I would not have ended up creating my own system. I belive to much in keeping the tradition alive. True no matter what your karate is your karate no one will ever do it identically to you just like I am sure yours doesn't look exactly like your Sensei's karate. But if you have the opportunity keep the tradition alive.

[mya]

I think what you need now is fighting experience.

In the old days, people used to use their training in real combat situations.

But today, most of use never ever have to fight ouside out scholls.

We spar with our colegues in class and we enter tournoments. But that gives you a distorted vision of what you know.

Since you cannot start assaulting random people on the street, i sugest that you get a pass time in a job that normaly includes use of your skills.

Sutch as disco bouncer, prision warden, police officer, mental institution security. But even then, since you probably live in US you will be dealing with weapons, and trying to not hurt people.

This reminds me of the founder of aikido that was counsidered a assasin because of the things he did during the WW2 i think.

There is other way, that is doing chalanges akin to what Judo had to endure.

But that is hard to acomplish in todays world. So i sugest that perhaps you should visit other schools, train a bit learn how they fight, gain a bit of trust and have them spar you.

Why is this important ?

Let me tell you a story.

Where i train i was quite competent at fighting.

Then we got this new student that came from quite a diferent background.

He fighted in a strange alien way (at least to me) and i could never block his punches, i always had to dodge them.

As we trained togueder i learned how increase my defences against him and how to counter betwin attacks.

But he trained a lot harder than me, and fastly he reatched a level where he would completely overcome me.

Now i could not even toutch him.

Then as our training progressed i learned how to lock/trap hand/arms in my my arm pits, and this alowed me to touch him.

Now i still get beaten by him, but now i hit him back some.

[P.A.L]

Been in MAs since I was 2 I'm 26 now, I hold rank in American Jujitsu, Ninjitsu, Shotokan and Goju Karate and judo. Now I'm kinda sorting what works for me and what doesn't and have had my own personalized sub-program in MA training based on sport medicine, physics, biology and basic applications since about 14.

Now I'm just finding me, I'm not trapped by traditionalism, but idealism. The idea of self-perfection which means more then style or form. I was brought up in Shotokan but cross trained in everything I could, I've even studied some kung-fu...

it's very nice to hear this kind of hard work, it may look impossible but there is no impossible, i really think you will be more convincing if you post some of your notes or articles and let others read them, the subject you have worked on are huge , you can write theses on body mechanics or sport medicine or some others you mentioned.

I have a master in Mechanical engineering and i read every single article i can find about biomechanics since there is no end in gathering information and knowledge. if you achieve this level then it is your responsibility to share with others (at least i think this way) and one powerful tool is to post over the internet , IMHO this is what you need to do, other than that being a little dragon from age of 2 or switching from Nijitsu to jujitsu to shotokan to Goju ryu and some kong-Fu is not helping ,in contrary it damage your image. You may say that you don’t care what people think about your martial art philosophy but the fact that you start posting on this forum shows your concern.