I've trained for years in Shito-ryu Karate, and recently switched to Jeet Kune Do. I never got much Eastern mysticism in either, certainly not anything that concerned me as a Christian.
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Sometimes I feel so low-down and disgusted
Can't help but wonder what's happenin' to my companions,
Are they lost or are they found,
have they counted the cost it'll take to bring down
All their earthly principles they're gonna have to abandon?
There's a slow, slow train comin' up around the bend.
I've trained for years in Shito-ryu Karate, and recently switched to Jeet Kune Do. I never got much Eastern mysticism in either, certainly not anything that concerned me as a Christian.
I earned my first black belt in Jeet Kun Do.
It's a good fighting style.
But I learned more in 6 weeks of SCARS than I did in 6 years of any martial art.
Personally I think good boxing and street fighting skills can equip anyone better than martial arts can. There is no art in hand to hand close quarters combat. It is simply do unto the other guy before he does it unto you
That requires determination, toughness, and a hard heart. In every contest I ever saw where the two were pitted against each other, Martial Art versus Hard Heart, the hard hearted types have won every time whether they possessed any martial art fighting skills or not.
But I learned more in 6 weeks of SCARS than I did in 6 years of any martial art.
Personally I think good boxing and street fighting skills can equip anyone better than martial arts can. There is no art in hand to hand close quarters combat. It is simply do unto the other guy before he does it unto you
That requires determination, toughness, and a hard heart. In every contest I ever saw where the two were pitted against each other, Martial Art versus Hard Heart, the hard hearted types have won every time whether they possessed any martial art fighting skills or not.
What you are saying about fighting is correct. Just look at the MMA.
I know my sons were not registered for kenpo just to be a street fighter. They have learned a lot about self control and balance especially my older son since he has moved into a higher age classification. A current PGA tournament pro trained in the past at the same dojo to learn balance for his speed and power.
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Isn't having a smoking section in a restaurant like having a peeing section in the swimming pool?
"[Irresistible grace] is not external compulsion, which would destroy human free agency, but an inward compulsion by which the sinner becomes willing."
I hold a 5th degree black belt in Wado Ryu karate. I started studying when I was 8 yrs old. I am now 50. For discipline, focus and mental toughness I recommend one of the traditional styles. You need to plan to study for at least 4-5 yrs. If the school is handing out black belts after a year of study run, don't walk, away as fast as you can. Observe the sen-sei and advanced students. If they're cocky and arrogant then move on. Humility should be taught and practiced.
As for Eastern mysticism. You can't kill people or throw objects around with your mind. It just doesn't work. Harmony of mind and body is a good thing and a logical concept. It has a calming effect.
I don't worship my ancestors, nor do I bow to the rising sun. Bowing seems to be a hang up for some people. We rei, or bow, upon entering the practice area or dojo. We bow as a black belt of higher rank enters or leaves the floor. This done as a salute as with a private to a capt. We bow as a sign of respect to our teacher at the beginning and end of class. The teacher follows by bowing to the students.
Now, I will tell you that I live by the Bushido Code. The code of the code of the ancient samurai. This is my choice and I was never instructed or ordered to do this. I made that choice when I was about 10. I researched it on my own. It was not part of my instruction nor have I instructed my students to observe it. I found it to be way more demanding in how I treated my fellow man and lived my life than the xer nonsense that I was subjected to at the time. The code's concepts of honor, reverence, humility, chivalry and loyalty are in no way at odds with true Christianity.
If you only want to stomp the other guy before he stomps you then I would recommend Krav Maga. The problem is there just aren't a whole lot of places to learn it.
I agree with all that ChuckBob said. Except of course that Wado-ryu isn't my style and I don't follow Bushido, though I have no problem with it.
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Sometimes I feel so low-down and disgusted
Can't help but wonder what's happenin' to my companions,
Are they lost or are they found,
have they counted the cost it'll take to bring down
All their earthly principles they're gonna have to abandon?
There's a slow, slow train comin' up around the bend.
We started by son and daughter in Tae Kwon Do when he was in 4th grade. This to try to get him to settle down and focus and accept discipline. It was a moderate sucess. David stuck with it for 6 years. Isabelle kept at it for 4 years.
David's involvement in TKD got me into it also. I received my 1st Dan BB at the age of 46. When we moved to PA I had to give it up and really don't have the time now but I really would like to do it again. I would probably start all over again in another martial art as I have nothing to prove to anyone. Anyway, the place where we studied TKD did not clash with my Biblical beliefs and there were other Christians there. This is not the case everywhere though. I really felt that achieving rank was quite a personal accomplishment for me.
Tom
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Be Thou my vision
5/19/09: For now on, from this day forward, I'm going to be nice to everyone on this forum
I was in a career for several years that involved the occassional use of armed and unarmed violence. Previous martial arts training is of absolutely no use in a real fight. It is the determination to fight and win that determines who goes home and who gets buried. The only structured martial art that comes close is Krav Maga. But even that must be coupled with the willingness to do harm if needed.
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I wish I belived in reincarnation. Where's Charles Martel when you really need him?
I was in a career for several years that involved the occassional use of armed and unarmed violence. Previous martial arts training is of absolutely no use in a real fight. It is the determination to fight and win that determines who goes home and who gets buried. The only structured martial art that comes close is Krav Maga. But even that must be coupled with the willingness to do harm if needed.
I understand your point about what I often hear called the "warrior spirit", but I disagree slightly as far as martial arts training is concerned.
I am still in a career that involves the use of armed and unarmed violence, and what little training I have had in grappling has come in handy several times. Not so much now that Taser has come on the scene, but "back in the day" it was handy.
I was in a career for several years that involved the occassional use of armed and unarmed violence. Previous martial arts training is of absolutely no use in a real fight. It is the determination to fight and win that determines who goes home and who gets buried. The only structured martial art that comes close is Krav Maga. But even that must be coupled with the willingness to do harm if needed.
I can only sorta kinda agree. I've been in more real fights than I care to admit. And yes, determination and fighting spirit alone is better than training alone. I never lacked for that. But after I added training to it (Shito-ryu Karate + misc. cross-training, and now JKD) I did much better.
And agreed that Krav Maga works very well. I trained in it briefly until the school folded, and I may take it up again when I have the chance. It would be the best style if all you want is to learn to fight, but it isn't the only effective real-world method.
The bottom line IMO: training + determination beats either training alone or determination alone. With the proviso that the training should be something that actually works in the real world... but most traditional martial arts do, if they're taught that way and practiced that way. Few of them are complete, but there's no rule against training in more than one.
For example, my school's combination of (mainly) Wing Chun, Escrima, Muay Thai and Brazilian Jujitsu seems to have an answer for any situation... though of course you do have to supply the necessary fighting spirit.
__________________
Sometimes I feel so low-down and disgusted
Can't help but wonder what's happenin' to my companions,
Are they lost or are they found,
have they counted the cost it'll take to bring down
All their earthly principles they're gonna have to abandon?
There's a slow, slow train comin' up around the bend.
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