Mixed Martial Arts Questions for real Martial Artists.?

In the 1960's in this country there was very basic and very hard grueling training. When they sparred it was bare knuckle and bones were often broken. There were plenty of bruises, blisters and bleeding.

Kids were admitted into the dojo but they could not hold adult rank. A black belt really meant something and was very hard to come by. In the 1970's when I started, (1972), in this country there was very basic and very hard grueling training.

When we sparred it was bare knuckle and bones were sometimes broken. We suffered plenty of bruises, blisters and bleeding. Kids were admitted in the dojo but could only earn adult rank in the early teens.

A black belt really meant something and was relatively hard to come by. In the 1980's when I noticed tournament competitions and the advent of the foam safety gear it all started changing. People started looking like big poofy haired fashion models, the sparring was sometimes good and traditional but most often changed completely to score a point and then turn your back and run because you can not be hit in the back.

Kids were where the money was being made and instructors were awarding adult rank to kids including Black Belts. In the 1990's when I left tournament competitions People started looking like acrobatic fashion models, in high dollar team uniforms, participating in a gymnastics floor event. The sparring was rarely good and traditional but fighters were being trained to strike and show a non-target area intentionally just to win the match because points can not be score by the opposing competitor if you only give then areas that will not be counted or also get a warning or a point deduction.

Kids were still where the money was being made and instructors were awarding adult rank to kids including high level Black Belts. 3rd 4th and 5th degree Black Belts. Instructors were charging large sums for those promotions.

The public started to believe that the product that was created because of the watered down progression of the martial arts was the real thing. They wanted the Martial Arts instructor to watch their kids for them so they could do the shopping or what ever other chores had to be done. The Dojos became baby sitting services.

Adults started loosing interest because "after all karate is for the kids, it helps them to learn discipline, physical fitness, and goal orientation". As an adult they already had that so why take martial arts. Now kids are almost the entire business.

You can not teach real martial arts to kids. I have a very small class; we focus on real martial arts applications, Bunkai. My students are not only students but good friends.

On occasion I have people come in from other styles and leave never to be seen again. One individual came in to watch and held a brown belt in a traditional Japanese system. After basically focusing on our versions of the katas that she already knew from her system, (Pinans/ Heians) explaining bunkai and actual, practical modern day street applications.

Explaining real power vs performance / show kata. She asked if my class was the senior level black belt class. My response was no we really delve down into the actual physics, kinematics, breaking down and applications of each and every movement from day one.

The majority of people do not even know what real martial arts are. What people want from their martial arts class differ. Some want to lose weight.

They are looking for exercise. Many people have a false idea that every martial artist have a 6 pack and they are built like Olympic gymnast. Then you have those that are looking for a sport instead of a martial art.

This is common today. You also have parents that are looking for a babysitter or looking for some that will teach their child respect, self discipline, and confidence. Many of those student do not last long.

Most will never earn a rank above orange belt. Of course many just want a black belt. Some want a black belt because they assume that will make them a master.

Then they can teach and become rich by opening there own school. Often they do not contribute anything positive to the arts. Last but not least, you have those that want to be a lean, mean, fighting machine.

Like I was they want this all for the wrong reasons. When I first began training I had the wrong idea too. I'm glad I matured and that I had the proper guidance.

I wanted to be like Bruce Lee. I was the small guy that wanted to be able to do 5 back flips into a flying scissors kick and be able to beat every big guy up. I was there to learn how to fight and to be flashy.

Boy was I wrong. Now I never think or consider kicking someone in the head even though I can. But why should I.

There are so many better options. I was fortunate to have a couple of good instructors. I learned that you do not train to fight.

You train and hope you never have to fight. But if you do have to defend yourself you still don't fight. You end the threat quickly.

Some may think that is fighting, but it isn't. There is no attack in martial arts. It is self defense.

I can throw he 1st punch or kick, but only when I am defending myself. Beginners and the unlearned often have difficult time understanding this. The senior artist understand.

Edit: Stillycrazy, I just went back and read your response. Our class sound like a great class. If you were local I would love to learn fro your teaching.

Edit 2: Missouri I've seen guys come in fro other schools. They have gotten an high rank in a short time. There was this guy that had a brown belt that had trained for a year.

My white and yellow belts had more knowledge and skill than he had. He quickly realized that he was far behind by our dojo standards. But he had a high rank.

We were sparring that day. Of course I couldn't let him spar against any of the brown belts. So I had him spar against a white belt that had only been training for a few months.

My white belt wipe the floor with him. You would think that if this guy wanted to be better and to lean real martial arts he would be back to train with us again. I never saw this guy again.

Think about it. He pays a lot to train where he is. They haven't taught him much of anything.

He gets beat up by white belts. Our classes are free. He learned more in one day with us than he did in a year.

He knows that with us he will not get a black belt anytime soon. My students appreciated not having rank, but having greater knowledge and skill after that class.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.