The Four Main Sources Of Knowledge In Martial Arts
When it comes to martial arts training, the relationship between trainer and trainee is based on a give and take of knowledge. This knowledge has four main sources, each of which allows us to define the concept of “violence”. Entertainment & recreation, reason, and tradition are the sources..
Experience:
Generally speaking, experience happens to be a major source of knowledge. This is because it assists in knowing the difference between speculation and truth.. It also allows for the passing on of tips, outlooks and limitations in a way that just guessing cannot do. In martial arts for self defense, however, experience has its fair share of restrictions. To start off, there are not many instructors with experience in overcoming violent situations making it hard to find masters of the arts. Also, how one sees violence will depend upon each person’s reaction to violent. Because of this, despite what people may think, the more one is exposed to violence, the more one realizes he does not know what to expect. Lastly, ones experience is limited when it comes to truly practicing martial arts..
Reason:
Reason tends to be quite weak when it comes to a source of knowledge and defining what violence is.. This is because things that make sense are not always true. With martial arts, sometimes the instructor will attempt to build on what others have found but end up with unmatched results.. As many martial artists may have experienced, it is sometimes easier to break 4 bricks with one chop, but tougher to chop through a piece of wood. On the other hand, reason can be found in many areas of styles within the matrix, even more so in the self-defense theorizing area. Seen within the “Goals Backwards” and “Resources Forwards” this is demonstrated.. Resources Forward is when people take what’s infront of them and use it.. The problem is observed and the resources are created with Goal Backwards.. But one should always keep in mind that, when used on its own as a source, reason can be minimized to nothing more than theory.
Tradition:
Tradition plays a crucial role in understanding violence. A brief overview of the history of murder and deaths resulting from warfare reveals that the environments where martial arts flourished were far more violent than those in modern and contemporary times. That is, combat arts arose as a result of the ancient understanding of violence and were taught to generations, becoming traditions in the process. These play a major role in how to learn martial arts.
Entertainment and Recreation:
Because of their entertainment nature, the TV, movies, and sports events have been unrealistic sources for knowledge due to the dramatic and perfect settings they provide. In reality, violence does not unfold this way. This is due to three main factors: the element of surprise, vulnerability, and the absence of rules & safety regulations.
