Traditional, Mixed/Modern or Sport?

» DocKozzaki - Mixed Bag

Like many martial artists in my age range, 55-65, I have been in more than 1 style due to necessity. Whe I started studying the MS's there were 2 styles available, JUDU & KARATE. Within a few years however there was averitable cornucopia of styles to choose from for the MA.

Multiple styles is a mixed-bag for the martial artist. Many believe that knowing something about a lot of styles is the eay to go. They jump from style to style never mastering the style but getting proficient in its basics then moveon to the next style that grabs their fascination. This is not really a good way to study/practice martial arts.

Learning as much as you can about a style by being immersed in it is the only way to truly master a style. All martial arts styles ahve their weak points just as they all ahvetheir strong points. The media, most especially TV & the cinema have done as much good for martial arts as they ahve done bad. The good is in educating teh genral public to the fact that there are more than 1 or 2 martial arts. The bad is that they portray martial artists, especially "black belt"or master ranks as superhuman omnipowerful champions of good or evil depending upon the genre. Just as in any walk of lfe there are good & there are bad people in a martial arts style. In the MA's there is an ego-manic mind-set not found nearly as much in other arts or sports.

As an example; a doctor does not get to be a doctor by studying accounting...he gets to be adoctor by studying medicine, then studying & practicing a specialty. The same is true of martial artists. Master your own style then look at other styles to learn from them to add to your original or "home" style.

Learning a traditional style is essential to being a good martial artist. The foundational basics are instilled & shaped into a perosnal philosophical as well as physical being in the MA.

-- posted by DocKozzaki

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