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.