4. Have I blended the traditional skills needed to meet the reality of the life encounters they face today?
Yes and no, it is an eternal evolution, the only path is to adapt and improve, I will never have the complete picture or answer.
Dave > You are so correct, this is why the two must be taught separately and then combined so people understand the traditional forms, and then taught what will protect them in their own world. For example, we are not confronted with attackers of the various martial arts returning from the store, or attacks with only a bows or sticks to defend ourselves, the attackers is trained differently to attack us and we must adapt in order to survive both in business and in the streets. <~~
And Dave hits the proverbial nail in the head.
But what he says and what has been the theme of my forum from its inception, is something that ‘disses’ and causes much angst in the Uechi factions and in the usual suspects, as we have seen in the past, at least when I have brought it up.
Their counterpoint is that none of what Dave, and similar other violence professionals, teach is necessary if one has learned ‘proper Uechi’ under the ‘proper teacher’ in the ‘proper dojo’ in the ‘proper organization’ _
And that if you train in traditional Uechi or other system you will be able to defend against anything /anyone in the streets.
To question this is Impiously irreverent. And complaints will flow to George in tractor trailers, at once slamming the ‘modern cross trainers’ _ and alleging that my writings offend the Uechi populous at large and preclude full attendance at SummerFest.
Rory reinforces Dave’s comments
Someone once said, "The bitch about ignorance isn't what you don't know. It's what you think you know that isn't so.
__
And
So much of good training is teaching to see accurately, to interpret accurately and to act decisively. Accuracy is operative. The bad part about illusions and denial is that you cannot see your own. If you are not careful, you will pass them on and they will become the 'truth' of the next generation.
~~
Rory
so much of bad training is instilling illusion, and so many people turn their brains off and accept the words.
Have strict traditionally trained martial arts practitioners ever succeeded In defensive combat? But of course. Yet, you must question the event:
against whom/what/under what circumstances? Could modern combative cross training improve the odds?Rory
I'm not a traditional instructor- I have a lot of experience, enough to never say that there is one right way, enough to value heart over strength or speed.
Educated enough to pursue modern training methods, experienced enough to see where those break down and where traditional training helps.
But I am a traditional (or maybe classical) teacher. It's about the students, about giving them the best chance I can in any shitstorm 0f blood and fear they might face.
It is about war stories and drills and flexibility and encouragement. It's about trying to teach them to do what I've done without the injuries and memories.