The Same Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow and Forever
By Phillip Session
The Problem
Since I began my journy in the martial arts, as I read various articles on different things concerning martial arts, watch documentaries, go through various forums, etc... I realize something in all of them. something tht connects them all together onone accord in perfect harmony, like a puzzle whose missing piece was found. As well as something that seems to separate them, making them different as night is from day. That something is "Tradition". There is a constant battle going on between those who are either for Traditional Martial Arts and against Modern, or for Modern Martial Arts and against Traditional. This has split the martial arts community in two. It makes absolutely no sense.
In My oppinion
In my oppinion, there is no difference at all between the two. In my eyes, Traditional Martial Arts are Modern Martial Arts; just with a richer and deeper history. Also because of the mere fact that in these "modern days" it is still as useful and effective today as it has it has always been. In fact, it is where all Modern Martial Arts came from. The onl difference I see with what is callec Modern Martial Arts is that they don't practice all the forms, or maybe they don't take the time to meditate, nor do they take up time to learn a whole bunch of stances. But does that make it all of a sudden something brand new; something never before heard of to man-kind? No, not at all. What then is different about the two? All the kicks, punches, various strikes, trapping, grappling, blocks and othr techniques are all the same and has never changed. They worked then and they will work now.
It's All Still The Same
No matter what day and age we're living in. Tradition will come and go. Modern things will fade away as new things arrive, and the circle will continue. But one thing will be the same; martial arts. Though the uniforms may change, though the training equipment and gear may change, though the views and mind set of it may change, though the uniforms may change, though some martial arts through time may become lost or extinct, and though some may even start to become labeled as sports. though even the way wars are faought in this age with guns and explosives continue to get more and more high tech. The human body, mind and sirit is going to be the same. And when it comes to hand to hand combat, it will be the same as it was since the begining of time. No modern way of puncing, kicking, striking, trapping, grappling or blocking. No modern way of flesh and blood against flesh and blood in hand to hand fighting. Only two human bodies going at it with hands, arms, elbows, feet, legs, knees, fingers, heads and what ever else is in there surroundings to use. No modern way of training except for the modern equipment and gear that may not have been invented in the begining, new environmental surroundings, or maybe the removal of certain stances and other things in which traditionalists hold so dear. Nothing modern, nothing old. Only that which has always been and will always be.
What I've Learned Through My Martial Arts Experience
I have trained in Modern Martial Arts: Three years in wing chun, kickboxing, and brazilian jujitsu under the concepts of jeet kune do. Then one year in shaolin and capoeira which are not Modern, but Traditonal, however I didn't train in them the complete traditional way. Then four months in wado-ryu. This was a "Traditonal class" (though "modern" applications were applications were also used as well). I have also observed various other traditional classes . From my experience with the modern and the traditional I notice that it all a common focus behind it's teachings. That is self defence, stregntheing and bettering yourself, expression of the human body, and over all, an every day way of life. I notice that they are both equally effective. They both use the whole body. I see no difference. I think the world of martial ats should embract this fact, and teach it all as one. Not one as traditional, and one as modern or one as this way of fighting, and the other as that way of fighting. Not putting labels on them to separate them, but teach them as one. As martial arts, because there is only one way the human body is made and there are but so many ways the body can move. They are all for the same purpose as it will always be.
The Ultimate Truth
I am not arguing either for or against Traditional or Modern Martial Arts. I am only saying: "Never forgetthe history of the Martial Arts and how far they have come. Evenwith all the modern ways hiting the stage today. Remember that it is the tradition that brought martial arts to the point it is now. But don't get too caught up in tradition either, becoming blinded and not seeing what else is out there. They should all be able to work hand in hand together, just as the hundreds of styles in the world. They are all connected. This is the ultimate truth that must be recognize within the world of martial arts. That it is the same; yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever. The only thing that is changing is the way we think, the environment we are living in, technology, etc. Do the math.
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