Traditions Need To Be Challenged!!

[sensei8]

Imho...

Since when has tradition lent itself the cloak of purity that it deserves the right to remain unchallenged?

To me, the word "Tradition" begs to be challenged, furthermore, "Tradition" isn't written on stone; it's not, or it shouldn't be, the martial arts gospel.

I don't challenge "Tradition" to destroy it, but to edify, strengthen, and/or validate it. But not to keep it as the only way; especially when known traditions can be replaced by something more effective.

Your thoughts please.

[ps1]

Agree

[sojobo]

Sometimes you shouldn't question - you should just do.

Many "traditional" things in the dojo are nonsense tbh, but there are somthings that make a lot of sense.

The problem is you have a few years under your belt before this bocomes apparent.

Importantly - you have to look outside of your dojo to gauge what is tradition and what is rubish.

That said - even the Koryu of ancient Japan aren't constant - not by a long chalk - so if they dont have tradition as such, who does and what is tradition.

Sojobo

[DWx]

I think it depends on why its a tradition.

If you're just doing the traditional thing because your teacher and your teacher's teacher did it that way without challenging anything, then that is a path to stagnation and archaic training methods.

But if you're keeping to tradition to preserve some cultural or historical aspect then I don't think there's anything wrong with that and changing it would be wrong.

[sensei8]

I think it depends on why its a tradition.

If you're just doing the traditional thing because your teacher and your teacher's teacher did it that way without challenging anything, then that is a path to stagnation and archaic training methods.

But if you're keeping to tradition to preserve some cultural or historical aspect then I don't think there's anything wrong with that and changing it would be wrong.

Solid post Danielle!!

[bushido_man96]

A tradition is merely an established practice over a period of time. They usually hold some kind of cultural significance in relation to where it started, but isn't always the case. That is all it is. Its basically repitition that everyone gets used to, and since change is tough on lots of people, they just keep doing it because they are comfortable with it.

[Newdesign]

Tradition is fading away inevitably anyway. That is why people who like traditional are trying so desperately to keep it up. It does not need more work to take up new ideas than what is already being done, unlike keeping up the traditional.

[Dobbersky]

Tradition is only tradition if you let it be!

Evolution doesn't allow for traditions as its natural selection, same as martial arts schools, only those that can adapt will survive!

OSU!!!

[barryives]

Judge each one on its own merits. Often we get into either an 'All traditions are good' or 'All traditions are bad' mentality, when of course, like in all walks of life there are good and bad.

As long an environment exists where tradition can be challenged then its all good.

[pathgen]

Here is my opinion:

Trust your teacher. In my experience when I was younger I disagreed with some of the traditions being taught in my dojo. However, out of respect I continued to practice even if I didn't think there was much merit or purpose. Later on though I got better and the reasons for the traditions became more apparent.

Some traditions like bowing or saying Oss are just cultural traditions that don't make much of a difference in your karate technique. (arguably it trains the spirit)

An example would be kata and kumite. When I was younger (10-15 yrs old) I was all about wanting to do kumite all day. All my teachers told me to practice kata as it was more important to mastering techniques. Now after training in kata and kumite (22 yrs old), i see kata more valuable as a training resource for getting better than continuous sparring. However, when I first started I didn't get the same value out of kata training as I do now, so how was I to know that kata could be better?

I am guessing that the few remaining traditions that I blindly follow will make more sense the more I train. Maybe some things we practice now will help us continue karate in old age when our bodies are weaker and need to have correct posture? Only a master who has practiced and is in old age would know the value in a tradition that helped you train during old age.

My point being is that if I challenged everything that was presented to me on day one and If I never did it because of that, then I would possibly never know what it was all about once its perfected.