Just for fun?

[hx35543]

My boss is x-military, one of those wars. ( Me and history never got along) Maybe WW II or Vietnam. I don't know.

Anyway, the point is, I was told by him that what we do in MAs is in so many words a sport or just exercise.

I understand that what he was taught in the military was kill or be killed, live or die. By no way does it diminish what we learn in our perspective art forms to merely exercise. We may never and I pray never come to the situation of kill or be killed, but it doesn't mean that the practiced MAs here would be helpless as a baby. Just because we can't hurt or kill without reason, doesn't mean that we couldn't do it.

I'd imagine what is taught in the military is specific to the task of the live or die (I'm not military so I don't know). I just don't think those who practice today are a bunch of ya-hoos just out for exercise or thrills.

[KarateGeorge]

I think it depends a lot on the specific style of martial art, as well as the specific school being attended.

Martial arts is such a broad reaching world and different people do it for different reasons. Though personally, I look at my martial arts training as preparation for a real life self defense situation, there are also people out there who do it solely for the competitive sport aspect, others who do it for the health benefits, etc. The same goes for different schools and styles, there are some that place more or less focus on real world self defense than other schools.

So....I think you're both right and it would ultimately depend on the motivation of the person practicing.

[hx35543]

I had just taken it as an insult. To think what he was taught in war time was any better than what we are taught in our training today. I do realize what he was taught had a certain goal in mind, but please don't tell me I can't accomplish the same task from what I know. To me it's arrogant and ignorant.

As for me, I do enjoy the exercise and what knowledge I get from my training. And knowing I can protect myself and my family from harm when the time comes is a perk. To kill or be killed is not a situation I ever want to be in.

To me it's like me telling you my art form is better than yours when both arts in the hands of, especially a master, will accomplish the same goal.

I could run on, but I'm not. I'm just expressing a point and an opinion. Thanks for the feedback.

[KarateGeorge]

Yeah. I do think he was wrong to put down what someone does as just "playing around." We're not necessarily preparing ourselves to enter a combat zone, but that doesn't mean learning how to defend ourselves by learning martial arts is invalidated.

There are plenty of people who take their training as a serious matter and look at how to apply it in real life defense situation, but everyone has their own reasons for doing martial arts. But he does make a valid point that for many, "playing around" really is all they're doing. Like many things in life, you get out of martial arts what you put into it, and since different people join martial arts for different reasons, I guess it really depends on what you're doing it for.

[RichardZ]

Yall wanna know the strange thing about military who have to train "martial arts for kill-be killed" scenarios?

Many freeze up despite their training and/or get killed anyway.

In other words, no matter what training, one may have, when its their time, its their time.

Because civilians do not have full access to great military weapons and training, doesnt mean we dont train effectively for what we are subjected to.

Simply, military train to be against another military force.

Civilians trained to be against another civilian.

There is the obvious defintion of martial, in martial arts, but there is also the word arts, which take upon dfferent meanings-applications.

[arcelt]

In my early years of training, martial arts for me was all about being prepared for a fight. As I think now about the uncountable thousands of hours and dollars I have spent studying martial arts, it is clear to me that it is now much more. If preservation of self were my sole motivation for training, my time and money would be much more practically employed by purchasing a hand gun and obtaining a conceal-carry permit.

At this point, I train for the health benefit, I train for the sheer joy of pushing my own boundaries, I train because it is in my blood and I can't imagine not training.

However, that is not to discount the "martial" in martial arts. I've had three real-world physical confrontations since I began training, and the outcomes of those encounters have convinced me that martial arts, or at least the martial arts I have trained in, do have real tangible benefits in a fight. The knowledge that I am capable of defending myself and my family should the unfortunate need arise is just one benefit among many.

[The BB of C]

My boss is x-military, one of those wars. ( Me and history never got along) Maybe WW II or Vietnam. I don't know.

Anyway, the point is, I was told by him that what we do in MAs is in so many words a sport or just exercise.

I understand that what he was taught in the military was kill or be killed, live or die. By no way does it diminish what we learn in our perspective art forms to merely exercise. We may never and I pray never come to the situation of kill or be killed, but it doesn't mean that the practiced MAs here would be helpless as a baby. Just because we can't hurt or kill without reason, doesn't mean that we couldn't do it.

I'd imagine what is taught in the military is specific to the task of the live or die (I'm not military so I don't know). I just don't think those who practice today are a bunch of ya-hoos just out for exercise or thrills.

There are a lot of students at my school that do martial arts just for fun. Them and I don't typically get along because I'm really trying hard to make myself stronger and faster with a decent ability to defend myself with an ultimate goal of being able to break bricks with my hands and feet. I am all about the full contact fighting with low protection and hard body conditioning and they're just trying to find a cheap way to run a mile.

[RichardZ]

There are a lot of students at my school that do martial arts just for fun. Them and I don't typically get along because I'm really trying hard to make myself stronger and faster with a decent ability to defend myself with an ultimate goal of being able to break bricks with my hands and feet. I am all about the full contact fighting with low protection and hard body conditioning and they're just trying to find a cheap way to run a mile.

Training yourself to have a decent ability to defend yourself is grand. However, defense goes far beyond physical applications.

To break objects with the hands and feet, should not be a ultimate goal in martial arts, as such is really no true test or example of fighting/defense skill. IMHO

[The BB of C]

You misunderstood me, RichardZ. Though I see where and how it happened.

Powerbreaking abilities is one of my ultimate goals as a martial artist. The others being to acquire an ability to defend myself among other things. The point is - I like intense training and I think intense training is the essence of martial arts (as well as most other physical activities) but sometimes the people that are just in it for fun or just want to exercise for an hour bring the rest of the class down.

[WireFrame]

I was told by him that what we do in MAs is in so many words a sport or just exercise.

I understand that what he was taught in the military was kill or be killed, live or die.

In some cases, it is true.

Many martial arts are divided into many styles, associations and organisations. They're split into different ideas and philosophies. And in this day and age, on of the popular uses of martial arts is for sport and competition. With rules and safeguards and things you don't get taught because it wouldn't be allowed in a fair match.

Some martial arts, or even just specific clubs, keep a focus on it's original use - self defence.

In my club it's a pretty rounded approach, we practice everything that could be used in competition. But the bunkai (application) is always explained and demonstrated for nastier techniques and especially in Kata.

Also, we have visiting instructors, one being a street-application specialist who focuses ENTIRELY on life/death situation tactics and mentality. Things like knuckles to the trachea, upward palm to the nose, fingers to the eyes, attacks to the groin(purely as a quick pain-fuelled distraction in some cases), joint-breaking techniques etc would have no place in "sport karate". But considering Shotokan was devised as a means of dropping multiple opponents in as few attacks as possible, these sessions seem to draw out the true purpose of the "sport".

But yes, there are clubs/arts that have been "adapted" and changed for sport purposes, such is the price of popularity.