| Are you studying Chinese Kung Fu, Korean | | | | choice like anything else. I am only being descriptive |
| Taekwondo or Japanese Shotokan Karate? Then you | | | | here. |
| are studying:o Traditional Martial Art - the 1st of the | | | | All Art In Its Truest Since Is A Life Long Study |
| three categories of martial arts. | | | | Traditional Martial Art focuses on perfection as does |
| Are you cross-training in a combination of traditional | | | | all art. The perfection of an art indeed should be a |
| martial arts techniques with an emphasis on Brazilian | | | | life-long study and experience - BUT - and this is a |
| jiu jutsu to prepare yourself for a Mixed Martial Arts | | | | big BUT, learning an art that involves fighting moves, |
| cage match? Or, are you possibly sparring everyday | | | | should not be confused with learning real-world |
| in the dojo for an upcoming Karate tournament? | | | | self-protection. Parenthetically, I can imagine that 500 |
| Then you are studying:o Sports Competition Martial | | | | years ago, the traditional martial arts systems that |
| Art - the 2nd of the three categories of martial arts. | | | | we know today were reality-based, but they were |
| If you are training with an instructor with a | | | | the reality based on the society and the situations |
| background in one of the traditional martial arts, but | | | | that happened at that time. (I have never seen a |
| has also worked as or has had real-world combat and | | | | kata to handle a carjacking.) |
| street experience as a bouncer, bodyguard or special | | | | Traditional Martial Art Teaches You Countless |
| forces military personnel and your entire training | | | | Techniques And Thus Increases The Likelihood That |
| takes place in as little as 2 or 3 days of an 8-hour a | | | | You Will Become Confused When Faced With A |
| day intensive scenario-based fighting simulating | | | | Real-Life Encounter |
| real-world modern situations, then you are studying:o | | | | The more techniques you learn and the multitude of |
| Reality Based Self Defense - the 3rd of the three | | | | things that you stuff in your head will only serve to |
| categories of martial arts. Reality Based Self Defense | | | | confuse you when you are face-to-face with |
| is also known as Reality Based Fighting or RBF. | | | | someone who has much more street smarts and is |
| Here in Part 1 of the 3 modules, we will look at the | | | | much more used to real street violence than you are. |
| defining characteristics of category number one of | | | | You take your average martial arts black belt guy |
| fighting. | | | | and put him to bounce at the door of a club, and |
| Traditional Martial Arts Instruction | | | | most will fail miserably - because even if you have a |
| These are the typical types of fighting systems that | | | | black belt - you MUST have a reality-based mindset. |
| have gotten stuck in a time warp of the past. The | | | | So, study your martial art for its beauty, its grace |
| tradition of what was learned, taught or practiced | | | | and its tradition, and not to say anything about how |
| 500 years ago takes precedence over the immediate | | | | it will also aid you to get in better physical condition, |
| practical applicability to modern 21st century urban | | | | but please, look and what you are studying and |
| situations. (In traditional martial art instruction, you are | | | | honestly evaluate if you truly believe that you are |
| still asked to dress in ancient Asian garb and walk | | | | being trained to be combat ready in the real world of |
| around in bare feet.) There is absolutely nothing | | | | the 21st century - because nobody really cares what |
| wrong with this and studying a martial art with all of | | | | color belt you have in a real street fight. It is all about |
| its countless techniques, forms, katas and history is a | | | | the last man standing. |