Traditional Martial Arts On life support..... Pull the plug already.

The following subject matter is bound to ruffle some feathers. I have given great consideration to this article and I was talked out of writing it by a dear friend once before. However I am not able to remain quiet any longer. The purpose of this article is not to promote any particular system over another. I do practice and teach Krav Maga everyday. So my opinions are not entirely unbiased. However I want you, the reader, to understand that I do have experience training in traditional martial arts (TMA) and I am well aware of the importance of many of these systems to its many followers. Regardless of my own connection to traditional systems it is my opinion that TMA's days are numbered.

If your school does not fall into this box, I applaud your teacher. You have no reason to be offended. If you are offended its probably because you train at one of these schools and now you are going to have to go ask your Sifu,sensei, master, grandmaster etc... why he'd been lying to you for so long.



The primary issue I have with TMA is the fact that they lie to the public. They sell themselves as "Self Defense" schools when they are nothing of the sort. The problem is that most of these instructors are have never been in a real life or death fight. Most of them are teaching the same old tired techniques that they learned from their instructor who also was never in a real fight! So what they are passing off as self defense is in fact choreographed dance moves covered in grunting, loud kiyai all while dressed like Ralph Machio in the Karate Kid, that's the original version all of you youngsters, but I digress.

The history of Martial Arts is fascinating if you are into that kind of thing. Basically most experts agree that the first written word on martial arts came from China. Kung Fu is the generic term for Chinese systems so Kung Fu practioners are quick to remind you that all things came from their style. The validity and furthermore the importance of this statement are questionable. Many of the traditional systems Karate, Kung Fu (apologies for lumping you all together), Aikido,Judo and everyones favorite Tae Kwon Do have been lying to their students for years. These systems have different origins and I am sure that they are taught significantly different in their country of origin than they are in the U.S. . But, most of these systems have sold out for the quick buck and are stealing money from parents and the few and I mean very few adult students that they manage to have.

If I see another 9 year old black belt I am going to vomit. These school owners have made a living lying to their students and parents of these students. Everyday parents bring their kids into these fluffed up after school daycare centers hoping that their child learns how to defend themselves. Parents are assaulted by the instructors need to show every plaque, trophy, sash, stripe and belt he/she has ever received. The parents are told that the "little dragon" program is the essential first step to the child being able to defend himself. The parents are told that the child will learn respect and discipline and most importantly he/she will be able to truly defend themselves. It's all a bunch of lies. Every word of it. But parents buy it, hook,line and sinker. So off goes little Johnny. He learns how to throw a half ass punch and practices his horse stance, next thing you know Johnny is awarded a belt! It's disgusting.

I spoke to a father who's son earned his yellow belt after his second class! This kind of stuff is criminal! What's more is the culture of fake respect and false humility that these schools show. They talk the talk but walk a different walk. The Sensei/Sifu/Master/Grandmaster or whatever ridiculous title that many of these clowns place on themselves,tell their students lies about knowing techniques so deadly that they can not be passed on to a student until the student devotes his life to studying the art. These clowns are snake oil salesmen. They walk around their dojos like they are the reincarnation of Jesus. They claim to possess special powers and heightened senses . Some claim to have healing powers and claim to have the ability to feel "hot spots" on your body without touching you. Bullshit. It's all bullshit.

Again this all wouldn't be so bad if they were not lying to their student body by claiming to teach real self defense techniques. Your instructor does not have magical powers. He is not a healing man. He is a charlatan. He is a fake.He is lying to you, wake up. He is an imposter. It is offensive that a person who allegedly teaches self defense would try to elevate himself to the level of a spiritual conduit to your personal power.

Over the last several years I have had many interactions with representatives from various systems. Some of these people are my friends now and they know who they are. Most of these Karateka, Tae Kwon Do, Kung Fu practioners, Judoka and other TMA practioners publicly won't speak ill of other systems and then privately trash them. Cowards. All of them.

Reality Based Systems and MMA are choking the life out of TMA and they know it! Why are there more MMA tournaments than Karate tournaments? Why are publications like Blackbelt Magazine featuring reality based systems more than traditional systems? Because it is clear that the modern martial artist has figured out what Bruce Lee was trying to tell us so many years ago. "When you get down to it,real combat is not fixed and is very much alive. The fancy mess solidifies and conditions what was once fluid, and when you look at it realistically, it is nothing but a blind devotion to the systematic uselessness of practicing routines or stunts that lead nowhere."

In other words you are wasting your time practicing forms and Kata because these have nothing to do with survival or true combat! Yet TMA is wrought with this outdated practice. Again, as long as they don't call what they teach self defense I am fine with it. Forms and Kata are closer to ballet than they are combat!They are worlds apart from self defense and these posers should recognize this and stop lying to their students.

More to come.....