Martial Art or Martial Sport
by Kiyth Fotitt.
Date: 23 August 2010
In this article I attempt to shed some light on the reality and perception within the martial systems.
Most martial arts will offer you verbally or in their ads, for self-defence, confidence, fitness etc, etc, but in today’s world of the contemporary martial artist most are specialising in a sport.
That’s not to say that they don’t train hard and long and through the pain barrier, but realistically most are training for success in completion. Their aim is to win a medal or a trophy or a title.
To become a champion, a gold medallist or a titleholder in a given weight class either as a male or a female.
And that’s fine in its own way but don’t lose the plot by thinking or selling it as a warrior skill or a self-defence skill.
In 1868 when Emperor Meiji came to power in Japan it was the beginning of the Meiji Restoration period were peace was restored to Japanese life following centuries of feudal history. It was then that all martial systems were considered barbaric and even the ruling samurai elite outlawed the carrying of swords in the street. With that the martial arts scene changed.
Aikijustu became aikido, kenjutsu became kendo, karatejutsu became karate do and judo was an offshoot of the samurai art of jujutsu. Likewise many other arts went the same way. Ninjutsu the covert warrior art of the ninja went underground and today still retains its warrior status.
Training in many of the old martial arts in a warrior class was carried out for battlefield survival and daily life in feudal times. Maybe you were born into a clan or a family or you sought an instructor to teach you the art. You didn’t really go and join the local dojo, because few really existed. It was only after the jutsu arts became “do” arts and received Government “approval” did they take off.
Opening Doors and Selling
As Japan opened its doors to the west and westerners started to learn the ways of martial systems that the kata was really invented and became a feature of what we see in many martial arts. It is really because the Japanese believe that westerners cannot learn these systems properly so to “sell” the art to those whom would least understand it, they put some of the training “in boxes” and compartmentalised it into Kata. Some styles of martial arts are full of kata and there are even kata competitions. Like most things Japanese they have sold it to the west and made it a commodity.
Of course they’ve done it very well, as many martial arts instructors around the globe are making a good or even a hansom living out of it. Martial art’s is like many other activities these days; a commercial commodity with lots of people paying through the nose and a small number making shed loads.
The old days and the very old days are gone. Once you turned up, pay-as-you-go and did your bit. Now it’s a joining fee, an annual membership fee to the club and one to the organisation, a grading fee every 4 months and even higher ones for dan grades. Constant competition fees, new club T shirts, a new colour belt for every grade and the instructor(s) is probably creaming off a vast sum, which is why he’s running classes all around the region every night of the week.
And these days there are so many “political splits”. How many styles or organisations are there? Everyone over 5th dan seems to me to want to become his own Grandmaster. All it does is thins down and dilutes the styles making it even harder, I would think for sustainability over protracted periods of time.
So how about the self defence angle. Most martial arts instructors have never left their dojo. Never trained in civvies or worn footwear. They have never trained on concrete or tarmac, sand or grass, in water or forest or on uneven ground.
Have they ever trained in a thunderstorm or the snow or the fog or sweltering sunshine? How many people including students and instructors get attacked in their nice warm, well-lit, mirror-clad, matted dojo inside a sports centre of village hall or school? Now, can you see where I’m going? It doesn’t happen does it?
Yes call it a martial sport, enjoy the competition and the friendships and enjoy the training for what it is but please don’t think you’re training in a martial art or engaging in self-protection or self-defence training.
Punching Thin Air!
Around 28 years ago I engaged in Shotokan Karate for about 3 years. If you weren’t into competition you were virtually alienated as the Sensei was a KUGB judge. For weeks I kicked and punched thin air and made little contact with other karate ka. If I did, it was usually by mistake or lack of control by me or my partner.
Males couldn’t train with female, adults with kids and every session was 50% kata. I honesty thought each week that it would get better but sadly for me it didn’t. I saw an opportunity through extra work to leave the dojo with dignity and honour, stuff I value highly.
I was taught no history, no weapons, and no healing or peripheral skills. And yet as I perceived it, martial arts should be holistic, all round systems. Maybe I went in to it with my eyes closed or too great and expectation.
Shortly after leaving the dojo I found Ninjutsu on a trip to Ireland 25 years ago. Now this really is an all-encompassing warrior survival system that is truly holistic? But that is another story.
