This concept, that working Karate does not resemble the Karate that people are taught in schools, is actually true throughout the martial arts. Shaolin done in combat does not look like wu shu taught in the kwoon. Forms Kung fu doesn’t resemble fighting kung fu, and so on.

The reason for this is that there is the art that pleases the eye, and then there is functional. A fellow teaches, or learns a martial art, and he usually learns something that looks good. Once one starts applying real world potentials to the problem of self defense, however, the technique must often change to work.

Take a look at the classical wu shu back stance. The stance is so low on the back leg that the ankle is twisted and unable to support the weight of most attacks. Thus, one must change the shape of the form in order to make it work in real life.

Or, take a look at the basic middle block as done in most Karate schools. It swings from the side and there is no real weight behind it. The correct way to do this block is to shoot it out from the center of the body, which would put structure behind the move.

The examples I have just given you, incidentally, demonstrate the actual reasons why many classical arts fall apart in the Mixed Martial Arts ring. The artists have been trained to look good, and their arts have lost functionality. To make something like Karate work in the UFC, or the MMA, one is going to have to change the whole structure of the art.

Altering the structure of a martial art, even if it is stone set as Karate, if it makes the art work, is not bad. Unfortunately, many teachers have a rough time making the change, and one has to wonder why. After all, the fact that an art now works should be good across the board.

I suppose that the devil here is that some teacher’s inability to change is the love of the mystery. What has occurred is that they don’t understand what they are doing, but they have somehow become convinced that if they just keep doing what they are doing, they will, eventually, understand it. Thus, they become blind to the potentials of change, and, sadly, to what works.

The good news is that most martial artists I have encountered are not so resistant to change. I show them basic principles from Matrix Martial Arts, for instance, and they embrace the change. Thus, hold to the past only so long as it works, change to the modern when the old fails, and watch the True Martial Arts explode in the dojos of the planet.

Al has 4O years experience and his website is Monster Martial Arts. Go there and pick up a free book on Matrixing, Find Out if Matrixing is for you.

Tags: Self Defence