Traditional Martial Arts are Neither - Real Traditional Martial Arts
by
Mike Reilly
mikereilly@yahoo.com

The Term Traditional Martial Arts now refers to a very specific thing that has little to do with tradition or martial arts.

TMA is what is generally taught in strip mall Dojos.  The system of belts and bowing; of breaking wood and performing Katas is rich with the language of tradition; but is in fact faux ritual.  In Previous articles I have touched on the problems raised by the insidious use of Belts and the problems of forcing culturally based ritual in the absence of cultural context.  Here I would like to define what is meant by tradition in the martial arts.  As a martial artist I feel that our traditions have been stolen and bastardized by the large commercial schools. 

For many martial arts has become synonymous with Asia.  In deed Asian's are assumed to have knowledge of the Martial Arts.  Most commercial Martial Arts claim an Oriental root of some sort.  Popular media would have us believe that every man, women and child in the Pacific Rims is a nunchuck carrying blackbelt master of the mystic ways of the Seven Handed Dragon.  Of course this is a ridiculous stereo typing of Asian peoples.  While martial arts is important to those in the far east it has been just as integral to the traditions of Western culture.  To believe that martial arts is unique to Asian cultures is to  ignore the truth of Martial Arts.  Further it propagates an Asian Stereo type no less insulting than saying all Blacks can dance, all Jews are good with money and all Italians can cook.  Martial Arts predates recorded history.  We do know however that martial training did not begin with Chinese.  We know Martial Training predates the Romans, Greeks, Egyptians and Babylonians.  In deed every culture in every time period has some sort of Martial expression in their culture.  Even very passive groups posses some type of Martial Art, be it incorporate in sport, dance of other method of cultural expression.

TMA’s selling power lie in the mysticism and ceremony surrounding them.  But this is precisely where most Strip Mall Sufis fail to respect the traditions of their Martial Arts.  You see traditions are not based in ritual.  Ritual is based on tradition and tradition is based on culture.  You can not just pick and choose which ritual your follow.  For Example you can not bow to the mat and call it “Respect” when it is in truth a Shinto sacrament.  You can not enforce unblinking respect to one’s master when that master does not bear the weight of responsibility for his charges.  Of course Temple student sat unblinking before the Grand Master; Grand Master fed, protected, clothed as well as taught his students.    Hierarchy was based on the amount of sacrifice and responsibility those above took for those below.  It was never based on belt rank or title and was not expressed in long term contracts or monthly dues. 

Let’s define what we mean by Martial Arts.  First the world Martial refers to Military.  Deeper then that however it means Soldierly.  That means more then just the ability to fight.  Soldierly means discipline, focus, will and self sacrifice.  By self Sacrifice I do not just mean sacrifices made during training.  The will to sweat, bleed and push oneself is just one piece of the puzzle.  Self Sacrifice means giving up ones self.  The first thing a solder must do is let go of personal desires, wants and wished for the sake of the unit; the mission.  Those who want to train for Self Defense, to get in shape, to get a black belt are not training Martial Arts.  They may be training a physical skill.  They may even be exploring a different culture or getting a touch of philosophy; but their training fall short of martial. 

Think of the process to create a solder.  Physical trials are endured to sharpen the mind. Skill sets are learned.  But more then all this; the old way of thinking is torn down and replaced with a new way of being.  The importance of this is self evident.  For an army to function each part must be able to work towards the furthering of the whole.  The old you is stripped away and a soldier built in your place.  The process is not to make you mindless.  Just the opposite the goal is to teach you to think in a whole new way.  Civilian thinking is individual, short term and easy.  The Martial way of thinking is community, long term and difficult.  Recognition comes through effort and often the journey is it’s own reward.

Most people understand this part of Martial Arts training.  Even those who fail to really instill this in their students are generally able to mimic the structure of Martial training.  It is the "Art" part of Martial Arts that trips up most teachers and where most TMA’s fail.  Art is by definition individual expression.  20 people in a water color class with create 20 very different painting; even if they are of the same subject.  That is art.  20 people in a ceramic class or painting by numbers will create 20 nearly identical items.  That is the difference between art and craft.  Watch a TMA group and notice the uniformity in technique and philosophy.  I have watched Sensei’s correct form to the tiniest detail without regard to individual strengths, or other individual factors.  What mattered was the form rather then the individual application of principles.  What we are seeing in most Martial Arts Dojos is Martial Craft; not Martial Arts.

Art lacks meaning, depth and usefulness until the individual make it his/her own. Everyone will do things just a little bit different. A master painter can teach students how to use the brush, mix the colors and frame the subject; but to become an artist they must make the art their own. Students who simply replicate what they have seen never develop their own approach, thus while their techniques maybe perfect it will always be lacking. A student of the Martial Arts should not look to copy their master. Your mind and body have their own way of communicating to each other and no two people are the same in this respect. One hundred people might all do a hip throw the same way. Feet, hands, hip all in the same position. Yet the intra technique, the timing, the entrance, the reason that technique was chosen over any other will all be different. Students of Martial Arts are guided to the point where a technique becomes their own; when their own style guides their fighting strategy; when they become an artist.

Where else do we see this dichotomy of being?  On one hand denying the self .  Choosing discipline, demure and sacrifice for the group, the mission or the art.  On the other hand we see the encouragement of individual expression, achievement and rewards.  One institution comes immediately to mind; Family.  In a family you are taught to put family first.  Respect for the hierarchy.  Respect for the structure.  Obedience to those above; responsibility to those below.  You carry the face of your family and strive to bring them honor and shun anything that could shame them.  On the other hand your family wants you to be you.  To find your own path and stand on your own two feet.  Even when a son follows in his fathers footsteps his father wants him to be his own man; to see his son achieve beyond himself.

This structure is the tradition of Martial Arts.  Martial Arts did not start in stripe malls.  It was not bought through monthly dues or with contracts.  Progress was not measured with belts.  Most of all, Martial Arts were not learned simply for art’s sake.  They may have been learned in a dojo; but they were brought into the wider world.  Martial Arts started with friends and family then spread to communities.  You where not taught because you came through the door and asked; you were taught because you were part of the family.  There in lies the true tradition of martial arts; something shared by kinsfolk with loved ones.  Be it Kung Fu taught in a Temple on the fringes of the China or how to use a Claymore in the Highland of Scotland.

In today’s world some concessions need to be made.  I’m not opposed to people charging for instruction.  For one thing bills need to be paid.  Training facilities, equipment not to mention time needs to be covered.  Of course some of these expenses are manufactured; but more are necessary.  And few of us have access to a community center that donates space to training.  Further much like dance, story telling and other stables of community living the value placed on Martial Arts or really any physical activity has dropped.  So some of the trappings of the modern strip mall dojo are necessary.  But the heart of martial arts should remain the same; by family for family.

Another “Tradition” often forgotten by TMA’s is the role of sport.  2500 years ago there were not a lot of sports.  In short there two categories of sport; fighting and running.  On one hand you had Wrestling, Boxing and Pankration.  Then you had running.  Pretty clear message don’t you think?  You fight or you run.  Sports reflected a real world necessity.  Because of this simple fact many people think that the primary purpose of Martial Arts was self defense.  This is surely part of the importance but other factors like sport, community, entertainment all play just as large a part.  If we look at the traditions of any Martial Arts we will see the origins have roots in community and sport.  In other articles I go into depth on the pragmatic nature of martial sport.  Here I would like to stress the traditional benefits of competition within the martial arts.  Besides of providing a proving ground for both individuals and techniques sport provides a community event.  Individual competitors enter the ring carrying the faces of their school; their family.  This single factor; more then any other I think keeps people away from completion.  Masters are fearful of letting someone carry their face.  Students are terrified to disappoint or bring dishonor to their school.  But these fears do not exist in the traditions of the Martial Arts.  In the those traditions Masters are happy to see their charges raise up and risk greatly.  Students relish the opportunity to give their all for their family.

Many traditional Martial Artists I feel shy away from competition; especially difficult completion like Mixed Martial Arts events for fear there “art” will be exposed as ineffective.  Of course we have seen this very thing happen time and time again where TMA practitioner enter the ring arrogantly.  They do quickly find that their board breaking and katas do little once the fur starts flying.  This is another fear that simply did not exist in tradition Martial Arts.  An exposed weakness in competition is not a curse; rather it is a blessing.  Why would you be afraid of being exposed in competition where the penalty maybe slight embarrassment.  That same exposure on the battlefield translates to death.  Competing camps are not out to humiliate one another; rather the nature of competition is to help one another.

All competition starts with cooperation.  Those who you meet on the field of completion are not your enemies.  As I said sport has roots in community.  So when teams, towns, or individuals meet in competition they do as part of a community.  Towns would hold completion with other towns for fun and entertainment of course; but these events served a larger purpose.  No matter how heated a completion might become it was still an event the final purpose was to test one another.  To provide a proving ground.  Those so tested were better able to survive if the need ever arose to employee their skills on the field of battle.

Traditional Martial Arts are not found in the strip malls.  They are not found in the walls of dojo or faux mysticism.  The traditions of martial arts are rooted in family, competition and real world living.  Can you take your martial art out of the Dojo?  Can you use it in your day to day living?  Can you use it compete?  Can you use it to help others?  If not it is time to question the "traditions" of your "Martial Art."