What good would that do you in a fight?

[Kosh]

Are you sick of people asking you this?

I study Hapkido and part of the grading is long stick teqhnique (as well as short stick, sword, rope, nunchaku and eventually fan).
Im sick of people asking what good it would do in a fight.

I always say "people play tennis, what good would that do in a fight?"

...quite alot actually because you will be fitter have good balance, speed, endurance, coordination etc. even if the skills arent directly usefull.

What do you think?

[Turing]

Endurance

I think endurance plays very little role in a fight.............perhaps in doing the smarter thing and running, but in a street fight endurance should never come into play, it should be over long before anyone gets winded. But I can see what you're saying and I somewhat agree. It all depends what you're in it for. If you are in it for self defense and have told these people it, then they have lots of validity in their inquiries. If you like what you're doing, do it, who cares what they think. Keep Training, and Train Hard!

[brokenelbow]

Uh Yeah, OK. I guess size also doesn't matter.

[Kosh]

What im trying to say is that being a martial artist is about more than just fighting...in the same way as being a artist is about more than just drawing.

[cakegirl]

Kosh, I agree with you.

I train in a very large martial arts school. Some people are there to learn how to defend themselves in an attack situation. More are there because they wanted to do a physical activity, had seen some martial arts movies, and found out that our school was open at times they were available! Others are there because they are physically active and wanted another sport to excel at. Many of the kids are enrolled not so much to learn self-defence, but to learn body-awareness and self-confidence.

I guess my school has so many students because they understand that different students have different motivations, and they do their best to deliver to all.

Cakegirl

[ryanhall]

If your goal is self-defense, all of that fancy shmancy crap has no value whatsoever.

I always say "people play tennis, what good would that do in a fight?"

Tennis isn't about fighting. Martial arts are supposed to be. Real martial arts are not about self-expression and beautfiul body movement. They should be practical and no-nonsense.

If you want all the other stuff, take up gymnastics. You'll be a lot more impressive with your fancy stuff, and you'll probably be better off in terms of fighting ability than you would have been learning a non-combative martial art.

...quite alot actually because you will be fitter have good balance, speed, endurance, coordination etc. even if the skills arent directly usefull.

Actually, I do not see tennis being anywhere near helpful in a fight. Tennis players are generally small, and their sport has nothing to do with physical contact.

What im trying to say is that being a martial artist is about more than just fighting

BEING a martial artist is more than just fighting. Martial arts, however, really shouldn't be. Get your spiritual enlightenment from something else. Try religion or family. The work better anway.

Turing,

I think endurance plays very little role in a fight

Sorry, but that is incorrect. You can gas out very quickly in a fight. If you do, you can be finished. A high level of fitness just raises your chances of successfully defending yourself in more situations.

[HuSanYan]

Originally posted by ryanhall
Actually, I do not see tennis being anywhere near helpful in a fight. Tennis players are generally small, and their sport has nothing to do with physical contact.

hi ryanhall, actually I disagree with part of your statement above.
Of course Tennis is a game and not a MA but let me tell you that serious singles match is a very serious mental fight indeed and also to train very seriously at Tennis (I did, a long time ago, almost turned pro, well kind of) strengthens the mind no end, I can tell you that a 5 hour match in very hot temp on a slow surface with money bets placed, will categorically prepare a person for any kind of duel on earth Mentally, and as you know, the mental part is very important.

Sure Tennis doesnt give you a punch or a kick or a takedown but toughens it does (on a decent level, not your weekend friendly at the park)
regards

[HuSanYan]

forgot to say

actually tennis players are generally very tall and quite big

[ryanhall]

Then I stand corrected.

From a mental toughness standpoint, a serious sporting event (such as tennis) will definitely prepare you well. Won't necessarily do much in terms of increasing ability to stand up to someone who's pushing you around or ability to set someone up, but you'll take what you can get.

[jaykay]

A mental "fight" and a physical one are two different things. While I am sure that playing tennis for five hours in the sweltering heat is difficult, and requires a lot of physical endurance, I doubt that would make anybody a better fighter - except for the physical stamina.

Tennis players, and MAs that train without contact aren't used to being hit. Being able to take a blow in your stride without losing concentration or pausing is a learned behaviour, not natural.

If you extend the mental endurance benefits further, then wouldn't a champion chess player also be brilliant at fighting? I think not.

Who am I to tell you what you should or shouldn't be doing, but I agree with ryanhall that martial arts are for fighting, not looking fancy.

[Roland]

I'm sure if you T'ed off and beaned them in the head with the stick, they'd see what good it would do you in a fight.

[Ryu (JKD?)]

Originally posted by ryanhall
BEING a martial artist is more than just fighting. Martial arts, however, really shouldn't be.

That's probably one of the best put answers I have heard in a while. Cheers, Ryan.

Ryu

[adacas]

as far as tennis goes I can think of two things...Venus and Serena Williams. They look like they could beat the crap out of somebody bad. I'm not saying that they are extemely skillful fighters but I bet they could put up a good streetfight if they wanted. Eskrima practioners usually train with long sticks among other weapons and most people look at it as something that could never be used in the real world. I don't see it that way. Lets say I'm at a pool club and a couple of punks raise a ruckus and start after me. Hey I got a long stick and even if it breaks then I got two shorter sticks. Anyone can train to take on a single opponent who will always start with a right punch to your face but not everyone trains to handle multiple attackers with weapons. Martial arts is not always about the scenarios that we can see happening but the scenarios we can not even imagine. That is why people should expand their training to include many arts so you get to see and train for many different scenarios. Stick training isn't a must but it doesn't hurt. I also have something else to add. I remember how people always go off on forms in martial arts. I don't like them but I end up learning them anyways. What do you guys think about them?

[jaykay]

By forms do you mean kata?

[adacas]

forms, kata are the same yes.