I've studied diffrent martial arts for the past nineteen years and have allways wondered why masters and students allways seem to clash with other masters and students from other forms of martial arts? My opinion is that it is just ignorant to look down apon a different form or philosophy from another martial art. I think that these egotistical masters and their students are what are crumbling what the true way of the martial artist should be. Whats your opinion?

this world has rednecks. "life is a thrill when your skill is developed" they wanna knows whos is bigger. self copulation is inevitable.actually thats how the skills were invented. out came kungfu. others worked and labored meditated and out came mui tai. all of em. they are all the same thing in essence but look different, and some seem to work better than others in action. but these things are always situational. I think you are on to something good and the different styles should learn that there isnt one correct way to get There(which is the domination of your enemy). there are many different ways of going to the same place(complete dominance in the name of something). and all those different ways serve as eyes defining the enviroment surounding the locale. and he who sees through the most eyes is the best man(or warrior or whatever). and thereby gets the girl, or best understands the nature of the combat dance(which can be eternal or which might discontinued with change). IMO a good combative dance is better than communication. still falls short of good sex. and i would like to know all styles, and invent my own.

It's natural that some people feel more drawn towards one style than other. Some prefer it more deffensive, like for example Judo (which is the style I practise, but I'm still a n00b at it ), some more offensive, like Karate or Muay Thai; this is a reason why some say "Hey dude, Karate kicks a** because yadda-yadda-yadda!"


Now, that because you prefer one style to another doesn't give you the right to call a guy "a f***** pansy" just because he practises Judo while you do Kempo. It reveals inmaturity for one part, and worse, they forget what martial arts are about in the first place (and no, it's not "kick the other guy's a**")


Just for the record, what kind of martial arts do you practise?

You caught on quite well. This was the point I was trying to make. Invention of ones own way is the key to mastering martial arts or anything for that matter. Immitation gets you nowere, unless of course you are the exact duplicate of the person you are trying to mimic. Everyone is made different in size, shape, and mind. The goal of a true martial artist is to find your own way through dicipline. There is no such thing as martial art style. There is only martial art. Style and form comes from the person practicing and using it. All forms are different just like all people that have them are different. All you really have in a martial art style is a "base form" the rest depends on the person flowering from that base form.

and thats the word gansta.

Very good point! I have studied multiple martial arts over the years and have basicly formed them into my own style. My "base" would have to be Jeet Kun Do. Not the art(Which in my opinion is basicly a bunch of Bruce Lee immitators) but the philosophy that Bruce invented when he formed JKD. A few that I have studied are Soft style Kung fu, Karate, Kickboxing, Judo, Muay Tai, Kenjutsu, Boxing, and Wrestling. The list could go on but I'll keep it short. The first I learned though was Karate and Kenjutsu. And from there I got into Kung Fu, JKD, Judo, and Muay Tai. Judo is a great martial art and I suggest that you keep it up. If it wasnt for Judo I would never have learned fall breaking and weight displacement. Both are very good for defence and offense.

Cockyness or self-praise is weak. martial arts is an expression of one's will to improve on their fighting tactics. When somebody from a more intense fighting style preys on weaker styles it really proves how weak they are. People who prey on people they know they can beat are dishonourable and never win in the end.

People who dont pick on people their own size or their own discipline or better when it comes to martial arts are pussies, simply put. They just want to feel big. BUt ive never ran into anybody like that, all the people i know who take some kind of martial arts are honourable, if they run their mouth it always comes back to haunt them.

Tell me about it! You wouldn't know how many injuries I've avoided by knowing how to fall, and weight displacement... it's vital in Judo. Ever heard of the willow tree story?

(And you wouldn't know how many times they've looked at me as if I were some kinda Chuck Norris when I've told them that I can choke someone . Then I tell them that's not what Judo's about )

I remember my first year in Judo. I was like fifteen or somthing but anyway I got stuck with training with this big smelly guy. He had to of weighed about two ten and was a little over six three in height. Any way I was like only one fifty and about five four. Besides the smell I enjoyed sparring with the guy cause he was so bigger and I couldnt just use my strength on the guy. It helped me alot in building my form.

I get the same response when I discuss moves and the such with friends. I hate it though when you pull a kick or a submission so you dont hurt them and they say that I suck or they wupped me. When in truth I pulled out because I didnt want to hurt them. Ahh, the things you have go through when your a gentle heart. But your right its not about kicking ass or choking someone out its about dicipline and self knowlege from a defensive standing.

I have never really ran into this problem, very much or I just haven't notice. I been studing Xingyiquan for 12 years now. We were never allow to challenge people or we would be kick out, not even for fun.(we could practice solo) Even when we practice we had to asked permission from the master to practice with someone else,and that was in our class, never allow to practice on someone that wasn't from class, just for the reason you have mention.("I hate it though when you pull a kick or a submission so you dont hurt them and they say that I suck or they wupped me. When in truth I pulled out because I didnt want to hurt them. ") You should never have to explain your reasons to someone else. No martial art is inferior, about the heart (disipline) than ego.
When we have competition (esp in weapons) it was solo. You had to make up your own routine. You were judge by form, speed, timing, stances, delivery,difficulty and etc, not if you could beat someone up. In class we would have competition agianst each other, but there was no reward, and you were always set up against someone more disiipline and advance than you so you never won in a sense that you beated someone. And the only reason why our teacher allow that is so we can learn adaptation. (Competition between two or more forces is the driving force of adaptation.)
I loved learning or seeing different styles, never really though one was better than another. Our teacher had many friends that study different form and sometimes as a treat they would come in and show us some of their styles, I always loved it. To me it is more mental, though it is very physical. I used it to balance me mentally (to keep negativity away, even if that means I have to walked away) more than anything else. It gives me more inner strength than physical strength. Which is what I perfer.

Thank you for your reply. You have a strong standing on your dicipline. All the respect to you. I studied in more of a heavy background of Wing Chun when I was into soft art. And some of the animal style too. And in those styles the dicipline is taught very much the same. By the way I was more refering to the friend that askes you to show them a move and when you pull out not to hurt them in the instruction they have that type of smart comment and not towards another of the class. Respect is everything and one without respect for others knows no dicipline matter how much experince in the art they have.

Thank you, much appreiate. I loved Wing Chun, though I never really studied it. I remember one of my teacher's friends was into Wing Chun. I think I was blessed to have the teacher I did, I sure there are a lot of great teachers out there. But, when I look back I don't think I care what Martial Art style I learned as along I had him as a teacher.
He taught us alot about the principles of the art and Respect and Honor was very important to him, if we didn't had it, he'll kick us out. He was tough and strict but fair, he had a very humble side. One of the things he taught was that angry could be good as well as bad. The good thing was that when you see something upsetting you can let your angry bring change. For example: he was at a park once and he saw this mother repeatly hit her 3 year old daughter, he got very angry, and told the woman never to do that in his present again. he went home and was still very mad, he couldn't stopped thinking about it and how many children in this city are abuse everyday. To make this short, he ended up working with the city, and in 6 months, had networks of people helping with this problem, if a child came in, they had clothes, food, shelther etc. His angry did good. So, it is good that you are talking about this and maybe if you don't already if you do decide to teacher Martial Arts someday, you know one thing to make prior to your students (the principals of respect). Or bring this issue up with other martial art teachers in your town. It's funny last night I was listening to the radio and they were talking about fighting in clubs and they said it worst (and women were fighting more) because a lot more people know Martial Arts now, I thought how sad, your right the true principals of martial arts are getting lost, because if you only want it so you can fight in club or whatever you know nothing of the true beauty or magic of the art. It's really sad to hear that last night.

I have seen the idiocy that you refer to amongst many different people who are in very diverse arts.I chalk it up to "There's always going to be some egotistical idiots in every bunch".

Sometimes the idiot is the teacher,sometimes it's a student.Some get the notion that just because they are training (or have trained) in a particular art,that they are automatically better than someone else.

I've seen people who studied one style or another because they felt they had a need to learn.Sometimes it's for a good reason...sometimes it's for a bad reason.Many though,do not learn the self-control that is necessary to have when you have become trained in any aspect of the warrior arts...and many of these end up using the skills that they've learned in bad ways...bringing harm to themselves or others (including innocents).

Anyone who wishes to learn the warrior arts should learn more than one...and not only the physical arts,but the mental arts as well.Physical training means nothing without a philosophy or proper mind-set to go with it.Oh,sure...you know how to use your skills...but do you know *when* to use them? Do you know when to *stop*? There are other questions that one should ask themselves before using their skills upon another person...but without the proper mind-set,many do not ask themselves these questions before using their skills...or even during the act of using the skills.There is just so much more contained within the different styles than just the physical skills.It's a shame that there are always a few here & there who do not see this.

A real warrior desires peace and will only use the skills they've been taught as an *absolute* last resort.They will always look for any and all methods to avoid having to use their skills.They will always make as many attempts as possible to solve a situation without resorting to violence.In the end,if it does go to the violence,they will reluctantly use what they've learned...and will only go as far as deemed necessary to end the conflict.They do not wish to use their skills to dominate others or do harm.

Great points. I to believe in such and try my best to promote this when discussing martial arts to the masters, students, and those who do not train or wish to.

Kudos to you