Stoic Karate - Questions to Self.

What is the point of this? A question I often ask myself regarding many things, not the least of which is Martial Practice.

A funny way of wording it, ‘Martial Practice,’ gives it a special air, a place of seeming esteem.

What is the point though? To pass on a Tradition? Plenty of Traditions to pass on without the baggage. To Defend oneself? There are more direct ways of achieving this, also without the baggage.

‘This is the most direct no-nonsense method,’ is something I have heard time and again regarding many systems of Martial Art.

Is it really? Is there possibly some bias at play? Often I can think of more direct approaches.

‘This is a Military Combative Art’ is something else I hear often.

Really? Would a Military waste their time training in something that takes years to understand and apply? Would they not just cut the fat and go with something they can use to train their Soldiers to be battle ready in a few weeks to a couple months? 

Fairbairne’s approach doesn’t take much time at all.

It all seems rather silly to me when I really think about it.

What IS the point here? Maybe it boils down to who is teaching, their level of understanding, and their approach.

Maybe it also boils down to WHY anyone would seek it out to begin with?

I enjoyed Competition when I was a kid, even winning a National Silver Medal as part of the Olympic Martial Arts Center Tournament Team under the guidance of Michael Dascenzo Sensei.

That was a long time ago and I am no longer a child, priorities change, people change.

I WANTED a Black Belt back then, I bought the whole style and Organization ideology back then.

After my Teacher quit Teaching I was left to my own devices, although I have not stopped training for a single day since then, it was just me.

I eventually ran a School where I had twenty students at any given time, teenagers mostly, but a small adult class as well.

My Teenagers ranged from 9th Kyu to 4th Kyu.

Then I closed the school to deal with Family stuff.

What was the point of it? Really? It was great to teach, I love it to this day, and to teach without an Organization to tell me my standard, free to explore. 

What was the point though? Priorities change.

Thirty years on, I am still here, practicing and teaching, though more practicing than teaching, questioning whether it is even worth the effort as there are clearly more direct ways to achieve things.

Even learning the root of the art I have trained for so long, Ti, though still not as direct as I would have hoped… Likely due to my lack of understanding and limited exposure.

What is the point of any of it? 

People get hung up on superficial things, arguing about this, bickering over that, ‘no, it is done this way’ or ‘that’s not right, it is done that way.’

Why? 

Full of armchair historians, keyboard Karateka, plus the two inch Sensei who moves a fist two inches to the right or left with no explanation.

What IS the point? 

Maybe Dascenzo Sensei had it right when he left and gave away all his books, weapons, Karate Gi, and just walked away? 

I won’t do that, however, because this is who I am, who I have been, and who I will always be.

Although I will NOT participate in ANY Organizational Politics, I will NOT abide any of that mess in my life.

No patches, no real affiliation other than loyalty and respect to those who take/took the time to offer me their knowledge, guidance and made me work for it.