Learning alone

Why is it that people believe that they can learn a MA on their own by reading books.

In every known field where a skill is required an education is essential.

If you want to be a surgeon, you go to university, get a degree in a relevant subject, etc.

If you want to fly commercial aircraft, you go to pilot school and spend time with experienced pilots who teach you.

If you want to be an athlete, you will have a coach.

Why is it that prospective MA's believe they can read a book and train themselves, or does MA in general attract dopey people.

JohnL

I think it's marketed at that end of society by the film and magazine industry. There are literally thousands of "teach yourself" books and videos all promising amazing results. Society itself generally wants everything quick and fast and is just as much to blame.

If you produce a book entitled "Karate for Idiots" Easy to learn and quick results, and then one entitled "The Comprehensive Guide to Karate Training" Embark on a lifetime of study...

We know which one would sell best......

i know this topic is about people who only want to learn from books.i only believe books are good as a reference guide in conjunction with regular training with an instructor. i own a lot of martial arts books but i also go to class 4-7 times a week. what ever i find useful in the books ill approach the instructor about and he'll usually go over the technique or question with me after class. if anything i think the books have added to my knowledge and skill in martial arts and have also opened up my mind to new concepts.

I don't think MA has a disproportionate amount of the very large number of dopeys out there.

I think it can have a certain amount of glamour to said section of the population so they are a bit more vocal in letting everyone know they study...(ha ha) XYZ martial arts while all they do is read books and prance around in front of the mirror.

Same types that make it cost effective to advertise 'how to attract girls using extracts of pigs bladder'...

I just feel that old fashioned common sense and the ability to smell BS are being bred out of the human race. This is just another example.

D

I agree. Martial Arts doesn't attract more dopey people than any other activity (except possible train spotting [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif[/IMG] ), it's just that a lot of people generally are...well, dopey.

I also agree that Many people want to see the quickest results with the smallest effort.

Slick advertising for these books suggest they are a substitute for, rather than a useful supplement to proper instruction and dopey people believe it.

As we know, the videos where you practice at home for 6 months or a year, and then they send you a black belt, have many customers.
I can't believe people seriously believe this, it would be cheaper and just as useful to buy a black belt from a sports shop and give the videos a miss.

Sorry, went off thread there, I think I have overdosed on strepsils [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif[/IMG]
Sharon

[QUOTE]Originally posted by dazzler:
I don't think MA has a disproportionate amount of the very large number of dopeys out there.


D[/QUOTE]

I do!!!

[IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif[/IMG] with Sharon & Steve on merits of trainspotting & dopey people....

& Agree with everyone that to learn properly you need instruction from someone who is proficient.

Not from reading an "Idiots Guide to ____ "

[IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif[/IMG]

Well I can't speak for everyone, but I think the reason some people try to learn from books and not from martial arts "masters" is that they don't have enough money to join a school. (Or they are private people.)

WOW!! look everybody, its Bruce!!!!

So man, tell us, are you REALLY that good?

[IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif[/IMG]

Alec

I don't think that anyone tries to learn from books all by themselves do they?
they r interesting if your into the history aspects of it. Plus its always fun to bounce relevent ideas off others in your field (like we do here.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Yoseikan Student:
WOW!! look everybody, its Bruce!!!!

So man, tell us, are you REALLY that good?

[IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif[/IMG]

Alec[/QUOTE]

What?!! Am I really that good?? What kind of question is that? Of course I am. You should know that by now. [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif[/IMG]

In my case I learned from books and videos because I was too shy to join a class. I had always wanted to learn a MArtial Art since I was young. I trained myself reasonable well but in comparison to the training I receive from my instructor it is very hard but I enjoy.
One day I was faced with the dilemna that from all my book reading there wasn't one single Art I could call my own and I guess it was a pride thing as I was hearing of other people who were high grades in all sorts of Martial Arts. So I decided to try and confront my fears and began training in Shaolin Long Fist Kung fu which I love!
So please don't be hard on everyone who learns Martial Arts from books, it could be because they can't afford classes or they are too shy to join!
I agree it is harder to learn a Martial Art without proper supervision and guidance.
But I think you can learn basic self defence techniques as long as you can practice them regularly!

In every known field where a skill iWhy is it that prospective MA's believes required an education is essential.

And you get paper that one has to Read to understand what exactly is on it.


If you want to be a surgeon, you go to university, get a degree in a relevant subject, etc.

After reading Books on anatamy And Books on procedure...and Books on relevant subjects.


If you want to fly commercial aircraft, you go to pilot school and spend time with experienced pilots who teach you.

...information that you (begin to) grasp from formulas kept in Books, and mathematics demonstrated in Books.

If you want to be an athlete, you will have a coach.

Who got a paper that if you Read it indicates that that person went to a school and passed sufficiently courses of Physical Education. Perhaps, Psychology in Books and Kinesiology, which's information was in a printed material.


Why is it that prospective MA's believe they can read a book and train themselves, or does MA in general attract dopey people.

People who don't know, don't know. Some might think Oh, just take this posture and I've done that technique. People who don't know, don't know.

In my case I couldn't Find a dojo close enough to me, so I learned from books and videos. I am not shy at all so I would gladly join any dojo [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/frown.gif[/IMG]

Shogun guy,
If you post your location, there is a good chance someone here will be able to point you in the direction of a dojo.
Sharon

I dont have enough money for a dojo [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/frown.gif[/IMG] . Im trying to self teach myself does anyone have any tips to help me learn by myself or finding a low priced way to learn.

By the way i have people to spar with and i live in Plano, Texas

Try this website for a study from home program http://letsgettraining.bizland.com

Also check out my site; www.sbstore.sales.mpoinfo.net

I'll answer this tactfully.

It is possible though very difficult to learn the martial arts from books.

Not everyone can afford to find a master in a martial art tht will suit their needs. But growing up in tough neighborhoods would give you a little common sense of how much book-fu is useful.

Not all books are made equal. Some are money making machines while others are well crafted and well thought of.

Granted, a book cannot give you feedback regarding your mistakes but i am not saying that you learn from books alone.

I am a self taught martial artist (there i said it). I read books BUT I PUT THEM TO PRACTICE IN A FULL CONTACT SPAR to assess its value. Self taught I maybe but my learning is not haphazard.

I'm a teacher by profession (high school) and I do know how to organize lessons academic or kinesthetic. I set up objectives and evaluate how much of my objectives i have met. I have lived through street fights using my self taught skills and can put my martial arts where my mouth is.

Of course i'm no blackbelt (who'd award me?) But I do have the respect of blackbelts from my circle of friends and regard me as formidable.

Let me qualify you cannot learn martial art by READING ALONE. But you can learn from research and practice. Why not? It's the way it has been for thousands of years. Many warrior scholars have been self taught, Miyamoto Musashi, and in large part Bruce Lee (he invented and self taught himself in Jeet Kune Do because he was dissaisfied with the formal arts though he was already an expert in Wing Chun), and this is also the case for many FMA masters. Self taught through research and observation. [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif[/IMG]



[This message has been edited by Shuyun (edited 05-22-2004).]