| Let's face it; karate has been exposed. There | | | | to effectively deal with a skilled thug you must |
| was a time when the karate man was looked | | | | first put away all your preconceived ideas about |
| upon with respect and feared. A time when, if | | | | what real combat is. Forget the ring. Forget what |
| someone said they were a black belt, it caused | | | | you see on TV. How can an older man; say |
| others to be impressed. You can say that karate | | | | middle-aged, defend against a group of younger, |
| has become outdated. There has been an | | | | stronger and faster opponents. It will not be by |
| interesting development in the martial arts in the | | | | speed and power. If he is to win; and he must, he |
| late 20th Century and into the 21st. Martial arts | | | | has to do something all together different. Yes |
| have evolved and become much more true to life | | | | the older man is a master of self-defense. But his |
| than ever. | | | | system is highly evolved. He relies on a core |
| If you are one of those people who like to | | | | group of concepts rather than techniques. Of |
| question things then maybe this thought has gone | | | | course he uses proper technique but it is all |
| through your mind. Why are there so many | | | | grounded in his core principals. He also has the |
| different martial arts systems in the world. We all | | | | amazing ability to fight in a very apropos manner |
| have two arms and two legs don't we? So why | | | | because he is guided by highly developed contact |
| all the different systems of self defense? I know | | | | reflexes. In other words, if he is touched by an |
| that systems were usually born out of a need | | | | aggressor, the older man instantly knows all about |
| such as one group of people having to fight | | | | him and deals with him in proper time with super |
| another group who were better armed. So they | | | | preparatory application. That means he stops the |
| developed systems to fight those men who used | | | | first attack and all future attacks immediately. He |
| certain weapons a certain way. But then these | | | | also uses skeletal alignment to enhance his power. |
| same people showed others their incomplete | | | | He is able to hit much harder than his younger |
| system and sold it as unabridged. | | | | counterparts who use muscle to deliver their |
| So let's look at what we have in the world | | | | blows. The skilled older man delivers his strikes |
| without going into a deep history lesson. You | | | | with his bones which feels like being hit with the |
| basically have karate and ju-jitsu from Okinawa | | | | end of an iron rod. |
| and Japan. You have a multitude of kung fu | | | | The answer is to unite with the opponent's |
| systems from China. You have Tae Kwon Do and | | | | energy. No struggling or resisting but moving |
| a few others like Tang Soo Do from Korea; | | | | according to "the now". To be able to discharge a |
| boxing and wrestling from Europe of course. Of | | | | highly potent "motion martial art". Not static or |
| these there is every variation under the sun. You | | | | choppy, muscular movements but relaxed yet |
| name it and someone has tried to develop it into | | | | aligned motions that can deal with an attack as if |
| a fighting system. But what do we really have. | | | | it were just a crude language. Yes, the answer is |
| Remember that all we really have is three men | | | | to have a highly developed and fluent martial |
| out there. It all boils down to those three. You | | | | language as a complete and elaborate |
| have boxers or people who fight predominantly | | | | communication. Yes, self defense can be like this. |
| with their hands, kickers who like to use kicks as | | | | The only martial art I know that achieves this |
| their main weapon and grapplers who like to take | | | | elevated dexterity is Wing Chun. |
| people to the ground and finish them there. That's | | | | If a person truly dedicates him or herself to only |
| really it. Just those three. Now there are people | | | | doing and developing a system that is fit for the |
| who are good at one, two or even three of | | | | 21st Century real world self defense, then he |
| those methods. Those guys are now known as | | | | must use external defenses guided by internal |
| mixed martial artists. | | | | faculty. A system that encompasses the most |
| Someone once asked, what is truth? I think we | | | | effective techniques a person can deliver with the |
| can ask that same question here. I mean how | | | | most advanced internal concepts one can make |
| can the average guy deal with someone who is | | | | manifest. Now I mentioned Wing Chun earlier but |
| skilled in one or even three of the main fighting | | | | not every Wing Chun teacher has developed in |
| methods? You know, the boxer, the kicker and | | | | this manner or to this level. It is rare to find |
| the grappler. If the guy is good at all three | | | | people who have this high level skill. But they are |
| methods then do I have to be good at all three | | | | out there. |
| methods, too? Do I have to fight in the same | | | | If you really want to get involved with a martial |
| manner? I know karate won't do the job. | | | | art and want to find verity, then take a few |
| Definitely Tae Kwon Do will not do. How about | | | | steps back. Get back far enough away from |
| adding a self defense class or two. Will that help? | | | | what is traditionally known and taught. Take an |
| I don't think so. What about kung fu and all the | | | | honest look around and see if the martial art |
| various animal styles? No. You can pretend to be | | | | before you justifies itself intellectually. Ask the |
| an animal but that won't beat the skilled boxer, | | | | hard questions. Is it good against the three |
| kicker, grappler. So how do we deal with this guy. | | | | fighters in the world? Can it be done effortlessly? |
| It can't be using his own methods. You can't box | | | | What makes the most sense? Study and do |
| a boxer and expect to win if he's really good at | | | | research before you join a school. I can tell you |
| what he does. Let's just assume this guy is a | | | | right now, forget karate and Tae Kwon Do unless |
| really good mixed martial artist who happens to | | | | you just want to do a sport. Don't be too |
| be a thug and wants to rob and maybe even kill | | | | reverent with any martial art system. Be honest |
| you. What's the answer if you don't have a | | | | with yourself and hopefully you'll find a good |
| weapon at hand? | | | | teacher. |
| The answer is elementory yet intricate. In order | | | | |