Liberate Yourself

Traditional martial arts use basic kicks and punches to fight—because they always work. Other things may work in class, in demonstrations, and under certain circumstances, but kicks and punches always work. MMA fighting is the latest fad in the fighting world. If wristlocks, fancy footwork, spectacular kicks, sticky hand techniques, or any other of the so-called unique techniques and philosophies of any of the many martial arts around the world worked, the fighters would be using them; however—they do not use them. Take Bruce Lee’s advice, empty you mind of any preconceived ideas, and ask yourself, “If the techniques of my art are as great as my master says they are, why do professional fighters not use them?” Foreign language and culture, special terminology, pseudo science, weird philosophies, and charismatic leaders do not make martial art good. What makes a martial art good is how effective it is when used by an average person in a fight. You do not judge a martial art by how good is its best practitioner; you judge it by how good is an average student of the art.