Thursday, April 09, 2009

Old Arts

I have been asked several times over the years, why study stuff for which you won't ever have any use? Like swords and stuff? Isn't it just a waste of time?

Here is a reason. It just takes the once to justify it.

6 comments:

Some guy said...

I notice noone ever seems to object to anyone training CPR, despite the fact that you could make exactly the same argument against it. Anyway, why does everything we do have to be routinely practical? I vote for "fun, pointless, swashbuckling, and just way cool", at least sometimes.

Not that I really believe that even the most obscure martial arts bit can't turn out to be useful. I remember reading about some bouncer who was studying a karate kata that included one of those archaic moves where you jump up and kick Bad Guy On Horse. Completely useless in today's horseless urban environment... until someone waited outside the bouncer's bar and tried to run him down with a car.

Some guy

Stephen Grey said...

There's a great argument for martial arts: they're good exercise and they're interesting enough to keep doing them over the years. And since they also provide defensive value (or not, depending on the art) you're better off doing MA than running on a treadmill, say.

I sometimes wonder about this question myself, though. Trouble is I can't seem to quit.

Steve Perry said...

PBS ran a special on the composer Philip Glass recently. At one point, his quigong teacher was talking. He said, With sitting meditation, if you don't find enlightenment, you're stuck. With moving meditation, if you don't find enlightenment, at least you're in good shape ...

Anonymous said...

I'd've said this was an argument *against* waving 3' razor blades around; maybe that's just me.

Steve Perry said...

But it begs the question, Anon -- what if somebody does start waving a razor blade around, and it's in your face, and you happen to be backed into a corner?

Martial arts training as a way to keep fit or have fun is perfectly valid, but there is also another reason, and the reason most of us get into them in the first place.

An option, when the shit hits the fan.

Might not be much of one, but you can't win the lottery if you don't have a ticket.

Steve Perry said...

Go over to Dojo rats and watch that sword vid:

http://dojorat.blogspot.com/