IMA vs Reality

[AllanF]

Nice article ... but i think its a heavy handed way of saying that if you want to learn to fight, you gotta train to fight and have some fights.

+100

[D_Glenn]

Yenisiri,
You met Chang? Sweet!

I'm saying that that JW's Shuai Jiao is given the same attention to detail that he probably had to give to his job.

John, what language did you code- Fortran? Pascal? Or Machine Language?!?

.

[MaguiBaguaNJ]

As far as I can tell, it's not about IMA vs Reality (I'm not a fan of this article, btw. A lot of bloviating with no concrete examples or answers).

It's a simple question as far as fighting goes: On that day, are you better at what you do then they are at what they do?
One of my teachers gave us a proverb on fighting that I still remember and I think holds up:
"First comes guts, then comes foundation, last comes Kung Fu."

He meant that the most important thing in a fight is the willingness to mix it up in a fight. If you don't have that then you shouldn't be in it in the first place. Then comes foundation training and how rooted your structure is...whether your a wrestler, IMA practitioner, boxer, or just a street thug who has been in a bunch of fights. Lastly, if everything else is equal, that's when "Kung Fu" or the techniques themselves come into play.

Of course that's just one opinion.

[willywrong]

If I wanted to be good at fighting, Id have a lot of fights. If I wanted to have good health and an associated past time for fighting arts i'd do Internal Arts.

From past experience if I go and mix it up at a boxing club or have a real fight chances are I will end up injured which I don't want. I can train IMA all day with little risk of injury, quite the opposite but I am under no illusion that a seasoned fighter would wipe the floor with me, that's not the aim of my practice. Basic understanding of self defence and awareness is more than adequate for 'tha streets' if you have the basics down well. As said earlier, those IMA'ists I have met who have genuine fighting ability tend to not go around advertising the fact so much.

+1

one of my recent students died recently, he was 64
I saw him the day before, the next day he was at home meditating, didn't feel well and died at home.
I should mention that he had practiced IMA for many yrs, and just started with me on some recommendations from a friend.
his passing was kind of surprise to many as he was quite healthy. very kind and nice man.

his passing kind of helps to put things in perspective.
we all make the same trip, need to enjoy the ride.

when most talk of "fighting" almost always they mean competitive events.
the question always becomes if "x" is so good why dont we see it used or in "name event"
nothing wrong with this IMO, but for most of the people I've met who had some
very deep skill it was " not the aim of their practice"

+2

Granddad used to say that if you want to make the long haul. You have to give away some of your bad habits. I consider willy-nilly fighting to be amongst these.Training for self defence is okay, training for competition leads to injury. It's extremely difficult to avoid getting into some serious altercation at some time of the other in one's life. If one trains for realistic self defence health should naturally follow. Self defence skills do a Superman not make.

[AllanF]

Then why the fuck are you guys on this forum?

Just curious.

+100

[Dajenarit]

Cuz despite some of the bullshit you have to sift through this is still the best CMA/TMA forum on the web?

[Rabbit]

." It's extremely difficult to avoid getting into some serious altercation at some time of the other in one's life"

No it isn't.

[willywrong]

." It's extremely difficult to avoid getting into some serious altercation at some time of the other in one's life"

No it isn't.

Rabbit you must be a thumper.

[XiaoXiong]

." It's extremely difficult to avoid getting into some serious altercation at some time of the other in one's life"

No it isn't.

It depends on who you are and where you are and most important of all, who you're with.
Jess

[windwalker]

also I think what one attracts in life

back in Beijing visiting my teacher, working out with some of the older students.
my teacher at 95 still plays part of the form, and corrects students as needed.
he seems very happy and content in life, everyone around him feels his warmth and kindness.
a good place to be at an old age in life....playing taiji in the park

[Rabbit]

." It's extremely difficult to avoid getting into some serious altercation at some time of the other in one's life"

No it isn't.

It depends on who you are and where you are and most important of all, who you're with.
Jess

Yes, that's right. All important choices. I appreciate one can be unlucky though.

[willywrong]

." It's extremely difficult to avoid getting into some serious altercation at some time of the other in one's life"

No it isn't.

It depends on who you are and where you are and most important of all, who you're with.
Jess

Yes, that's right. All important choices. I appreciate one can be unlucky though.

Rabbit you are a thumper but I don't think you know what thumper is. Jess and windwalker I think you're probably thumpers too although rabbits got the name. If you ask me nicely I'll tell you what a thumpers is.

[XiaoXiong]

Thrill me.

[Alexatron]

." It's extremely difficult to avoid getting into some serious altercation at some time of the other in one's life"

No it isn't.

It depends on who you are and where you are and most important of all, who you're with.
Jess

Agree with all the above especially the 'who you're with'. Most of the altercations I've experienced have been courtesy of other peoples big mouths, big egos or over indulgence in mind altering substances (booze, drugs and glue). I'm way more choosy the company the I keep and places I hang out now and life is a lot simpler

[Bodywork]

I've read the O.P. blog post and I call bullshit.
Why?

1. I ....am.... his example of the wrestler or MMA guy (who ties people up in knotts, or knocks them out).
BUT.....
2. I....am... the internal guy training things I have not seen being openly taught and I have NEVER seen taught in external arts.

I am NOT into being anyone's grand pooba sifu, but I'm not going to sit idle while some one tells me the body skills in the internal arts are the same as Greco Roman wrestling or TKD at the mall. That's just simply not true.

So...
I think a better argument would be:
1. Learn how to fight or at least spar, well if you're going to call yourself a martial artist.
Then
2. Learn higher level body skills to support that effort.

Why does it always... Fucking always... as in all the time... have to be an either/ or, one dimensional argument with so many people here?
How about we get our shit together and go have fun and do both. Gees.
Dan