Comments on: The bullshido phenomenon.

By: patrick easterling

patrick easterling — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 14:49:43 +0000

“Some people appreciate a martial art for the art aspect.” That may be true, but I think that the Japanese mean skill when they use the word translated as “art.”

By: Joshu

Joshu — Tue, 13 Sep 2005 19:08:23 +0000

Fair enough. I agree in that I think you don’t quite get a sense of how things come together unless you at least practice continuous sparring (i.e., not stopping for hits).

Sparring for “points” interrupts the flow, and real fights are never like that, though I’m a little reluctant to say it’s completely without merit. However, it’d be foolish for someone who just does point sparring to say that they have great self defense.

There’s also value in understanding the aspects of the “art” as well, in my opinion. If all you do is sparring, then perhaps you’ll miss the nuances of the style, or even its philosophies. I can enjoy learning about the style, without having to get in the ring every time.

By: Testing

Testing — Tue, 13 Sep 2005 02:47:08 +0000

I think you’re missing the forest for the trees. The point Bullshido is making is not that sport-oriented styles are superior in themselves. It’s that the training methods they use are superior than those used in most McDojos.

The only proven way to become profecient at something is by doing it; not dancing around it, not flirting with the ideas involved in doing it, but doing the thing itself. In this case, if you’re learning how to punch and kick, you need to be actively trying to do it against someone actively trying to do it to you. No stopping when contact is made, no counting punches “scored”.

The advantage “sport” arts have is precicely this. And if you’re not training for a fight, then why practice punching and kicking anyway?