Some people are born with a natural attraction toward martial arts. Others start to look into it for many reasons and end up practicing throughout their whole life. Others again get started but leave the practice after a few years or even a few days.
What
is the real meaning of ‘practicing martial arts’?.
Nowadays it is extremely difficult to find a ‘dojo’ as much
as to find a ‘teacher’ or, using a deeper word ‘a master’.
The old physical and mental painful ‘way’ of the martial arts
is traded in for a more practical and modern ‘method’ where
martial arts are put on a shelf like a product to be bargained at the flee
market. Flashy uniforms are replacing the traditional ones, marketing experts
are replacing the instructors and choosy customers are replacing the students.
Traditional teachings that passed the test of time for hundred of years
seems to be failing the approval of a larger group of ‘Sunday Warriors’
who actually seems to be ‘enlightened’ enough to decide what
is good and what is bad.
What would ‘work’ and what would ‘not work’ in a
real fight.
Yes, the real fight, the one we see in the movies, the one we see in the
ultimate championships…that must be what people generally think as
a ‘real fight’, other then that I don’t think that common
people may have such an extensive ‘experience’ of what a ‘real
fight’ is and what to expect from it.
Going back to the question ‘what is the real meaning of practice’…can
we actually answer ‘to be ready for a real fight’?.
Again, there are clever people who attract their ‘customers’
by promising a ultimate fitness workout.
Yes, it does work. I was reading a statement of a lady praising the kicks
of karate to tighten her buttocks. Martial arts training is perfect to loose
weight, look younger….but do not stretch too much your mouth when
shouting a ‘kiai’ otherwise it will give you wrinkles.
So, can we say that the real meaning of practice is to have a great workout?
Some people may ask us why we do not train in ‘shozoku’, the
ninja uniform. Actually we do use it. Mainly for Halloween or costume parties.
When ‘practicing’ it is more indicated to wear the regular uniform.
Hoods….of course, ninja wears hoods. That’s the trademark of
a ‘real’ ninja….maybe, but we prefer to leave it in the
drawer until the next Halloween.
Can we say that the real meaning of practice is to ‘wear’ a
uniform that makes people feel to be what they want to be but they are not
?
Does a pianist play
only to be ready to play in a New Year’s Eve concert in Vienne?.
No, he would play anyway…for anybody who likes to hear, himself first.
Does a pianist play because is a good way to relax?
Yes, maybe….but relaxing is not the ‘reason’ of playing
but an ‘effect’.
Does a pianist would throw away his piano because somebody can do actually
better sounds simply with a pc and doesn’t even need to train hard?
No, I believe he would stick to his piano because of the relation between
him and the instrument.
The pianist knows
why he practices, the simplest answer can be just because ‘he likes
it’ but there is actually something special that who doesn’t
share the same passion would not understand.
This is very much like martial arts. Practice is a choice. It is an ‘exercise’
that put a person’s mind and body into a very special perspective.
This perspective is the ‘way’ and it is very often a very ‘tricky’
perspective because once it seems to be understood, it swiftly changes again.
Perspective changes, practice continues.
It is said that
‘a man is not rich until has something that money can’t buy’.
This is the true value of practicing a martial arts.
Skinny or fat, invincible street fighter or not, beautiful of ugly, sweaty
or tidy, the practice continues to amaze us day by day. The very regrettable
thing is that not many martial artists today may have the chance to enjoy
the ‘real practice’ because they are made to believe that a
‘real fight’ is out there, while it is mainly inside ourselves.
Rodolfo T.