You made some very intelligent comments in your video addressing Stefan Molyneux' unfortunate martial arts statements. Like you, I've been impressed by the brilliance of many of his ideas, but am increasingly wary as I discover various ones that are simply not coincident with reality.
I have been involved in various martial arts for the last 30 years and presently teach fitness and practical self defense. Our classes help people improve their fitness and provide practical principles and techniques for avoiding and escaping real life assaults. Our goal is to make people effective within months, rather than the years it takes in most "traditional" arts. It is called Via Potentia.
In my experience, most people misunderstand martial arts, their real benefits, and how these relate to self defense from real-world violence (this include martial artists, themselves). There are many different kinds of training available: "Traditional" arts that focus more on personal discipline, self control and demonstration. "Mixed" and similar that focus on sport, competitive applications. "Internal" and "philosophical" ones that are much less aggressive. And so on.
These are all very different from each other and actual self defense, and each has its own benefits, and will appeal to different people.
It is true that some people enter the martial arts as a consequence of some trauma or in order to address a psychological hunger. However, the vast majority of people I've encountered in the martial arts actually have little or no experience with real violence (domestic or other), and are not victims coping with symptoms. Most participants are there for personal health, competition, friendships or a desire to be able to defend themselves from an actual assault, should it occur.
1 comment:
You made some very intelligent comments in your video addressing Stefan Molyneux' unfortunate martial arts statements. Like you, I've been impressed by the brilliance of many of his ideas, but am increasingly wary as I discover various ones that are simply not coincident with reality.
I have been involved in various martial arts for the last 30 years and presently teach fitness and practical self defense. Our classes help people improve their fitness and provide practical principles and techniques for avoiding and escaping real life assaults. Our goal is to make people effective within months, rather than the years it takes in most "traditional" arts. It is called Via Potentia.
In my experience, most people misunderstand martial arts, their real benefits, and how these relate to self defense from real-world violence (this include martial artists, themselves). There are many different kinds of training available: "Traditional" arts that focus more on personal discipline, self control and demonstration. "Mixed" and similar that focus on sport, competitive applications. "Internal" and "philosophical" ones that are much less aggressive. And so on.
These are all very different from each other and actual self defense, and each has its own benefits, and will appeal to different people.
It is true that some people enter the martial arts as a consequence of some trauma or in order to address a psychological hunger. However, the vast majority of people I've encountered in the martial arts actually have little or no experience with real violence (domestic or other), and are not victims coping with symptoms. Most participants are there for personal health, competition, friendships or a desire to be able to defend themselves from an actual assault, should it occur.
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