Is is appropriate to start a new martial art?

[Joe Hardwick]

I started this topic in another forum and since I am bored I thought I would post it here. So here are 3 questions:

 

1-Is it appropriate to start a new martial art? Please answer with a yes, no or maybe and give reasons why. Also, if you feel that certain parameters must be required then mention them as well.

 

2-Is it appropriate to make a derivative or variation of an existing martial art such as "Combat TaeKwonDo" (I don't know if this exists or not but is simply an example). Again, please answer with a yes, no or maybe and reasons why.

 

3-Is it appropriate to start a reality based self-defense system? If you do not believe that they exist and are simply martial arts in another name then please say so, otherwise please answer with yes, no or maybe and of course reasons why.

 

I would like this to be a thread where you can give your opinion and not a thread where we go after anothers opinion. Obviously, if your opinion disagrees with another it will be known from your answers. Thanks, Joe.

[larryjf]

Yes, it is appropriate to start a new martial art.

 

Yes, it is appropriate to make a variation of an existing art.

 

Yes, it is appropriate to make a reality-based system.

 

I think the bottom line for all of this is that if you can't modify, create, and grow martial arts styles they will become dead. The very traditional arts may not have modern applications like a more modified style might have.

 

For instance, in the Yoshin Ryu that I studied for a little while they practised defense against a sword. This is because traditionally the Yoshin Ryu Jujitsu was samurai hand combat. Today, I don't think many people will ever have to know those applications.

 

And what about some respected systems now.

 

Tae Kwon Do is a derivitave of Tang Soo Do

 

Bruce Lee was an avid proponent of mixing different martial arts and taking what is useful to develop an individual system. And, his was Jeet Kune Do.

[omnifinite]

No one can stop you from doing whatever you want, but the thing that bothers me is that people will be told that this knowledge will protect them in the event that they need it, and someday they may actually end up using it. Personally I'd have to be extremely obsessively sure I was giving them the best information I possibly could in order to sleep well at night. So my question is more who's cut out to develop a martial art and who isn't, but we're all already struggling with that anyway.

[larryjf]

I agree completely.

 

Especially if you are going to develop a reality-based system, you better be sure you know what you are doing.

 

If you develop a system that has nothing to do with "real" fighting and you want to put together some katas - and, your students know that it's not for "real" fighting, then that's a different story. Of course, then you're getting away from what "martial" arts is all about.

 

Or even some people may want to develop something just for excersize - alot of repetitive drills and stuff like that.

 

But, you must be sure you know what you are doing if you teach "real" fighting to people.

[G95champ]

Sadly anyone and everyone who wants can start their own MA and declair themselves a 10th Dan. I really disagree with that.

 

Now lets say a person studies 2 arts such as TKD and Judo. The 2 offer differant approaches to training. If the person is well trained in both. I think they should be allowed to approach an International group and request the new art to be started. But for someone to take a dozen lessons and watch karate films and start a New System I say no.

 

Changing an art. Well reguardless who close I teach my art to the way I was taught its going to be differant. So we all do this reguardless if we mean to or not. My problem here is you are selling a traditional art as a new art. Sounds kind of dirty to me. Now again like you said making TKD more like Thai and calling it Combat TKD. IMO you are always better to be honest with people. You say hey traditional TKD is like this but Im going to teach it like this because. Offer both options to them. You don't have to go into a lot of detail but don't use the name of a FAMOUS art and not teach that art.

 

As far as the SD system. Its like this the only way you can do such a thing IMO is to have been there. So if a Navy Seal, SWAT Cop, etc who has personal exp. thats fine. But for a avg. Joe like me who has been in less than 2 fights his whole life to do so is wrong. Again this is not a MA as much as it is a course. If he wanted to make it a MA like Kava Maga or something then he needs to go in front of that international body I was talking about.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[Kirves]

I would advice contacting a well respected MA organization for possible recognition of your art by their org. Of course many orgs are just bogus, but if you can get "approved" by a well known org it will make your life a lot easier. Here in Finland, there's a very good and popular jujutsu style called Hokutoryu. It is a modern mix of juko-ryu jujutsu, kickboxing, kyokushin karate and other styles. The founder went to his superiors in the world jujutsu federation and asked for approval. His stuff was revieved and approved. Now the style and it's belt ranks are valid in international jujutsu events without any hassle. And nobody is talking crap about the art behind his back - that's a good thing if you are aware of some arts and styles which are constantly doubted by other students... Similarly, Pellegrini got the Korean Kido organization to approve his Combat Hapkido as a valid hapkido style, so nobody doubts the validity of his style. In short: cover your back.

[Dekan]

Sadly anyone and everyone who wants can start their own MA and declair themselves a 10th Dan. I really disagree with that.

 

That exactly describes a dojo I am looking into joining. He is the 10th Dan of a style I''ve never heard of. After a little investigating I discover it is "his style" he came up with and deemed himself 10th dan of that style.

 

Here is their temporary web site: http://www.ironsoldier.esmartbiz.com/

 

They are doing renevating on their building, so it will be first week of March before I get to sit in on a class and make my decision which program I am going to go with.

 

Stay tuned...................

[G95champ]

I hold a second black belt in a art like that. In college I wanted to take a bit of everything and a lot of nothing.

 

I found a style named American TAO karate. My sensei Kanode was a very good Martial Artist with a lot to teach but I disagreed with his making of a new art.

 

Sensei Kanode had a 3rd Dan in TKD, and Black Belt in Hapkido, and brown belt in TSD and Chin Na Kung Fu training. Instead of teaching one art he mixed the kata and techinques and made his won thing and refered to himself as 10th Dan. I never agreed to him doing that but because he was well trained and offered a good class I stayed with him.

 

I was his first black belt student which made me fell both good and bad. However like I said he was a good teacher that I respect a lot. I just did not agree with his sales ptich and forming of a new style. We had many long talks about this.

 

On my class flyers and stuff I only list my Shotokan ranks. I will make mention that I have trained in other styles but I dont attempt to teach American TAO nor do I sell it as an art. Not a good first black belt student I don't guess. LOL But again I was always up front about that with him.

 

If you looking into most testing guidliens for Shotokan and other traditional arts most of us common people can only make it to 4th or 5th Dan. Then you run into age requirments and stuff. The higher Dans are set aside for the elders and org. leaders. You will never see a true 10th Dan under 60 if not 70. The higher Dans 8.9.10 are held for the oldest of the old.

 

I tell my students to think of it like the Pope and his Bishops. Anyone can preach or be a black belt but only a select few ever get the big robe. If its done right anyhow.

[Looneyas]

Is it appropriate to start a new martial art, Well in my case i have I did a style called Zen Do Kai.

 

A very aggressive style, I did it for 10 years reach my 2nd Dan, This style never suited me as it was way to agressive but i still stayed being young and easy lead.

 

Now 15 years later I have re started training in TaeKwonDo

 

and wish i had trained in that style all those years ago as i would still be training now.

[MuayThai Fighter]

I started this topic in another forum and since I am bored I thought I would post it here. So here are 3 questions:

 

1-Is it appropriate to start a new martial art? Please answer with a yes, no or maybe and give reasons why. Also, if you feel that certain parameters must be required then mention them as well.

 

2-Is it appropriate to make a derivative or variation of an existing martial art such as "Combat TaeKwonDo" (I don't know if this exists or not but is simply an example). Again, please answer with a yes, no or maybe and reasons why.

 

3-Is it appropriate to start a reality based self-defense system? If you do not believe that they exist and are simply martial arts in another name then please say so, otherwise please answer with yes, no or maybe and of course reasons why.

 

I would like this to be a thread where you can give your opinion and not a thread where we go after anothers opinion. Obviously, if your opinion disagrees with another it will be known from your answers. Thanks, Joe.

 

Honestly I believe it is appropriate to experience different styles but ONLY if you have stuck to each one for at least 4-5yrs. don't stick to one for a couple months then switch on to another,because that won't get you any where except for an empty pocket.LOL

 

I believe reality based self-defense systems exist because I do it,but I would still as most people do,call it a martial arts.

 

It also depends what you consider a reality based self-defense system and what you expect from it.To me a reality based self-defense system is actually learning mixed non-traditional arts ,because it is the closest you'll come to a reality fight.

 

I wouldn't consider a traditional art reality based self-defense because of all its useless katas and stances among other things.

 

An art that specifically concentrates on street defense is the way to go.

 

Such arts are like pankration or shoot fighting which do basically every thing you would do on the street such as kicking, punch, kneeing, elbows,etc.and grappling such as chokes,ankle locks,knee locks,arm bars etc.are the closest you'll come to a real fight.

 

These arts are actually MuayThai and grappling(such as submission wrestling or jujitsu combined),that teach you techniques that work and you're also constantly sparring unlike most arts that do forms,point sparring,and weapons.Instead these arts do no forms, and instead of point sparring,we do full contact.