Posted by: Anonymous
Melted Martial Arts - 03/29/05 09:35 AM
I find it fascinating that you can see the same or similar movements/tecniques used in a host of completely separate martial arts.
Styles really do not vary as much as you think.
In the last 40 years many styles have actually evolved. I do not mean as in the theory of the style, but in the practicing of the style. For instance the majority of kung fu schools did not practice free range sparring, then it was more of pre-set movements done with a partner, a very traditional approach. Another thing you mgiht have noticed is that hardly anyone back then did kicks above the waist level, it was considered absurd b/c of balance loss. Some schools - kung fu schools -actually still adheere to that.
There is another phenomenon that is affecting the practicing of martial arts everywhere.
Information.
Styles everywhere are realizing their deficiencies and fixing them by borrowing them from other arts.
I don't know how many of you lived in the 60s but if u had visited schools around the country hardly any school did a full powered roundhouse kick (the hip was not being completely used) nor were man people punchign correctly (again hip did not fully support the punch - big vs small muscles first)
If you listen to bruce lee speak in the 0s it was a phenomenal thing because he too saw that people were not using their bodies to maximize power - i'm sure you have all heard him say
" and if you have ot fight, not jsut with your hands, but with your entire bodythen you better train every single piece. and when you punch you have to put your body behind it - you have the put your entire hip in it"
he also realized that martial art styles share many different movements - yet the most important thing is that the movements that you do as a martial artist are the ptoimum moves for YOU. a 350 lb person wil lsuck at wing chun - he will not do graceful flying tecniques - he should use moves that compliment his unique pysique.
this is the path i hope martial arts continue to take - towards a more uniform non-system.
But first you have to understand the mechanics behind the moves. What gives them power? You have to be a scientist - an engineer of the body - and ask yourself - how can i make it stronger - how can i make it faster - should i be doing it another way?
anyway - these are jsut some thoughts i have had
Styles really do not vary as much as you think.
In the last 40 years many styles have actually evolved. I do not mean as in the theory of the style, but in the practicing of the style. For instance the majority of kung fu schools did not practice free range sparring, then it was more of pre-set movements done with a partner, a very traditional approach. Another thing you mgiht have noticed is that hardly anyone back then did kicks above the waist level, it was considered absurd b/c of balance loss. Some schools - kung fu schools -actually still adheere to that.
There is another phenomenon that is affecting the practicing of martial arts everywhere.
Information.
Styles everywhere are realizing their deficiencies and fixing them by borrowing them from other arts.
I don't know how many of you lived in the 60s but if u had visited schools around the country hardly any school did a full powered roundhouse kick (the hip was not being completely used) nor were man people punchign correctly (again hip did not fully support the punch - big vs small muscles first)
If you listen to bruce lee speak in the 0s it was a phenomenal thing because he too saw that people were not using their bodies to maximize power - i'm sure you have all heard him say
" and if you have ot fight, not jsut with your hands, but with your entire bodythen you better train every single piece. and when you punch you have to put your body behind it - you have the put your entire hip in it"
he also realized that martial art styles share many different movements - yet the most important thing is that the movements that you do as a martial artist are the ptoimum moves for YOU. a 350 lb person wil lsuck at wing chun - he will not do graceful flying tecniques - he should use moves that compliment his unique pysique.
this is the path i hope martial arts continue to take - towards a more uniform non-system.
But first you have to understand the mechanics behind the moves. What gives them power? You have to be a scientist - an engineer of the body - and ask yourself - how can i make it stronger - how can i make it faster - should i be doing it another way?
anyway - these are jsut some thoughts i have had