Deluxe Martial Arts Forums - View Single Post - Boulder, Colorado now has a Reality Based School

ryanhall · 11-24-2002, 09:26 PM

can't we all just get along?

builder,
brett may not have clearly enough defined what he was teaching. i don't know brett, but i'm familiar with this kind of thing, and i can tell you that it has merit. adrenal stress training is a major missing link in martial arts. simple is better. almost always more effective too.

about brett's point: outside of a few arts (bjj, a couple judo guys), i have not come across a black belt that would/could defend himself against a serious threat. i have, however, run into some pretty tough s.o.b.s who only know how you knee, bite, headbutt, and eyegouge. take a look at some old ww II combatives manuals. those guys don't play nice, and they only knew about 10 techniques.

martial arts were invented to protect one's family and self. they were a tool, nothing more, nothing less. they have degenerated to a joke in many places. today, many REAL martial artists will tell you that the arts are not about fighting, but self improvement/enlightenment. i can get those things from my friends and family. as far as enlightenment goes, i think one will get a lot more self assurance from the knowledge that they CAN handle themselves if/when the sh!t hits the fan. very, very few people have this. everyone likes to think they do, but few really do. i study martial arts to save my a$$ if/when i get into a scrap. i don't want a stylized version of violence that gives me a false sense of security. violence isn't pretty, it isn't fun, and it CAN get you hurt/killed. i think bri thai said this: everyone says they want effective self defense, but few really mean it. they want to look cool and win trophies. everyone wants to end a street fight with a spinning heel kick or a shoulder throw. it's sad really. i hope to god that these people never run into an angry high school football player, much less someone who is mean, capable, and has no regard for life.

i am not demeaning martial arts and saying that they are junk, but trying to emphasize how dangerous it can be to romanticize violence/study stylized attacks and imaginary counters and believe that this makes one a capable fighter/self defense practitioner.

reasons for joining martial arts
1) fitness- dumb. it's cheaper to belong to a gym
2) self defense. most schools don't live up to this claim
3) health. legitimate reason imo
4) show off. for wusses and charlatans with insecurity issues, but still very common
5)as an art. sure, if you're into that
6) cameraderie. make some friends. sure, ok reason

i believe that most people join martial arts clubs wanting to learn how to protect themselves. there are many, many other less expensive ways to achieve the other goals. just the way i see things.

btw builder, in another post, i didn't mean to rip on the way your school trains multiples. i didn't have an understanding of what you were doing.

sorry for being long winded.

ryan

11-24-2002, 09:26 PM	#5 (permalink)
ryanhall Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 1,247 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	can't we all just get along? builder, brett may not have clearly enough defined what he was teaching. i don't know brett, but i'm familiar with this kind of thing, and i can tell you that it has merit. adrenal stress training is a major missing link in martial arts. simple is better. almost always more effective too. about brett's point: outside of a few arts (bjj, a couple judo guys), i have not come across a black belt that would/could defend himself against a serious threat. i have, however, run into some pretty tough s.o.b.s who only know how you knee, bite, headbutt, and eyegouge. take a look at some old ww II combatives manuals. those guys don't play nice, and they only knew about 10 techniques. martial arts were invented to protect one's family and self. they were a tool, nothing more, nothing less. they have degenerated to a joke in many places. today, many REAL martial artists will tell you that the arts are not about fighting, but self improvement/enlightenment. i can get those things from my friends and family. as far as enlightenment goes, i think one will get a lot more self assurance from the knowledge that they CAN handle themselves if/when the sh!t hits the fan. very, very few people have this. everyone likes to think they do, but few really do. i study martial arts to save my a$$ if/when i get into a scrap. i don't want a stylized version of violence that gives me a false sense of security. violence isn't pretty, it isn't fun, and it CAN get you hurt/killed. i think bri thai said this: everyone says they want effective self defense, but few really mean it. they want to look cool and win trophies. everyone wants to end a street fight with a spinning heel kick or a shoulder throw. it's sad really. i hope to god that these people never run into an angry high school football player, much less someone who is mean, capable, and has no regard for life. i am not demeaning martial arts and saying that they are junk, but trying to emphasize how dangerous it can be to romanticize violence/study stylized attacks and imaginary counters and believe that this makes one a capable fighter/self defense practitioner. reasons for joining martial arts 1) fitness- dumb. it's cheaper to belong to a gym 2) self defense. most schools don't live up to this claim 3) health. legitimate reason imo 4) show off. for wusses and charlatans with insecurity issues, but still very common 5)as an art. sure, if you're into that 6) cameraderie. make some friends. sure, ok reason i believe that most people join martial arts clubs wanting to learn how to protect themselves. there are many, many other less expensive ways to achieve the other goals. just the way i see things. btw builder, in another post, i didn't mean to rip on the way your school trains multiples. i didn't have an understanding of what you were doing. sorry for being long winded. ryan __________________ "Ray, when someone asks you if you're a god, you say YES!"