The real "value" in traditional martial arts

“So, what is the real message behind traditional martial arts?  if its not only learning how to fight”  what else is there that is stronger? That “real” message?  

I started as a relatively in-confident, unfit 20 year old, and in the first several years of my training, all the way away from home in far east, went from dojo to dojo, chasing karate masters in the far east, trying to learn how to fight - and knew very little about the noble message behind martial arts that I had heard about. I had heard “Karate is NOT about fighting”.  This did not make sense to me, as I just could not get the point witnessing how karate was practiced.  

I received earned my black belt after several gruelling years of training, and went further with mastering the art, and eventually started teaching what I had learned. The more I taught the more I tried to find the answer to the question I had in mind from day one.  WHAT was master funakoshi trying to say? How is it mastery of techniques is NOT about fighting?!  This was difficult to explain to my students. Because it sure seems to me and possibly most other people, that we our training revolves around fighting so, how is it not about fighting?  what was the real message behind master Funakoshi’s message, that I could not clearly see and explain?

I did endless experiments with my students, and found that we look at what we can do with our art in a much too narrow way, which results in seeing our training as a path to mastering the art of self defense, or “fighting”.  So, the more I went ahead with teaching my classes the more I questioned why even me, who dedicated all of his life to martial arts, and traveled so far to train at the source with “real” karate masters, could not see or explain the “real” benefits and powers of the martial arts! 

And I found that we end up seeing only the surface because of our masters, even those at the top of, really did not address that real message that we hoped to hear, and for some strange reason got carried away with the physical aspect - or the fighting - that karate has to offer, seemingly ignoring the “way of life” that we keep on hearing about.  It seems to me that some teachers did this purposely (!) and some, probably never had the knowledge themselves in the first place, to pass to others, so they so they simply focused on the fighting part.  

Now, almost 3 decades later, having matured in the art, I believe I can see what Master Funakoshi meant by saying when he started his message with “seek perfection of character” and I can see the power behind this message, and the dojo code, as a Way of Life, and - with all due respect - try not to make the same mistake that I believe my masters made, and help my students unleash their full potential and find “true power” by helping my students with seeing the Way of Life that we were meant to pick up on our way to mastering the martial arts. 

With this intention I developed the LIFE SKILLS program that now we find at our dojo. Through which we will unlock the mystery behind that true message we are all excited about. 

So, how does this program help one with finding The Way, and increase chances of reaching their full potential?

At the core of this program you will find Knowledge, Imagination, and Attitude (all about you)

and then on the outside we have Culture, Resources and Habitat (outside influences)

      

Imagination (and habitat)

Our students should be encouraged (lead through exercises) to Imagine themselves being happy, confident and successful. They should be encouraged to be creative, so they can find a playground where the play with their imagination.  We must create an environment where students feel Innovation, Creativity and Playfulness is valued (vs. just “do what I tell you”)   

Knowledge (and resources)

Our students should have the Knowledge, to be able to tell right from wrong, and be able to tell why they should should not do, what they do.  One of the most powerful ways to learn things is by “paying attention”. We need to help our students to learn how to “pay attention”.  

Attitude (and culture)

Knowledge and Imagination is not enough for success. Every person needs to have the Attitude, the mind-set, the motivation, the drive to solve the problems they are going to solve.  If you don’t have the that drive and positive winning attitude, if you don’t have the “yes I can” attitude you are not going to solve the challenges you will  face in life. You are not going to refrain problems.  True martial artists are achievers, who set goals and never give up on their goals.  and the have the courage to stand up and go even stronger after every fall.  We need to provide our students with a playground where they learn to deal failure, and defeat the temptation to give up, by having faith in themselves and, believing in their powers.  We need to instill this mentality in our students by setting them up in a way that they see for themselves how strong they actually are. 

Knowledge, imagination and the right attitude is not enough. Students also need to use the resources they need for guidance and support.  We have to provide our students with the Cultures and Systems they can easily utilize to stay on track.  We need to create an environment where our students play with role models, and serious achievers, who will inspire them and set standards of not only fitness and physical prowess but also standards of manners and behaviors.  Culture is important, as it connects our achievements to our, our family, our team, and ourselves as human being and how we carry ourselves in the society who we are in the society. We can see so many athletes, soon after ending a successful period in their career, end up in a nasty battle with alcoholism or drugs. Look at people like Mike Tyson, one of the best boxers of all time, ends up with such negative image in the public because of his poor character, the image he portrays. So, culture matters. as it could make the difference between true success, and real failure, even if we happen to be good at what we do, as the real “value” is not in what we can do, but it’s in how we carry ourselves, how we treat others, what we believe in and stand for, and how we go about living our lives. That is why Funakoshi sensei began his message with “seek perfection of character”.  

Everyone has the key to their full potential engine, with the guidance we provide and the environment we create for our students we help them with turning their key, start their engine, and keep it running, for life