Martial Artists interpret Martial Arts Different to Non Martial Artists

In my exeperience I have noticed that Non Martial Artists tend to percieve Martial Arts differently to Martial Artists. And beyond this Martial Artists interpret Martial Arts differently to Non Martial Artists. My intent is to find out how others feel about this.
What are your opinions on this?
:Alien:

 

Would you explain a little more? In what way do you feel MAists perceive/interpret MA differently? Is it not just an increase in knowledge/experience of the subject in MAists? That is, people who actually practice the martial arts understand what is involved in training because they experience it on a regular basis. Do you feel MA is any different to, say, surfing or flying kites - people who actually surf have a more accurate perception of what is involved in surfing, because they experience it.

 

If I'm reading your post correctly martial artists often explain MA's to non practioners in a way that they might not normally converse about them with another martial artist.

I often find that in order to keep an non practitioners attention or focus on the point I am trying to explain I need to use metaphors to get some points across. This is often the case with beginners in MA as well.

There are dozens of ways that this kind of explaining can be done. Often non practitioners have very segmented way of moving... not a lot of coordination and they tend to try and punch from the shoulder and not with the hips etc. I usually explain the metaphor of kinetic chains to them and how the body must act in a concerted effort with multiple muscle groups to really be effective. Many non practitioners come from a gym or fitness background where much of the 'isolation' mindset has been drilled in through silly exercises like bicep curls and the like.

Anyhow... there's my take on some of it.

 

In my experience non MAists tend to get thier ideas of what martial arts are like from films/tv. I was giulty of this myself untill i started training, I thought MA was all backflips, jumping spinning kicks etc(I know some ma are). Movies are about a realistic portrayal of MA as Rambo movies are of being a soldier.

 

Why do you say your exeperience you have noticed that non martial artists tend to percieve martial arts differently to martial artists and beyond this martial artists interpret martial arts differently to non martial artists your intent is to find out what others feel about this?

 

Thanks, that's made it a lot clearer for me.

 

Most people who don't do ma's either have no interest in them or looking for a flashy martial art as seen in movies.

The ones that like flashy moves, usually are turned off by the idea that fights are not as fluid as in the movies.

 

My experience with non martial artists' perception of martial arts (sorry, too much New Year's Eve celebration) is that martial arts are a way to hurt other people and who can beat up whom. One of the reasons why I seldom discuss Tae Kwon Do with people who don't practice. It is too hard to break through those misconceptions. That might be another reason why few people stick with traditional martial arts training. Real training doesn't jibe with how they THINK martial arts training is supposed to be.

 

I do taekwondo and the people who dont do MA's usually call me a Ninja

 

Getting called "Mr. Miyagi" is a classic.

 

I get, so are you like the chick from Kill Bill?


Well I have been beaten up as many times as she has!

 

A lot of people who don't do MA call every MA karate.

"So how is your karate training?"
"It's not karate. I practice Tae kwon do ( or any other martial art)"
" Right. So when you're done with your karate thing you call me?"

Karate was very popular because of Karate Kid, and people who don't know about martial arts tend to call every art karate.

I don't get offended everytime someone asks me if I do Karate, and if people don't want to know more about martial arts then I don't argue with them.
Not everybody has to have the same interests as me, besides that would be sometimes dull.

 

Funny - the one I hear in regards to TKD by non MA practioners is:

"TKD? Isn't the one that gets PWNED!...?"

 

One nice thing about having non MA call every style Karate:

If some asks me "Hey, I hear you take karate. Is that true?" I can honestly say "I have never taken karate in my life".

If they are decent people, I can follow it with "It's actually Tae Kwon Do". If they are potential trouble makers or looking to size you up, I can just leave it at that. If they decide I could be an easy target because I have never taken karate, that's when things get interesting.

Another reason why I never mention Tae Kwon Do at work. Every other day I get to hear about who's got a feud/boyfriend trouble with whom. Last thing I need is to add "He practices martial arts" to the mix. Just might give someone ideas.

 

Many people see martial arts as a joke because in a lot of cases, they are.

 

I guess most non-practitioners base their opinion about martial arts on the first person they met who did MA. If the first person they met was a 6 year old McDojo green belt who walked around boasting about how they could break bricks with chi then that's what they'll think MA is all about. If their first experience was a meathead who was more interested in flexing his muscles than anything else then etc etc etc.

 

That's about what I was going to say...

 

My Instructor told us that in Korea, if you tell someone you practice Tae Kwon Do, the assumption is that you are a gang banger. Apparently, many younger black belts (whether now or in years past) were/are gang members due to the fact that they know how to fight. He knew several people back in his younger days that were active Tae Kwon Do street fighters. Each person had their own specialty-wrist, side kick, flying knee etc. Because of this, Tae Kwon Do as a whole in Korea has an unsavory reputation-much like the old days.
He also said that only after you reach the higher Dan levels (4th Dan on up) due Koreans treat you with more respect as a Tae Kwon Do student. The assumption now is that you are not a troublemaker.

 

Wow, never heard of that. This is really intresting.

Are these gang members normal WTF Taekwondoins??

 

I would assume so. Keep in mind, the tournament fighters you read about are the cream of the crop of Korean Tae Kwon Do, the elite fighters. Your average TKD black belt, especially the 16-17-18 year old 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Dans, who is most likely never going to reach that level, is destined for a much more ordinary existence. Teens being teens, these guys have a lot of energy and have the TKD background to add fuel to the fire. It is not surprising that quite a few of them might be destined for trouble. They know how to fight compared to many of the other teens who have quit Tae Kwon Do, and may be seen as leaders of cliques and gangs. Being WTF does not mean these kids are angels. Our organization is WTF and it didn't stop some of them.
As I said, it was the same way for Tae Kyon/Tang Soo Do 80 years ago in Korea. One of the reasons why Korean MA were looked down upon.