Modern Warfare and an open mind

Karate has outlived it's usefulness as a form of modern self-defense. Don't mind me saying that. I love my karate. I will never give it up. I am passionate and obsessed with it until the day I die!

But I say this even as I prepare to celebrate my 23.5 years of karate training. I used to think being a pure stylist but incorporating the gist and best of other arts into my karate, I can somehow work miracles and transform this karate system into something which works for me. Maybe it might, I am not sure.. but one thing I am sure of is that once I opened my mind to the possibilities of training in other forms of martial arts WITHOUT PREJUDICE, I find that I am able to incorporate the best techniques, what works for me, arming myself with weapons of choice for combat.. then using it when opportunities presents themselves.  Once the main stay of traditional self-defense syllabus, I find practical combat techniques in other styles of martial arts.

As an education, I believe every person serious in learning martial arts should take up a form of orthodorx style. Sorry by this I mean karate, tae kwon do, judo, silat, muay thai, etc etc. As long as the martial art style has a structured syllabus of training and progression, I believe any dilligent student will get a grounding in basic style of combat arts in due time.

I reckon learning martial arts akin to formal education. Kindergarten, primary school, secondary, tertiary, university and Phd.  I suppose you can say these are similar to our belt system.. similar but not restricted to one style of combat arts.

MMA or mixed martial arts, Krav Maga, Systema, etc will be around the level of tertiary or university, you simply need to have a base in some form of martial arts to be able to utilise the techniques which are taught in those sessions. Strikes such as kicks and punches, grappling to submission. If we have not learnt how to strike properly or conditioned or bodies to receive them, or not learnt to breakfall, break grips, grapple, or even get into the half guard position when you are being pinned..  how are you going to be an efficient mma fighter?

Hence my view that a person moving on to mma, krav maga, systema, or any of the practical combat system out there, ought to have enough mastery over his base art that will serve as a fundamental platform where he can analyse and digest his training.

I have no problem where someone picks up muay thai and bjj during his training sessions of mma, but I think the class will be a confusing, boring and indeed a dangerous one for these kind of practioners. It is dangerous for their partners as well. Imagine someone like that doing an armbar on you.. yicks.

My irritation pet peeves for martial arts are pretty numerous.. I enjoy having discussions with people regarding martial arts.. but I simply don't enjoy having arguments with people with obviously less training and even less understanding of certain techniques but they insist that they are executing it in the right situation and right time..  oh well.  For times like these..I simply nod my head, smile and walk away..  nothing lost in not continuing that conversation, nothing to be gained either.  Humility is simply lost on them.

So anyways, given anytime and place, anyone trying a sports kumite move would probably be on the wrong end of a take down from me. Its not the art.. its the person. My 2 cents.

~CJ~