Alright. So, I have already prefaced this subject matter by stating that I appreciate the eventuality of aging affecting the usage of martial arts in battle. Let's go a little deeper. Let's discuss the fact of escalation, especially as it applies to martial arts. After all, the common concept of never bringing a knife to a gunfight is one that has validity in ANY era of humanity.
Age factors even into that kind of notion, because sooner or later, reflexes play a part in how fast you can get the guns going. Let's say that this relates to a scenario where all things are equal, otherwise. But let us take the technology to another level. For instance, let us say that a middle-aged martial artist has an altercation with an older one and they both are equally skilled. The younger has carpel tunnel syndrome and the elder has arthritis, and they both opt for guns. Who would win?
All the factors may play a part, but appreciating that the risk is just as high for one as for the other is key, here. The wisdom of the elder with a hair triggered weapon might cancel out the faster coordination and harder kick of the younger man's weapon. It could just as easily go the other direction, as well. The point is that even an unskilled child with a gun can be dangerous to a veteran in the wrong situation. That's where the wisdom might save his day. It is that wisdom that we should strive to achieve.
Further down the rabbit hole:
In a world where there are so many unskilled people with guns, does it negate the effectiveness of martial arts training? Does the current body of martial arts properly deal with the factor of random violence from out of range? What are the real benefits of martial arts, given the sense of uselessness that everyday news stories about the darkness of humanity tends to make it seem moot?
Sure, the typical school has a list of tenets that show it has its heart in the right place. However, lip service does not equate to outcome. And when the culture of the school (not the same as the cultural leanings or ties) is one of cash flow, as they must be in order to keep the doors open and lights on, it is often just part of the marketing strategy. That is to say that the message gets lost in the shuffle of compromise. It's a sad reality.
Of course, it still sounds nice. In fact, it is always a positive note when the occasional student pays respect to his or her club after a level of success, attributing that success to those tenets and to the mentorship they have received as student. So the question, going forward, is whether or not we can keep even that level of character building as we head into the higher tech that awaits us in the future.
When watching one of my favorite movies, The Matrix, it prescribed a possible manner of martial arts education via instant downloads. Not an inkling of mentorship was alluded to in the science of it all. I guess when AI gets to be intelligent or conscious enough, it may become feasible to believe the same can be inserted into a person. I don't think it will, but who am I to say. I only write the science fiction I can imagine, on occasion.
So that is the spiritual aspect, if you will. In my next entry, I will go a little more into the technological side of this subject.
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Sunday, April 23, 2017
The Future of Your Martial Arts - Part 1
The subject has always been a relevant source of discussion, especially since mankind has always had to find ways of defending life, limb and love. Technology creates the method for change. Change allows for technologies to advance. People continue to grow and learn, and so change occurs and technologies adapt for relevance. It holds true in martial arts and in life, in general.
When it comes to fighting, we are either starting it or hoping to end it. No matter the ebbs or even the rhythms of battle, we all aim to come away with as much life as we can hold onto. The wiser of us aim to interact with as little sustained violence as possible. There are several factors, but the most obvious factors include the nature of life being to mature. We get older, in other words. Wisdom should accompany that, but it does not always do so at a pace we can appreciate (in others, most often.) Either way, we all want to finish such interactions, intact.
As we mature, our understanding of the process of fighting changes. As we mature in the arts, in particular, our understanding changes according to what we are able to do. If we are suffering from a life of heavy burdens with the reciprocal badges that come of it (backaches, arthritis, etc.), we quickly begin to understand what adaptation means, internally.
I am privileged to have spent some time conversing with elderly martial artists, over the years, and prior to my own actual progression into becoming a more mature martial artist. I am not quite an elder, yet (to the children, I am probably considered ancient), but I took the wisdom I was given to heart.
The seniors I speak of all had certain things in common. Namely: 1. they all had been practicing and/or teaching martial arts for many years, 2. They had all reached a certain level in their training and understanding of the validity of martial arts, 3. They all appreciated that at some point the physicality would no longer be an advantage they could count on, and 4. They all understood that wisdom would be the best weapon in a fight.
This in mind, I wanted to discuss where we are and where our arts should be heading to. In my next blog (as part of this subject entry), I will go a little further with my thoughts on how I think the martial arts will be proliferated in the near future.
When it comes to fighting, we are either starting it or hoping to end it. No matter the ebbs or even the rhythms of battle, we all aim to come away with as much life as we can hold onto. The wiser of us aim to interact with as little sustained violence as possible. There are several factors, but the most obvious factors include the nature of life being to mature. We get older, in other words. Wisdom should accompany that, but it does not always do so at a pace we can appreciate (in others, most often.) Either way, we all want to finish such interactions, intact.
As we mature, our understanding of the process of fighting changes. As we mature in the arts, in particular, our understanding changes according to what we are able to do. If we are suffering from a life of heavy burdens with the reciprocal badges that come of it (backaches, arthritis, etc.), we quickly begin to understand what adaptation means, internally.
I am privileged to have spent some time conversing with elderly martial artists, over the years, and prior to my own actual progression into becoming a more mature martial artist. I am not quite an elder, yet (to the children, I am probably considered ancient), but I took the wisdom I was given to heart.
The seniors I speak of all had certain things in common. Namely: 1. they all had been practicing and/or teaching martial arts for many years, 2. They had all reached a certain level in their training and understanding of the validity of martial arts, 3. They all appreciated that at some point the physicality would no longer be an advantage they could count on, and 4. They all understood that wisdom would be the best weapon in a fight.
This in mind, I wanted to discuss where we are and where our arts should be heading to. In my next blog (as part of this subject entry), I will go a little further with my thoughts on how I think the martial arts will be proliferated in the near future.
Thursday, April 13, 2017
FLOWING BRONZE - About Legacy
I wanted to take a moment to update these blogs, for the benefit of both my current student body and those to come. It is important, especially during this time of change in structure and in appreciation of the legacy that we as martial artists have taken on as torch-bearers of.
For over 30 years, I have upheld the banner and shouldered the task of caretaker for the martial arts mission set forth by the original and core membership of the Alliance of Martial Arts (AOM) with a degree of pride and genuine love for the arts. It has not been easy, most times, and I was always glad to find an audience with one or two of my brethren to reminisce or consider potential courses of action toward the mission's success.
There came a time, after all was said and done, when it was determined that perhaps we had run the course of our group's purpose and that we should consider an alternate goal or mission. To my mind, I had done my part in achieving that mission by taking several opportunities to go into the community and teach impoverished youths. The primary space in which we effectively operated was in after school programs, which occurred over the course of 4 years. I continued to teach other students, as well. To what degree my brethren also did these things was never in question, but it was clear that our focus (as a whole) was no longer moving us all in the same direction.
As the Alliance of Martial Arts comes to a course alignment, it leaves in its wake a great success story about several less fortunate youths who conquered the streets and provided a means to benefit other youth who were likewise borne into poverty. It is inspirational, to say the least. Although the successes were never astronomical, they were all meaningful. It is this which prompted a new level of growth. As for martial arts legacy, that was the end of it.
As Chief Instructor of our legacy art, Kung Ju, I continued to develop the art into a modern format that could actually be passed down and duplicated as we uplift the community. The regimented format became known as Kung Ju Ch'uan Fa, translated Gentle Effort Fist Method. During the year 2016, I made a concerted effort to bring all students at all levels into a core training module for the sake of unifying the art form and its proponents. That would have ensured that any student taught by any instructor in our lineage would at least have a common basis and understanding of what makes Kung Ju relevant.
To that end, Flowing Bronze Martial Arts Society (considered an AOM Legacy Group) will focus its mission on factors involving the proliferation and training of our martial arts as it benefits our original target and furthers the original mission, in that regard. The following is the official statement regarding Flowing Bronze Martial Arts Society.
"When the initial goals of AOM was deemed unanimously satisfied and/or moot amongst core members, it ceased to serve an allied mission. The martial arts legacy was carried on largely by Sensei Carl Eggerson, who has chronicled and developed Kung Ju beyond its initial format into a regimented training format called "Kung Ju Ch'uan Fa" (Gentle Effort Fist Method.)
While core members may still teach "Kung Ju" in some unregimented form or other, the current school (FBMAS) teaches the uniform system that may fulfill the original spirit of what Kung Ju should be in order to proliferate it. That system is now known officially as "Kung Ju Ch'uan Fa."
For over 30 years, I have upheld the banner and shouldered the task of caretaker for the martial arts mission set forth by the original and core membership of the Alliance of Martial Arts (AOM) with a degree of pride and genuine love for the arts. It has not been easy, most times, and I was always glad to find an audience with one or two of my brethren to reminisce or consider potential courses of action toward the mission's success.
There came a time, after all was said and done, when it was determined that perhaps we had run the course of our group's purpose and that we should consider an alternate goal or mission. To my mind, I had done my part in achieving that mission by taking several opportunities to go into the community and teach impoverished youths. The primary space in which we effectively operated was in after school programs, which occurred over the course of 4 years. I continued to teach other students, as well. To what degree my brethren also did these things was never in question, but it was clear that our focus (as a whole) was no longer moving us all in the same direction.
As the Alliance of Martial Arts comes to a course alignment, it leaves in its wake a great success story about several less fortunate youths who conquered the streets and provided a means to benefit other youth who were likewise borne into poverty. It is inspirational, to say the least. Although the successes were never astronomical, they were all meaningful. It is this which prompted a new level of growth. As for martial arts legacy, that was the end of it.
As Chief Instructor of our legacy art, Kung Ju, I continued to develop the art into a modern format that could actually be passed down and duplicated as we uplift the community. The regimented format became known as Kung Ju Ch'uan Fa, translated Gentle Effort Fist Method. During the year 2016, I made a concerted effort to bring all students at all levels into a core training module for the sake of unifying the art form and its proponents. That would have ensured that any student taught by any instructor in our lineage would at least have a common basis and understanding of what makes Kung Ju relevant.
To that end, Flowing Bronze Martial Arts Society (considered an AOM Legacy Group) will focus its mission on factors involving the proliferation and training of our martial arts as it benefits our original target and furthers the original mission, in that regard. The following is the official statement regarding Flowing Bronze Martial Arts Society.
"When the initial goals of AOM was deemed unanimously satisfied and/or moot amongst core members, it ceased to serve an allied mission. The martial arts legacy was carried on largely by Sensei Carl Eggerson, who has chronicled and developed Kung Ju beyond its initial format into a regimented training format called "Kung Ju Ch'uan Fa" (Gentle Effort Fist Method.)
While core members may still teach "Kung Ju" in some unregimented form or other, the current school (FBMAS) teaches the uniform system that may fulfill the original spirit of what Kung Ju should be in order to proliferate it. That system is now known officially as "Kung Ju Ch'uan Fa."
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