Posts
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Monday, April 11, 2005
What is a Martial Artist 2
My friend Tom, a Tai Chi teacher and Dragon Sign Boxer, said of being a Martial Artist:
ME: Tom, I find it difficult to imagine training without sparring.
TOM: Ah - that comes from your teacher. For a start I never learned ONE proper form or correct technique from him, what it implied, meant, or how it fit together with the style. Not even how to give a single punch properly. It was all about fitness and flexibility and high kicks. Everything else was the boring bit that we learned the night before our next grading to make sure wepassed. From this background, how can anyone attach much importance to the forms? It was all about the sparring.
Anyway that was me, and I don't want to imply that you've not progressed past the stage I was at way back then, and I know you practiced Tiger Crane as well so it may not be the same with you. But it has taken me a long time and a lot of unimpressed "this westerner is a total fuckwit" looks from my sifu to change my way of thinking.
Pushing hands is the most important way of sparring up until you get very very very good at it so you can spar freely. And I've not seen any students out here at that level. When you are at that level you don't *need* to spar, because you know your own ability already.
ME: I must ask you a question, which I myself have formulated an answer to over the years, but took me some time and struggle: What is a Martial Art?
TOM: I do not disagree with your definition of a martial art. It is not a
spiritual concept per se at all. It is indeed learning how to inflict some
serious damage on someone in a particularly classy way. Some of the principles
are built around chinese philosophy, and it can be turned into a spiritual quest
- i.e. the ultimate aim of tai chi is to be in accord with the tao and with
nature (...apparently. Personally I think it was originally another way to kick
7 shades of shite out of someone just like all the rest).
I think the difference between our perspectives is the difference between
'martial art' and 'chinese kung fu'. I will let you ponder this as its late
here and my brain is shutting down and I can't spell out the difference right
now. It is rather hard to explain. Its rather like asking a top musician to
describe the feeling that he puts into his music that makes him better than the
others. It's an understanding that comes from practising, not simply from being
told. ok ok this is a vague answer I know! More on this to follow.......
ME: Ok, then...
Anyway, discuss....,J
ME: Tom, I find it difficult to imagine training without sparring.
TOM: Ah - that comes from your teacher. For a start I never learned ONE proper form or correct technique from him, what it implied, meant, or how it fit together with the style. Not even how to give a single punch properly. It was all about fitness and flexibility and high kicks. Everything else was the boring bit that we learned the night before our next grading to make sure wepassed. From this background, how can anyone attach much importance to the forms? It was all about the sparring.
Anyway that was me, and I don't want to imply that you've not progressed past the stage I was at way back then, and I know you practiced Tiger Crane as well so it may not be the same with you. But it has taken me a long time and a lot of unimpressed "this westerner is a total fuckwit" looks from my sifu to change my way of thinking.
Pushing hands is the most important way of sparring up until you get very very very good at it so you can spar freely. And I've not seen any students out here at that level. When you are at that level you don't *need* to spar, because you know your own ability already.
ME: I must ask you a question, which I myself have formulated an answer to over the years, but took me some time and struggle: What is a Martial Art?
TOM: I do not disagree with your definition of a martial art. It is not a
spiritual concept per se at all. It is indeed learning how to inflict some
serious damage on someone in a particularly classy way. Some of the principles
are built around chinese philosophy, and it can be turned into a spiritual quest
- i.e. the ultimate aim of tai chi is to be in accord with the tao and with
nature (...apparently. Personally I think it was originally another way to kick
7 shades of shite out of someone just like all the rest).
I think the difference between our perspectives is the difference between
'martial art' and 'chinese kung fu'. I will let you ponder this as its late
here and my brain is shutting down and I can't spell out the difference right
now. It is rather hard to explain. Its rather like asking a top musician to
describe the feeling that he puts into his music that makes him better than the
others. It's an understanding that comes from practising, not simply from being
told. ok ok this is a vague answer I know! More on this to follow.......
ME: Ok, then...
Anyway, discuss....,J
