Tradition or Revolution?
by Tobias FlynnTradition fails us - in martial arts terms - when we rely on it as the all encompassing rule book of how things should be: ‘we do it this way because this is how it’s always been done.’ Even when, in our own hearts, we know there’s room for improvement or change. We ignore the issue because not remaining faithful to the original is a betrayal.
Noble sentiments, if somewhat misguided.
Times change, techniques developed for the battle field centuries ago, when honour and self sacrifice were as important as the fighting skills themselves, have to be re-appraised for modern times.
The pre-combat rituals of introducing yourself to your foe, listing your military achievements and your family lineage have long since passed, replaced by the Neanderthal ritual of the threatening glance across a crowded bar, snarling expletives and a bottle in the face.
No honour in that type of combat, just loads of blood and a visit to casualty – if you’re fortunate. This outdated philosophy of the martial arts being used merely to defend oneself, i.e. ‘you attack me then I’ll counter,’ is a quaint notion ill-suited to modern times; it should be consigned to the waste bin.
But where’s the art in that?
Sorry to be blunt, there’s only one art on the street; blood is its paint and flesh and bones the canvas. Now I know there’ll be many martial artists who will disagree quite strongly with this view, it steps on the toes of tradition. But fail to appraise and question the validity of what you practise or teach, then tradition becomes ‘stagnation,’ and a stagnant teacher does a disservice to their students and ultimately the art itself.
Here’s a couple of prime examples where un-questioning devotion to tradition can stifle modern thinking.
A young girl who had been practising Ju-jitsu for several months was appalled when the instructor, demonstrating a technique, suggested a ‘head but’ as a retaliatory strike.
“A head-but!” She squealed in indignation. “But that’s not Jujitsu!”
So, several months training qualified her as an expert, giving her the ability to make a snap decision and appraisal on what or what didn’t constitute Ju-jitsu?
I don’t think so!
So why make such a vocal and naïve comment? Undoubtedly because at her club they subscribe to the ‘only defend when attacked’ principle and, as every practising martial artist knows, head-butts are the preserve of the Neanderthals roaming our streets and not, god forbid, for the likes of the highly trained.
Oh dear! Someone’s in for a rude awakening.
A report appeared in our local paper a few months back. A young woman was being verbally abused while using a public phone booth. She stepped out ‘dropped down in to a fighting stance,’ like she’d been taught and as if by magic the aggressor promptly ran away.
Oh - If only life were that simple!
She was either very lucky or the assailants were impressionable ten year olds. Taking up any martial arts stance in a confrontation on the streets will result in one action: ‘Who the f*** do you think you are? F***ing Jackie Chan?’
The challenge of taking out a martial artist, someone who reckons they can fight, is just too good to miss. Taking up a fighting stance when things are about too kick off is stupid. Sure prepare yourself, keep your hands up, be ready - but don’t look as though you’re auditioning for Charlie’s Angels.
A brown belt in Jujitsu visited our club. We paired of for technique practise and I attacked him first. Unfortunately I surprised him by throwing two punches; apparently he wasn’t used to that. I apologised and threw a single slow straight punch. When it came to my turn he threw his straight punch, (from the hip I might add). It stopped several inches short of my face and wide of my head. I just stood there without performing the technique, didn’t need to, I wasn’t in danger of getting hit. Politely I enquired why he punched like that.
“That’s how we’re taught to punch at our club so we don’t get any injuries.”
Yep, I could see that. There was no danger of getting hit so there was no way I was going to get hurt. When I asked why he only threw one punch I was told (and nearly fell over on hearing it) that only black belts were allowed to throw and defend from two punches.
Eh? How dumb was that!
Why only black belts? His answer – “that’s the way they’d always done it.”
“Of course you do realise,” I said, “that no-body but a martial artist throws a single straight punch from the hip besides, your average Saturday night special actually equated to two specials, right and left, aimed squarely with venom at your head.
It’s very hard these days with all the health and safety issues to actually indulge in reality training. Some clubs try their best to make it as real as possible using the Geoff Thompson infamous ‘animal day’ model, but surely in this day and age it’s ludicrous to only train from one straight punch that’s not even going to hit it’s target.
It’s all very well keeping it traditional, as long as you’re able to make the distinction between tradition that works in the dojo and the stuff that won’t on the street.
If you have no interest in self-defence for the streets and are teaching/learning a martial art for the sake of the art itself, that’s fine.
But be up front about it!
Tell you’re students that what you teach is the art itself, to preserve its tradition and its history and that on a practical level, for the streets, it has limited application. If you don’t and you delude yourself and your students that the artless ‘head butt’ has no place in a martial artists’ repertoire then you have no business teaching your art as self defence.
And to close an example of revolution….
At the same ‘head butting’ seminar an experienced dan grade, who I’d never met before, asked me what I thought about a technique I’d just seen performed. Did I think it was effective, was there anything wrong with it? I answered that it was okay, looked good, but I wasn’t confident that it would work on the street.
“Exactly!” he replied, which surprised me a little, I half expected him to re-demonstrate the technique on me just to enforce his opinion of its effectiveness. “You’re a brown belt,” he continued, “soon you’ll be teaching others, it’s your job to question the validity of what you teach, how good it is, whether it’s just for show or good self-defence. And it’s your job to encourage your students to do the same….”
Couldn’t agree more.
Remember tradition has its place, but don’t let it become the be-all and end-all. Add a little revolution to your teaching and don’t be afraid to use the tools of the ‘enemy’ including head butts, it may not be art, but then if your that interested in art take up painting.
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