Motivation in Martial Arts

Is this Martial Art right for me?
Realistic, Effective, Active, Live
REAL Martial Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico
www.martialartssantafe.com

REAL, that is the acronym above and the name of our martial arts school.  These are the questions I ask myself when I am learning something new or deciding to share it in class.  Is this realistic?  Is it effective?  Is it active?  Is it living?

So lets take a closer look at what this means.  The first question, Is this realistic?  This is very important to me on many levels.  Is it realistic for me to perform, can I do this without hurting myself?  Can I learn this quickly and share it easily with others?  Will it work in a real world situation where I have to protect myself?

This brings up another important question.  What is my motivation for studying martial arts, combat?  You need to ask yourself this question so you can put everything into context.  If you are interested in traditional martial arts from a particular country and you want to learn the language, the history and culture then you will be motivated to study an art that presents all of those things to you.  If you are interested in competing in an athletic competition then you will go somewhere different.

For me, my primary motivation is to learn skills that are real world practical combat, that can be used on the street and in life threatening situations.  I choose to learn personal protection skills that I can share with others so they can protect themselves and others.  I am interested in working with law enforcement and military personnel to help them learn not only the physical skills to survive but the mental and emotional ones as well.  So my motivation is very specific and it steers me in the right direction to fulfill my personal goals.  I am also interested in developing my mental attitude and emotional responses so that I can control and utilize them in dangerous situations. Learning to control my fear is vital to survival in a real world situation where I may be in danger.   Personal development and learning about myself are also primary motivations so I study and practice daily.

Is this effective?  If it takes a long time for me to learn, if it requires hours of practice just to get the basics then I am probably not interested.  A new skill should be easy to assimilate into your arsenal.  In teaching physical skills a teacher should be able to explain it and show in 3 minutes, there should be less than 3 components and you can begin to understand it in 3 mins of practice.  If it is more complicated than that then it either needs to be broken down into smaller steps or put aside as you will never be able to use it under stress.  That does not mean you will be proficient in 3 minutes, it means you can now take it and practice it.  If a skill is not going to assist me in neutralizing a threat then I am not going to spend much time on it.  Again this all comes down to motivation.  Some people will spend hours perfecting a jumping spinning kick so they can perform it in a demonstration.  If that is your motivation then you will be interested in different things.

Is it active?  Many martial arts that I have witnessed over the years are stagnant.  By this I mean that they have not changed since master so and so created them 50 or 100 years ago.  They are not active.  Students follow the teacher, try to replicate his movements and repeat the same routines over and over again.  They perform techniques in the air going back and forth across the school and seldom work with other students. The students simply learn what he/she are told to learn in the format they are told to learn it and there is very little space for input or change.   To me this wold be torture.  Where is the personal expression?  How do I know it will work if I can't try it on others?  How will it work in a different environment under different conditions, like on rocks or on a hill?  What happens if my opponent is not cooperative and does not stand there with his arm extended so I can do this to him?  This description, unfortunately, is what many schools teach.  I personally have no interest in replicating someone else.  I am more interested in being active in my personal growth and learning and being an innovator of martial arts.

Is it living?  This is directly related to the paragraph above.  Is there growth, change and adaptability?  Are the skills being taught functional and realistic today?  Are the weapons useful and something I will have access to if I need to protect myself?  Is the art an organic living organism or is it already dead?  This is very important because if what you are learning was created in another place at another time you have to look at it and ask if it is applicable to modern times.  Has it changed with new knowledge?  Has it changed with new technology?  Has it adapted to meet the needs of the people in our time and culture?  Is it growing and adopting new skills and understanding?   An art that is living is free flowing, utilizes the newest and best knowledge and adapts to it's environment.  An art that is still the same as it has been for the last 200 years might be fun to look at but what purpose does it serve?  It is like studying history or looking at relics in the museum, interesting, but does it really serve you?

As I said above, your motivation is primary.  You will be drawn to arts that fulfill your desires based on your purpose.  Some of you will enjoy the traditional arts, some of you will be perfectly happy replicating your teacher.  The choice is yours, but make sure you are choosing something that will fulfill your highest goals.

I hope this raises some questions and you will take time to look at the points expressed here.  I obviously have very specific goals and am drawn to the studies and practices that will fulfill my goals.  You should be too.  Understanding your own motivation and goals is the first step to self knowledge.  From there you can direct your chooses to create a path that is uniquely your own.  If it works for you, use my 4 questions.  If not, then come up with your own.

Most important of all, have fun and enjoy your journey.  It is truly amazing!

Raven Hicks
REAL Martial Arts
Santa Fe, New Mexico

    

Personal Safety Tips

Take a reality based self defense class.  Know your abilities and limitations, how to deal with violent conflicts and how to protect yourself in a variety of situations.  Having knowledge is always better than not having it. 

Always be aware of your surroundings so that you can avoid potentially violent situations.  If you find yourself being confronted by someone or being attacked take all necessary steps to protect yourself with affective combat skills and tactics, then make lots of noise.   Carry a personal alarm, a device that makes a loud noise when activated to draw attention to yourself.  Always carry a cell phone.  Put 911 on your speed dial so you can call for help quickly and easily. Remember, always take action to protect yourself first, then use alarms and cell phones.  Do not waste time trying to alert others if you are in immediate danger.  After the immediate threat is neutralized activate your personal alarm, yell and scream, call 911, throw rocks at windows, anything that will draw the attention of people nearby.  Yelling “FIRE” is more affective than yelling for help.  Attempt to make it to an area where people will help you and call the police. 

Never travel alone into an area that you are unfamiliar with.  Call ahead and ask someone to meet you to guide you to your destination.  Really, this is important if you can.  Always try to let a family member or close friend know where you are going and when you expect to return.  Call them if you are delayed so they do not worry.

At night stay to main streets and park in public lots where the lighting is good and there are plenty of people around.  Always check your surroundings for suspicious people or circumstances, leave if you are not comfortable.  If you are at a mall or other public location, ask for a security escort if you feel uneasy.

When at a party or out for the night, avoid accepting rides with anyone you do not know well.  Bus fare or the expense of a cab is a small price to pay for personal safety.  Never get into a vehicle with a stranger or someone who has been drinking.  Really this should not even need to be said but unfortunately people do these things.

If you are being followed, go to a public place such as a shopping mall, hospital or police station.  Never go home, you do not want the person to know where you live.  Phone the police immediately if you believe you are being stalked.  If the subject is driving a car try and get the license plate number.  This is the only way the police can identify a car.

Be aware of the problem areas in your community and avoid placing yourself in any situation where your personal safety may be compromised.  Use common sense and listen to your intuition, it is there to protect you.

 You have to take responsibility for your own safety, you are the only one who can.