The Martial Arts and Philosophy

[Julius Skrrvin]

Since we have a few Martial Artists on this board who seem to be lifers, what do your systems espouse? or have you done any readings from other discliplines that you enjoy (Sun Tzu, Hagakure, Book of Five Rings, Boxiana)?

Any and all perspectives/ideas are welcome.

Or rather, what is YOUR personal martial philosophy/code? How does it apply to how you live your life, practice your arts, and the choice to use them?

 

[Mowgli]

I believe a man should be like a ninja in his personal life. I break my code on the internet but in real life i would never let anyone know how dangerous i am physically. I prefer to be unseeming because in doing so i automatically lower the guard of the individual im facing. I keep my face bright and unsuspecting because obviously if a demon is going to test me, i want him to feel like it is going to be a cakewalk. This will cause issues with obtaining the heart necessary to win when i turn up the volume and show him that he chose the wrong opponent. Back in the old days of ninja, your maker could come in the form of a lolely maid, an insignifican joker or a mentally inadept bloke. This is my way of deaing with aggressors.

On the other hand i feel that martial arts give you another eye on the world. The physical world of aggression showcases a lot about an individuals character. Even among people who are like gods in combat. Learning a martial art that puts you at a level of hand to hand combat beyond that of the average man gives you new insight on people you meet in life. A man can be sized up and evaluated with a different processor that can tell you if that man is a coward, a warrior, righteous, etc. Its difficult to explain but martial arts have made my character assesment greater then it has ever been.

 

[Julius Skrrvin]

I believe a man should be like a ninja in his personal life. I break my code on the internet but in real life i would never let anyone know how dangerous i am physically. I prefer to be unseeming because in doing so i automatically lower the guard of the individual im facing. I keep my face bright and unsuspecting because obviously if a demon is going to test me, i want him to feel like it is going to be a cakewalk. This will cause issues with obtaining the heart necessary to win when i turn up the volume and show him that he chose the wrong opponent. Back in the old days of ninja, your maker could come in the form of a lolely maid, an insignifican joker or a mentally inadept bloke. This is my way of deaing with aggressors.

I agree, and attempt to conduct myself in similar fashion. I keep my training hidden, and if others ask about it, I just say that I'm "exercising" or something similar. I don't like talking about it, unless its in confidence with a close friend or a person with experience. I also believe that there is an essential element of surprise in keeping your intent and skill hidden, that is both useful in combat and in self-conduct much like you've said.

On the other hand i feel that martial arts give you another eye on the world. The physical world of aggression showcases a lot about an individuals character. Even among people who are like gods in combat. Learning a martial art that puts you at a level of hand to hand combat beyond that of the average man gives you new insight on people you meet in life. A man can be sized up and evaluated with a different processor that can tell you if that man is a coward, a warrior, righteous, etc. Its difficult to explain but martial arts have made my character assesment greater then it has ever been.

I agree, and have also observed this. When you get on the mat or get in the ring, whatever, you are communicating with someone in a very specific way. Someone's fighting intent and style reveals a lot about who they are, without a doubt. Training and sparring develops "senses" (ive spoken about this in the training thread), for many things. I have noticed that the greatest martial artists ive met have the most unassuming, calm energy, almost a complete lack of presence during normal life and conversation but during applications and sparring will change in aura and intention completely...

 

[kevm3]

I liked Shigeru Oyama's book online called "Bouncer".

 

[daze23]

be water my friend

 

[Julius Skrrvin]

be water my friend

I see this being mentioned a lot among martial artists, the association of being "like water"... My current style's foundational training emphasizes the character of the chinese 5 elements or Wu Xing..

Where you assume the character of fire, water, earth, wood, and metal in the basic strikes of the style. There are creative cycles (metal fist creates water) and destructive cycles, (fire destroys metal). So you can link and create freestyle combinations that correspond and defeat the other elements.

Its a seemingly simple yet very deep system, both in application and in idea.

 

[Julius Skrrvin]

The Real lurkin in here like he wanna say something

SPEAK friend, and enter

 

[The Real]

The Real lurkin in here like he wanna say something

SPEAK friend, and enter

I'll post something later, when I have time to think and write a bit more. I'm busy for most of the rest of the day.

 

[feelosofer]

I take Judo and Tai Chi, two styles seemingly at odds with each other but not really. Judo, I feel makes the most out of my stocky frame and Tai Chi allows more to relax and be at peace while allowing to do some great things by reversing my opponents anger and lack of focus.

I also try to embody taoist principles in living a simple existence and having relatively few things outside of my music stuff and my expensive computer though that's used for my work primarily.

 

[Julius Skrrvin]

I take Judo and Tai Chi, two styles seemingly at odds with each other but not really. Judo, I feel makes the most out of my stocky frame and Tai Chi allows more to relax and be at peace while allowing to do some great things by reversing my opponents anger and lack of focus.

I also try to embody taoist principles in living a simple existence and having relatively few things outside of my music stuff and my expensive computer though that's used for my work primarily.

Taijiquan is basically just shuai jiao (chinese wrestling), with strikes. I feel like its VERY applicable to judo, although Judo might be a little more "hard" in its external form. What style Taiji are you training?

I take bits and pieces of Daoist philosophy/ideas as well, from my system as well as external readings... but like The Real said I gotta take some time and write about it before i say any more.

 

[feelosofer]

Taijiquan is basically just shuai jiao (chinese wrestling), with strikes. I feel like its VERY applicable to judo, although Judo might be a little more "hard" in its external form. What style Taiji are you training?

I take bits and pieces of Daoist philosophy/ideas as well, from my system as well as external readings... but like The Real said I gotta take some time and write about it before i say any more.

I've been taking Wu-Style Tai Chi for about the past 5 years or so, I've been doing Judo for almost 20.

 

[Julius Skrrvin]

I've been taking Wu-Style Tai Chi for about the past 5 years or so, I've been doing Judo for almost 20.

That's one of the big substyles I dont really know shyt about. I know the system is actually related to what i'm studying now (Sun Lutang's Taichi is a fusion of his bagua, xingyi, and the wu-style taichi he learned). What does it emphasize, what are the power expressions like?

Any weapons?

 

[WhiteDawg3000]

dope thread...



I read the Hagakure 3 months ago... weird ass book
...didn't make a whole lotta sense... ancient Japan was a pretty strange place

 

[feelosofer]

That's one of the big substyles I dont really know shyt about. I know the system is actually related to what i'm studying now (Sun Lutang's Taichi is a fusion of his bagua, xingyi, and the wu-style taichi he learned). What does it emphasize, what are the power expressions like?

Any weapons?

Very low to the ground, a lot of joint manipulation and pressure points. I feel like after 5 years I'm still a novice at it. There are quite a few grapples in it as well. There are weapons believe it or not but I feel like I'll never be good enough to get to that level. Only 2 people in my class are at the point and one of them is the teacher. My wife takes these classes as well, I want her to learn a style that doesn't take great physical strength yet she can defend herself in my absence.

 

[Julius Skrrvin]

dope thread...

I read the Hagakure 3 months ago... weird ass book
...didn't make a whole lotta sense... ancient Japan was a pretty strange place

Definitely, although the Hagakure concerns the virtues of their warrior class. In a way its not really possible for westerners to fully grasp not only because of our language gap, but also because we're too individualistic to understand a lot of the values in it. A lot of Americans reading the Hagakure would probably look at it as some sucker shyt, but that was their divine imperative, to live as though one were dead.

Its oddly nihilistic.