The
Reasons Why.
There
are many, many reasons why people take up Martial art.In my experience, most
people do not have a clear understanding, when they start, what Martial Art is
all about.
Initially
people will say that they want it for self defence, or to keep fit or other
reasons.
Most
people do not realise, until the have practised for some time, that there is
far more to a learning of Martial Art, than meer fitness and self-defence.
In
practice, when taught correctly, this process will change the student.
Over
the years I have seen aggressive people become more self-controlled and I've
also seen timid people become more self assured.
This
providing a basis on which people can train safely together.
In
general, I would say that it always improves people's confidence and capabilities in their everyday lives.
It
provides most with a feeling of self-fulfilment because of the achievements
that they make, as they progress through the syallabus.
There
is also an improvement in people's attitudes.
With
the increase in ability, comes a change in a person's attitude, making a
student far calmer, and confident, under stress.
Development.
There
are, however, other factors that come about through this type of training.
Because
of the use of both sides of the body and increase in the ability at moving the
limbs independently, this vastly increases one's capabilities and makes a
student almost wholly ambidextrous.
This
has an effect on the operation of the brain and changes the way that the Beta
wave works in both right and left hemispheres of the brain.
Because
of the speed of movement and control associated with this, the brain operates
far more quickly, than that of an ordinary person.
This
is obvious when one sees how quickly students can respond to a given situation.
I
compare this to the operation of a microchip.
If
normal people have a microchip operating at 400 MHz, then skilled Martial
Artists have one that operates at 700 MHz!
Body
Control.
With
breathing and meditation techniques that are learned, the student will learn
how to control the breathing function and thus the way that the heart operates.
This
has the effect of allowing the student to complete more strenuous exercises,
whilst keeping the heart rate low.
This
also has the effect of slowing down the body metabolism (see section on
breathing technique) and it is of great benefit to the health in general.
Thus
people who have studied martial art for many years tend to think and act
differently, than those who have not.
Other
Forms of Training.
Why
study this martial art? Why it is his method of training better than any other?
The
answers to these two questions are many.
At
the start of the training, we introduce gentle stretching technique, which
starts to open up the joints of the body so that they may become more
proficient in executing kicking and punching technique.
This
has also the effect of allowing the passage of the body's magnetic energy, in a
similar way to that of yoga exercises.
At
the same time as this happens, the student becomes more able to use either hand
and either foot.
This
also brings about the ability to know where each hand and each foot are placed
in relation to each other.
Unlike
using weight and weight machines, the muscle built up is not of a bulky nature,
it is in fact very dense and highly tuned.
Perhaps
this is why many martial artists have negative buoyancy.
Unlike
Aerobic exercises, the use of breath control keeps the heart rate at a lower
level, and allows the student to perform greater feats, without endangering the
heart, by over exertion.
In
fact many people practising Martial Art, slow their heart rates down
considerably, by doing these techniques.
Building
up over a period of time the student can not only become fit, but become
super-fit!
Perhaps
this is why many of them play football and rugby and other contact sports so
well.
Although
this practice is usually not a team event, I have found over the years, that
those who train hard together will also socialise together.
Skill
Level.
Perhaps
the most important thing that differentiates this training from other types of training
is the skill level.
The
skill levels that can be obtained are greater in this art than any other sport
that I have ever come across in my lifetime.
It
is true to say that, however many techniques one learns, there are still more
to learn.
This
all being done at the same time as one is learning to defend oneself.
And
above all else - it's fun!
