Good afternoon.

 

I would like to continue the topic I started in my last posting. In particular I would like to discuss a little the idea of ‘mixed martial arts’. I have to start by saying im not a particular fan of the concept. I suppose this must be due, at least in part, to my belief in the importance of tradition. However, this is not the main reason for my view. I would like to emphasis at this point my aim, as always, is not to belittle other arts (something I sincerely detest and disapprove), but simply discuss the topic and promulgate my view.

 

My first problem with this as an overall concept is the feasibility. Every martial art has its own theory, principles and strategies. This is to say nothing of the different cultural backgrounds and histories, purposes, techniques, footwork, stances, body alignment and punching styles. I don’t mean it offensively, but the Hungarians have a saying on similar lines ‘the Goulash soup is a delicacy, as is the sweet, but if you mix it together it is only fit for pigs to eat.’ I know that there are people that manage to do mixed martial arts successfully but I personally think this is down to individual talent rather than having a good system of learning. A real martial art should not depend on your nature ability, otherwise what is the art involved?

 

I have to say there is quite a trend in Western Wing Tsun to mix Wing Tsun with Escrima (Philipino weapons system). This is not something I agree with, not because I don’t like Escrima – indeed it is undoubtedly an effective art in its own right – but because the dynamics are simply so different to Wing Tsun. The weight distribution and stance are completely opposite to each other along with totally alien principles of attacking and punching. The real problem is thus, if you train two different reflexes into your body for a similar reason which one will the body use instinctively? It is one thing to train safely in a class, but if someone throws an extremely fast punch when you are not expecting it, you have about 0.3 of a second to react. Under this kind of pressure I simply feel that you are asking a physical impossibility for your body. As my last post mentions, to build the reaction correctly in the first place takes hour and hours of practice – but all the training must be along a similar line otherwise you are wasting your time. My students can attest to how refined your nervous system needs to be, when, taking new student introductions, I have had people throw unexpected ‘cheap’ shots when im not even facing them (and so fast that I didn’t even see it properly) but I still managed to defend the shot AND not hurt the person involved (the hardest to do in instances like this). This is not a claim of my own greatness, simply an illustration of what is needed. I don’t believe the outcome would have been the same if I had trained two different arts.

 

A few generations ago one of the worst insults you could say about a person is that he or she was a ‘Jack of all trades and a master of none.’ As my Sifu said to me a few years ago he is not an expert of many things, but what he knows, he knows very well. I have previously mentioned that it is vital to have background and understanding of other disciplines and arts, especially if you want to develop as a person but im afraid to say that life is simply too short to be a real master in many different arts. For example I have an understanding of how cars work, but im not a mechanic. This is because to master a particular skill does not mean reading a quick ‘Dummies guide’ to philosophy (as one ‘teacher’ who I shan’t name told me!) it means going deep into the art such as: understanding the true reason for its purpose, why its history is special and how it relates to what we learn today, why we need to uphold the principles and most importantly what it is we are trying to achieve.

 

My last point is that I feel mixed martial arts has a tendency to bring out the worst side of the art focusing on brutality and fighting and little else. One of my students kindly invited me to a Cage fighting match the other week and all I can say is that it was reminiscent of how people acted with the Gladiators in ancient Rome. Girls shouting ‘smack ‘im in the face, mate’ is hardly a highlight of our evolution as human beings.

 

In conclusion I would like to emphasis that a martial artist should look at others arts (and not just martial ones) in the aim to improving his own or at least better understanding it. But, this is a long way from ‘mixing’ it with a totally different one. You need to be clear in what you are doing and extremely skilled before you can even attempt to do different.

 

Sifu