We all started our training by doing the first step.
We entered the Dojo for the first time.
We entered the mat for the first time.
We learned the first step of the first breakfall. The first step to learn the first throw …
Our curiosity was great and our willingness to go further and further was endless.
And like this we put one foot in front of the other and without even noticing we
set out on a journey that would change our entire life.
Weiterlesen
Last time I wrote something about the teacher in martial arts and „Shu-Ha-Ri“. Today I want to write something about the knowledge transfer through the teacher.
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When one starts to study a complete martial art at first one learns basic movements through which one is shown fundamental movement principles. This happens in the form of defined movement patterns (forms/kata).
When one has been shown the fundamental movements in addition to movement principles combat principles are introduced. Again: from easy to complex.
In my opinion a good teacher has to train every day for himself and does not need to please a student.
A good teacher walks his way and the student may accompany him some time and learn from him. For a real teacher Karate has become a part of his daily life, Weiterlesen
It seems that as soon as people aren’t forced to depend on their martial abilities their martial arts become leveled and „intellectualized“. This phenomenon can be observed in the military (formerly THE breeding place for unarmed and armed combat) as well, where knowledge of unarmed combat diminishes because the use of firearms lead to a completely new type of warfare thus requiring a different combative training for soldiers. Direct hand to hand combat unarmed or with sticks, knives, swords, lances etc. just isn’t present in todays wars.
Today martial arts are viewed as a collection of techniques one has to study to recall them on demand and use them in a certain situation. Combat becomes a question-and-answer game: If the attacker does technique A) I can counter using C), D), X), or Y).
A system like this is built upon conscious application of movements meaning my consciousness decides on one technique and instructs the body to carry out the movements. Without going into too much detail one can say that this is a cortical (emanating in the cerebral cortex) type of movement.
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What does a rank really reveal?
I’m sure many of you have already asked this yourself. Is there a reliable scale to compare the ranks of different martial arts?
Or are these ranks the scale themselves?
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It was long and hard work to convince german judoka of the existence of highly effective punching and kicking techniques in Kanos fighting system. This work is not done yet, because many judoka find it hard to believe, that such „unfair“ techniques should be part of judo.
However nowadays people slowly start to reconsider, which I explicitly appreciate.
But is it really enough to just accept punching and kicking as being part of judo?
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„Bujutsu is for killing people“ U. Kenji
This sentence by Ushiro Kenji, who is well-respected in Karate as well as Aikido circles, should provide some food for thought regardless of what martial art we are training.
All the things we practice were once intended to kill or maim people. Are we ready to train with this in mind? If worst comes to worst am I able to break someone’s neck or fingers, or, or, or…?
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“Never complain and never explain.” – Benjamin Disraeli
In this blog we will discuss two very interesting topics: judo and karate. We will present our positions and ideas and give insight into our training.
We? Who is „we“…?
Tom Herold: active in Judo since 40 years, nonconformist, scornful, sarcastical, Diplom-Pädagoge (certified educationalist)
Ralf S.: active in Karate since 20 years, open minded, funny, playful, Senior physician for internal medicine