Traditional Martial Arts, Where Did We Go Wrong?

I just got an comment on the SDC blog an SDTS member who is a long time Shotokan Karate student and instructor. He noticed how his own martial art had left out the tactics and strategies of self defense and close combat...but he is perceptive enough to realize that THEY WERE IN THERE!!!!! Rather than stop training and teaching, he simply incorporated the SDTS attitude to his style. He understands the EXTREMELY important concept of Primary and Secondary Techniques.

Front kick, reverse punch, or edge of hand, chin jab. These are secondary techniques and tools in your kit. Most of us, if not all of us focus on these types of techniques in martial arts and self defense. Secondary techniques are the actual strikes, holds, throws, gouges...the things you see. While they are important, they are no what matters most.

EVERYONE focues on secondary techniques. But they are taken out of context. It is like finding a random part of a car lying on the ground- no purpose or function, it's just a hunk of metal or plasitc. Its only when it's placed in the context of the car that you can see its purpse. This is what happened to martial arts.

Primary techniques are the principles and strategies... the purpose and intent and they are the most over looked and forgotten. The intention of the martial arts has changed, and this has made it ineffective in combat.

Martial arts have been "taken out of context". Ever scince one fighter wanted to test his skills against another. Rules we made for the safety of the competitiors (this is a good thing). But once you change the intetntion from back alley to the ring the methods must change. The rules and the event and who you are fighting dictate training and purpose.

If you were fighting a boxer, you trained specifically for that, a wrestler, you trained for that. You always train for the venue and mixed martial arts is the same thing. If you weren't allowed to clinch, knee, strike the neck, punch- you had to adjust your training. The event always dictates the method.

Traditional methods of fighting have become sports. Since its more likely that you will fight in in a contest than fight for your life, you foucus on the contest. Traditional martial arts simply adapted to the times. Traditional martial arts like Shotokan were originally front kick, reverse punch, take ground and run over your target....sound familiar?

When I started training with the methods in The Self Defense Training System, it took a little time, but it actually added a new dimenstion to what I was already doing. It didn't belittle my training...it clarified it. I could see the original intention of what I was studying. I was able to adapt the primary techniques of the SDTS to what I already knew. I was able to put my training into the close combat context!

Like all things, once you understand the principle concepts (if a primary technique even exists) you can apply it to anything you do.

Larry, thank you for your comments and I look forward to seeing you at the Training Center in May.