Style? System? Concept?

[Alan Armstrong]

What is your chosen style, OOPS! or should I say system, OMG it's neither as it's a concept; apologies!!!

Now we have "Free Style" as with Mr McGregor; is he a concept fighter?

Perhaps you are practicing a mixture of the three/four with 60% 10% 20% with 10% uncertain.

As Wing Chun isn't a style because it's a system and JKD isn't a system as it's a concept that contains a part of a system; with many little parts of styles.

Does any martial artist have a clear perspective about what is what with styles, systems and concepts, as I most definitely haven't caught on to this completely?

[sensei8]

What is your chosen style, OOPS! or should I say system, OMG it's neither as it's a concept; apologies!!!

Now we have "Free Style" as with Mr McGregor; is he a concept fighter?

Perhaps you are practicing a mixture of the three/four with 60% 10% 20% with 10% uncertain.

As Wing Chun isn't a style because it's a system and JKD isn't a system as it's a concept that contains a part of a system; with many little parts of styles.

Does any martial artist have a clear perspective about what is what with styles, systems and concepts, as I most definitely haven't caught on to this completely?

Labels!! They're, imho, the bane of MA existence, one way or another.

While I've studied the MA for 53 years this October, I've never cared to abide by labels, and in that, I believe that the labels in general, when speaking about the MA, are the forest being in the way of the trees.

I just want to train, and I've not the time nor the inclination to label what it is that I do MA wise. Is Shindokan a style or a system or a concept or whatever else?? It's a martial art, and for now, that's good enough for me.

Besides, if I choose one way or another, it'll just a matter of time before someone disagrees with my thought process that Shindokan is a martial art; and demand me to justify my answer, of which, I've no desire to do that, now or tomorrow.

Shindokan...that's the only label I need and/or want!!

Edited September 3, 2017 by sensei8

[bushido_man96]

Names. Labels. Its how we categorize things as humans. A concept is an idea. You can work on concepts in your style, and through that work develop the strategies and tactics that make it work. Strategies and tactics are the important part, what those who wish to train should really focus on.

[LLLEARNER]

Labels can be helpful. Calling something BJJ versus Judo can be good, but labels can also limit people in every aspect of life. I prefer not to let people label me, I prefer to label myself and adjust those labels as necessary.

[sensei8]

Names. Labels. Its how we categorize things as humans. A concept is an idea. You can work on concepts in your style, and through that work develop the strategies and tactics that make it work. Strategies and tactics are the important part, what those who wish to train should really focus on.

To the bold type above...

We're not always right in everything or in anything. We try. Oftentimes, we're out there in left field, when we should be in the right field, and until much later, we finally realize that we should've been in center field the whole darn time.

[Alan Armstrong]

Categorizing must have been a way to survive as what is edible and what is poisonous

With martial arts in what is sports or fun and what is serious and dangerous, also what is fantasy and entertaining, lets not forget the health and longevity onea as well.

Retro/traditional martial arts and contemporary/mma differences for today, what is considered contemporary today will change its category tomorrow as retro.

As karate it its day was cutting edge technology; including Samuri, let's not forget this or pass this epic moment so easily and label it as old school.

[sensei8]

"I do not teach, you know, Karate, because I do not believe in styles anymore. I mean I do not believe that there is such thing as, like, a Chinese way of fighting or a Japanese way of fighting...or whatever way of fighting, because unless a human being has three arms and four legs, there can be no different form of fighting. But, basically, we only have two hands and two feet. So styles tend to, not only separate man because they have their own doctrines and the doctrine became the gospel truth that you cannot change! But, if you do not have styles, if you just say, "here I am as a human being, how can I express myself totally and completely?" ...now that way, you won't create a style because style is a crystallization. That way is a process of continuing growth." ~~ Bruce Lee

For quite a long time, I did believe in styles, most assuredly so, without a doubt. That's all I ever knew; blind faith, and nothing more.

But as I grew up both as a man, and as a MAist, I, slowly, with time, turned away from the doctrine of styles. First Shindokan...then the remaining styles of the MA that I was exposed to, went the wayside of their own doctrines. In which, I took away from my cross training the things that I considered valuable and effective from each of them, so called, styles of the MA.

I can't pretend that those styles outside of Shindokan, do not exist within their own proponents doctrine, and as in Shindokan, I walked away from those forced upon doctrines and only kept that which is useful, and nothing else.

"How can you say that, when you yourself, is the current Kaicho of the SKKA/Hombu?? Isn't that an oxymoron??"

It's easy to say that because it's the truth. I can be Kaicho because I don't push and/or force the doctrine of Soke and Dai-Soke upon the Student Body. Yes, I speak about it, because it's Shindokan history, and in order to learn, and to grow, one's history has to be taught. I allow the Student Body to make their own decision(s) as to what they do or don't believe.

It is not an oxymoron because I treat them separately because they are separate!! The history of Shindokan's doctrine can lead the student to find for themselves the truth within their own MA journey. They can embrace whatever they choose, and I will never say that they are wrong if it's against what I believe.

Shindokan doctrine teaches that Shindokan is complete. That is history. That is a false believe. To be complete, it first must be perfect, in which it is not, across the board. Nor will it ever be.

I do not teach that doctrine because I know, and believe that Shindokan is not complete; it's incomplete. That's why I've crossed trained outside of Shindokan for quite a long time, and always will.

However, guess what?? No style of the MA is complete...perfect...not one!!

I do, however, believe that Shindokan is an effective MA!! With the addition of other MA, it's even more effective than ever. But the practitioner, well, that's where the problem arises. No matter how effective the MA is, it's the practitioner that makes it effective. If that student...that individual.. can not make "it", whatever "it" might be, effective, then it'll never be effective; the fault belongs to the practitioner...the individual. Be accountable...have ownership through and through but without excuses.

Either it/you is/are, or it/you isn't/aren't; there's no middle ground.

Imho!!

[Alan Armstrong]

In Zen there is no divisions, that is why Karate adopted it.

Nature knows no divisions but mankind needs to divide everything for the sake of knowledge to dissect it and not for harmony but for profit, ownership and power.

We understand Zen but the people in this world divide it, to understand it, but more often than not forget to reunite it.

How silly us humans are, that we cannot appreciate more with less?

With 100 toppings for popcorn, then what does popcorn taste like, of course your favorite flavor.

Martial arts should have no flavor, only the taste of victory should be your reward.

[sensei8]

However, MAN is not Zen or Nature or anything else. Man is an imperfect being, and oftentimes, so easily manipulated one way or another.

I love your popcorn analysis!!

[Alan Armstrong]

There was a serious martial art style developed by martial art experts.

It failed to catch on for one reason alone, due to its name.

DEFENDO