The Complete Martial Arts Education
The Martial Way is a holistic integration of the martial arts into one’s life and attitude. This undertaking requires a level of dedication to the study of martial arts that is far beyond that of casual students. As with any endeavor, what you get out of it is proportional to what effort you put into it. The Martial Way cannot be fully expressed without anything less than full commitment to a complete martial arts education. No school or teacher can impart every aspect of this training upon you – it lies to you to find fill in the gaps in education that they cannot provide.
The fist step in any journey is knowing where you are going and, in this context, it is essential to know what the components of a complete martial arts education are. You will find that many of these ingredients are seemingly far-removed from throwing punches and kicks. Never forget that the Martial Way is first and foremost a way of day-to-day living and not a way of combat. The martial arts act as the vehicle for the Martial Way.
Right Motivation
What differentiates a warrior from a common ruffian is motivation. Through the Martial Way, warriors somberly understand the serious ramifications of violence and its use. Hence, they respect the power fighting skills impart – restraint is hence a major aspect of their demeanor. Ruffians have no such moral constraints.
This underscores the first and most critical foundation to the Martial Way. To live the Martial Way is to approach it with right motivation. It starts with a sincere eagerness to live as ethically and righteously as possible. Warriors understand that the power of the martial arts is more than its destructive capabilities, but also the lessons of discipline and control they impart. Without right motivation, the Martial Way is non-existent.
Dedication
The way the martial arts integrate holistically into every aspect of a warrior’s life necessitates a complete dedication to study. This dedication is far beyond that of a hobbyist or casual practitioner. You must make martial arts training is a daily occurrence – as routine as brushing your teeth. The Martial Way is not a hobby, and so neither is martial arts study.
The Right Fighting Styles
Though the Martial Way is a way of peace, practitioners study martial arts with their fighting applications at the forefront. The personal power and physical of the martial arts are intertwined – one cannot manifest without the other.
There are countless martial arts systems that comprise a huge diversity of paradigms and theories about fighting. Not all are created equal, nor is every style a good fit for every person. You will need to find the martial arts style that is the right fit for your physical, mental, and emotional capabilities. For instance, a small person is not likely to maximize their defensive abilities through grappling. Conversely, a larger person might not be well-served by practicing taekwondo. In addition, some fighting styles employ eye gouges or joint dislocations. Not everyone has the stomach for these techniques, and so are best looking elsewhere.
No fighting system is perfect for every self-defense scenario. There will always be gaps in knowledge in every style. In addition, every person is different with inevitable gaps in their natural aptitudes. To counter this fact of life, a complete martial arts education must employ additional “backup” fighting styles to best cover these voids in ability. This process of finding and fixing holes in capacity is an unending process. Warriors are never “finished” when it comes to their martial arts aptitudes.
Agility
The martial arts are arts of motion, and so a developed sense of agility is essential. It is the power of moving dynamically with speed, stability, and proficiency. An important element of agility is control—being able to stop, start, and redirect body motion at will. To master agility is to master control over your body, which is why the path to this mastery involves the entirety of physical training. The defining characteristic of agility is speed. Harmonized movement is relatively easy to do in slow motion, but to be able to do it swiftly is the mark of expertise.
Flexibility
Flexibility is a prerequisite to agility and body toughness. It dictates the range of motion every part of the body has available in executing motion. The more flexibility one has, the more versatile fighting techniques are and the more power that can be put into them. In addition, flexibility is a major factor in how prone to injury the body is. Flexible bodies are more resilient than rigid bodies. The application this has to martial arts fighting is self-explanatory.
Cardiovascular Ability
A complete martial arts training program must have sufficient time dedicated to developing cardio capacity. All the technical expertise in the world is useless if you cannot maintain peak performance in a real fight. Cardio capacity indicates both the ability to perform quick bursts of action as well as extended periods of exertion. Both are critical requirements to survivability in a fight.
Muscle Strength
Weight training is another critical component to a martial arts arsenal. While correct technique is essential to self-defense capabilities, they are ineffectual without sufficient power. Contrary to popular belief, muscle development is also a major part to developing speed.
It is important to note that expert martial artists do not do bodybuilding. The muscle training that makes an effective fighter is very different from the “bar bodies” that cosmetic weightlifters go for. Weight training for martial artists is much more whole-body and based around a balance between size, strength, speed, and flexibility.
Mental Focus
Part of the reason why meditative practice is such a large part of living the Martial Way has to do with its utility in fighting. In a real self defense situation, there is little space for doubt, anxiety, and mental rumination. You must be able to act decisively and without inner distraction. An effective fighter is one with a focused and unfettered mind.
Zen-style, or “mindfulness” meditation is the most effective avenue toward cultivating the mental focus of the warrior. It is neither a fast or easy process and requires many years of regular practice. There are also extensive personal benefits to meditation that go far beyond fighting – particularly in terms of cultivating personal power. Just as with the Martial Way at large, meditation has far-reaching effects on every aspect of life.
Mental Toughness
The Martial Way is a way of personal power. Its pursuit involves the development of mental toughness – the ability to muster the willpower to endure periods of unpleasantness and difficulty. The toughness found within the Martial Way is an expression of healthy self-confidence. Rather than an attitude of entitlement or invincibility, mental toughness is simply a grounded resilience.
Theory
Few martial arts teachers cover the theory behind fighting and conflict. Theory is the “book smarts” aspect of combat knowledge. It entails concepts including strategy, tactics, environment, and psychology. These notions are not found in practicing fighting drills or even sparring – they are found in books and articles. This is another differentiator between the Martial Way and the mere martial artist. Training goes beyond what is covered in the dojo but extends into books and mental explorations.
Anatomy
The other book research aspect of a complete martial arts education involves extensive knowledge of human anatomy. All martial arts systems are designed to counter and control the human body. Hence, the more complete your knowledge of how the human body is put together, the better you will be in neutralizing an attacker.
One bonus to this knowledge is an enhanced understanding of how fragile the human body is. To understand how delicate life is, is to understand the importance of restraint and avoidance of violence.
Conclusion
To pursue the Martial Way is to dedicate yourself to a lifelong pursuit of personal perfection. This pursuit begins with martial arts study as a foundation and extends to every aspect of your life. The above list is but the starting point for this process. There is no endpoint or concept of mastery. The Martial Way is expressed not through its attainment, but from its practice in everyday life.
The Martial Way is a powerful and rewarding way of living derived from the martial arts. To learn more about the history, development, cultivation, and application of the Martial Way, check out my book NOBLE ECHOES: Gifts from the Martial Arts for Modern Life. Available in paperback or Kinde e-book.