Why put down Traditional Styles of MA?

[Treebranch]

I notice many people have little respect for Traditional Martial Arts. There's a preconceived ideas that because it is Traditional it is no longer effective. I would like to see if anyone can prove this.

[AndrewGreen]

So one is either superior in either way or both are equal....?

 

I think you often mistake "believing there is a better way" with "disrespect".

 

TMA has its strengths, so does MMA. MMA is superior for teaching a person to fight effectively.

 

Tae Bo is great, but not because it teaches functional self-defence skills.

[JohnnyS]

Great question.

 

I wouldn't say Traditional arts are ineffective. That would be asinine. However, there are definitely better ways to train, and these have been incorporated in MMA or “modern” arts, thus increasing these arts effectiveness.

 

Let’s look at two things: sparring and kata.

 

Sparring is the cornerstone of MMA and arts such as BJJ, Muay Thai, wrestling etc. It is during sparring that we can see what works, what the effect is on our opponent, what the opponent’s reaction will be and working on capitalizing on our opponents reaction, as well as gaining attributes such as timing, distance and sensitivity.

 

Attributes such as timing, knowledge of common reactions to techniques etc cannot be gained without sparring. Many traditional arts rely on things such as one-step sparring where one person throws a punch and just stands there while the defender blocks and throws a whole bunch of their own techniques. This is unrealistic, and frankly dangerous as it can lead to misconceptions of a techniques effectiveness. The same goes for non-contact sparring.

 

Next: kata.

 

I did Okinawan Goju-Ryu which relies heavily on kata. These people were the only people I’ve ever seen who would actually spar like they did kata and were very effective. However, I believe they are better ways to train than using kata. Kata is a good tool for remembering and cataloging techniques. However, in this day and age it has lost it’s relevance. Nothing you do in a kata couldn’t be done with a live partner in a drill. You would then get to practice the technique under increasing resistance and pressure, get timing (which you can’t get from kata) etc.

 

The thing that I’ve noticed with many traditional arts is that the majority of training is done without a partner, or at least a “live” partner. Throwing blocks or punches in the air is useless. Do a few sure, but then the object shouldn’t be to throw a technique, it should be to have that technique land when your opponent doesn’t want you to. The ways that a lot of arts trained were forced upon them due to lack of technology and protective equipment. There is no need to continue with these training methods when there are better methods available.

 

Having said all that, there is going to come a time when your body gets too old for regular hard sparring, and these other methods may still allow a person to train. Don’t think that this training is going to put you in the same league though as someone who is heavily conditioned and spars hard and regularly.

[ninjanurse]

Where would we all be if it weren't for Traditional Martial Arts?

 

Remember to revere your ancestors.

[Treebranch]

Andrew Green are you following me? Anyway the way you described your training methods are the same as I describe mine, why is that so hard for you to believe? There are TMA's that train full contact also, not all of them of course. We have heavy bags, boxing equipment, we spar, just because we take it easier on certain techniques doesn't mean those technique don't work. I'm sure there are techniques that you teach that you would have to do at half speed or someone would get hurt. Lets just say you knew all the techniques of Budo Taijutsu and you are training the way you guys train. Wouldn't that be an effective way of training? If a TMA has grappling, ground fighting, throws, locks, kicks, strikes and weapons training in the method you speak of, would that be effective? Well that's how we train. If you choose to believe this or not, that is up to you. But I'll keep training this way and hopefully one day you will see that Budo Taijutsu is alot more than playing Ninja.

[TJS]

Andrew Green are you following me?

 

dude come on...it's public message board..people respond to topics..

[Treebranch]

TJS it's called a sense of humor, I was joking.

[1ONEfighting]

"We have heavy bags, boxing equipment, we spar, just because we take it easier on certain techniques doesn't mean those technique don't work."

 

I'm curious as to when your "traditional" art of Budo Taijitsu picked up heavy bags and boxing equipment and worked that into their curriculum.

 

Maybe modern technologies and techniques have a bigger place in your art than you think.

 

By the way, that poll is somewhat loaded.

[Tombstone]

Just like all things, martial arts progress.

 

"In with the new, out with the old" Those aren't exactly words to live by but thats the way some people feel. (not me )

 

NHB fighting has changed alot of views about whats effective. But as soon as a Karate master or any other traditional art master takes NHB competition by storm, sit back and watch how many people start travelling to one of those dojos

 

I'm just rambling so if I didn't make sense then ignore me

[Treebranch]

1OneFighting said:

I'm curious as to when your "traditional" art of Budo Taijitsu picked up heavy bags and boxing equipment and worked that into their curriculum.

 

Maybe modern technologies and techniques have a bigger place in your art than you think.

 

By the way, that poll is somewhat loaded.

 

The modern equipment replaced old make shift equipment that served the same purpose, the techniques are the same. We don't have speed bags and a ring. We use gloves and heavy bags and hand held kicking and striking bags. It's simply more convenient to buy this stuff, than to make it ourselves. They used to wear armor to train hard for certain things. I won't deny technology gives Artist useful tools, the old techniques still apply. For example, I paint with oils and I paint with Photoshop. If I had learned to paint soley in Photoshop I would be half the painter I am today.

 

It all depends on what the client wants, we as Martial Artists are the clients. If someone asked me if I want to take the short cut through the woods or the long way around, I would choose the long way around. By taking the long way around I've taken more in, and I appreciate the hard work it took to get there. The poll is loaded for a reason, It is just as loaded as saying MMA is superior to TMA, because MMA is comprised of TMA's. Without TMA's, MMA's would not exist.