Demos: Fact or Fiction!?

[sensei8]

Are your demonstrations the fantastic , or are they literal. The fantastic demonstration are for entertainment, while the literal demonstrations are for teaching. I prefer the demonstrations that teaches!

Most martial arts demonstrations are not demonstrations at all, but, they are exhibitions. They usually consist of well scripted fighting scenarios in which the artists perform amazing self-defense techniques that one who was watching just might jump-up in their excitement. The techniques are executed flawlessly and the timing is always perfect, albeit, no room is left for any mistakes. The martial artists who perform these exhibitions are viewed by the audience as larger-than-life individuals. They are true masters of the martial arts who have achieved a level of expertise that is almost impossible to achieve, or believe. At least that's what's left with the audience as a lasting thought.

Exhibitions of tameshiwara (The art of breaking) are great to witness. And as a proponent of tameshiwara, I must say this. NONE, of the techniques used in tameshiwara can be used in a real life encounter...UNLESS. Unless the attacker(s) are more than willing to just stand there while the martial artist literally prepares themself mentally before the martial artist strikes. I doubt that the attacker would pause long enough, if at all, so that the martial artist can draw way back before the blow lands. A martial artist isn't a MLB picther going for a strikeout or a NFL quarterback going for the hail-mary. Any attacker that would wait for the martial artist to prepare for the action is as stupidified as the audience in watching a tameshiwara demonstration. No, the attacker in a real situation would move out of the way, or strike first and foremost. In a real life confrontation with an attacker, the martial artist truly doesn't have the time to prepare themself as they do in a demonstration.

Very seldom, if at all, does a martial arts demonstration become more than a type of Cirque du Soleil and the like. While these type of demonstratons are exciting, the satisfaction is only temporary. Flashy techniques aren't for the streets, especially against a veteren street fighter. Whenever that seldom moment becomes a lesson for the awestruck audience, that demonstration and that demonstration alone is surely worth waiting for. A demonstration that's for teaching also are exciting, but, the satisfaction is permanent.

Most demonstrations aren't demonstrations at all because they don’t teach the interested or highly speculative audience anything. When my Dai-Soke or whenever I teach a class or whenever you teach a class. We, would demonstrate the technique(s) that we want our students to learn that day. My Dai-Soke or I or you will DEMONSTRATE IN ORDER TO TEACH! To me this is what true demonstrations are...teaching!

Your thoughs?

[Tzu-Logic]

I agree completely! I hate when "Martial Arts demos" look more like a dance routine then a fighting style. And i have seen some that really look like that too. They set it to music and do drills and kicks and twirly weapon spins... uggghhh...

Am I watching a hannah montana music video or serious martial artists?

But i guess a lot of people really like doing that, and i don't mean offense to them (Especially if any of you on here happen to lead a "demo team")... It's just not my thing.

[sensei8]

But i guess a lot of people really like doing that, and i don't mean offense to them (Especially if any of you on here happen to lead a "demo team")... It's just not my thing.

Ditto! I meant no offense by the topic and/or by my OP.

[Martialart]

I think you hit it on the head when you said it's like going to the circus. But then the circus can be fun. Admittedly going to a martial art tournament and watching free-form katas done to music, or weapons twirling is not the same thing as watching gladiators in the Colosseum, but it's something to do.

[Toptomcat]

There are demonstrations purely for entertainment, and there are demonstrations for educational purposes- but I think you'd be remiss to consider demonstrations for advertising purposes, intended to attract students to the school. This is a role highly spectacular demonstrations fill quite nicely, and very realistic demonstrations may actively militate against: giving a demo of our jiyu kumite would be quite educational- it would banish all kinds of kung-fu movie misconceptions about what martial arts are like and would provide a fairly accurate window into our style's vision of how to go about combat, but it would also probably do more to scare people off than to entice them.

[still kicking]

Toptomcat -- maybe it would entice the demographic you want to attract?

[GeoGiant]

There are demonstrations purely for entertainment, and there are demonstrations for educational purposes- but I think you'd be remiss to consider demonstrations for advertising purposes, intended to attract students to the school. This is a role highly spectacular demonstrations fill quite nicely, and very realistic demonstrations may actively militate against: giving a demo of our jiyu kumite would be quite educational- it would banish all kinds of kung-fu movie misconceptions about what martial arts are like and would provide a fairly accurate window into our style's vision of how to go about combat, but it would also probably do more to scare people off than to entice them.

Beat me to it. I'm more familiar with demonstrations intended for advertising purposes.

[DWx]

Most demonstrations aren't demonstrations at all because they don’t teach the interested or highly speculative audience anything.

Depends what the purpose of your demonstration is. If you really want to teach, get them to attend a lesson. If you're there to entertain then flash may be appropriate. Few people are going to want to watch line work or whatever if you're there to entertain. They'd much rather see action. I don't agree with excess flash though. Still got to keep it real.

Our demos are mainly done by the kids anyway as a demonstration of what they've learnt. Maybe with a little input in from the adults.

Exhibitions of tameshiwara (The art of breaking) are great to witness. And as a proponent of tameshiwara, I must say this. NONE, of the techniques used in tameshiwara can be used in a real life encounter...UNLESS. Unless the attacker(s) are more than willing to just stand there while the martial artist literally prepares themself mentally before the martial artist strikes. I doubt that the attacker would pause long enough, if at all, so that the martial artist can draw way back before the blow lands. A martial artist isn't a MLB picther going for a strikeout or a NFL quarterback going for the hail-mary. Any attacker that would wait for the martial artist to prepare for the action is as stupidified as the audience in watching a tameshiwara demonstration. No, the attacker in a real situation would move out of the way, or strike first and foremost. In a real life confrontation with an attacker, the martial artist truly doesn't have the time to prepare themself as they do in a demonstration.

I'm sorry but I have to disagree. How are you doing your breaking? Fair enough if you're really going for it and psyching yourself up but in that case maybe you're not using the practise of breaking to its full potential. We practise these big draw-back, psych yourself up and smash 50 bricks breaks but also learn to do one board or two board straight off from your guard.

[Toptomcat]

Toptomcat -- maybe it would entice the demographic you want to attract?

Are 'serious martial artists' the kind of demographic that's likely to attend a public karate demo?

[still kicking]

Toptomcat wrote:

Are 'serious martial artists' the kind of demographic that's likely to attend a public karate demo?

I don't know, it depends on what you mean by "public", and "serious" too, I guess. It seems to me that demo-ing what you do is a good way for any school to attract new students. I personally am not in favor of the flashy fake performances, but different strokes and all that. If what you mean by serious martial artists is people who want to spar hard, you could try universities or other situations where you might find such people, as opposed to in front of a toy store, for instance.