Karate Talk

Kids and competition

Yesterday during class we put the kids through the motions of a real kyu test, to see what their progress was, and to prepare them to transition into the main class, and start moving up through the ranks.

As we discussed the progress after class, there were no real surprises, but we did end up discussing some of the more esoteric considerations of advancement. It's the unspoken side of belt testing, the part that isn't based solely your ability level at that point.

It's one of the things that I've always appreciated about karate, that your advancement is not based on some flat measurement scale. It takes into account age differences, physical differences, height, weight, gender, flexibility, and so much more. Karate is not "all things to all people", but anybody can do it and benefit from it, and it is forgiving when you get older, or stiffer, when you are weaker physically. The 40-year-old man is not expected to be able to kick as high as the 18-year-old girl, and that girl is not expected to be able to punch as hard as the man. We just aim for our personal best, allowing for our personal constraints.

Yesterday I started to think about the differences that come with age. Although adults can be extremely competitive, they are also supposed to have reached a certain maturity level. Although they might be disappointed to see someone else move ahead of them, they have dealt with these types of disappointments in the past. In fact, it can be the measure of a person, in some ways, to see how they deal with that type of disappointment. Do they work all the harder, to try to catch up? Are they happy for that person despite their personal discontent? Or do they get bitter, slack off, or drop out altogether? I've seen it all, and I've been on both the delivering and the receiving end of such disappointments. I didn't enjoy any of it, and I wish I was mature enough not to let my ego interfere -- but I'm not. All I can do is try to be big about it.

The little ones lack the prior experience. I'm not completely convinced that age brings wisdom, but I do think it blunts the effects of some things. The disappointment of watching your friend advance past you is always tough, but how much harder is it, the very first time? How would it feel to watch a younger sibling advance faster than you do? Sibling rivalry can be very bitter. When 3 or 4 kids start out as a group and get used to working together, how do the others feel if one jumps to a higher group?

It's all part of the growing up process, both in life and in karate, but I'll do what I can to spare them that sting. There are a couple of young ones that I will be pushing a little harder in the next few months, being a little bit pickier with. I will not be pushing them to attain something they aren't able to at this point, just pushing them to go a little faster, because I fear that they would be left behind, and I fear that it would hurt them. If it doesn't need to be that way, then I'll try to help make sure it doesn't work out that way.

Yet another layer of teaching, a nuance that you probably only see after years of experience. I thank Sensei for opening my eyes to this aspect, and giving me some things to ponder in the coming days.

Martial Arts "Experts"

There is a very popular martial arts website that I used to visit a lot. It has all kinds of information about all kinds of martial arts, including historical essays, and compare/contrast features. I included a link to it from my personal martial arts page, and encouraged other people to visit the site. Most people had already heard of it and we'd discuss funny articles, etc. However, the high rank people frowned and shook their heads, without saying much. Their disagreement was obvious, but they left it at that. I assumed it was because the author of the site was fairly irreverent, and took light-hearted jabs at the martial arts these people had worked so many years to master. I thought, in short, that their intensive training had spoiled their sense of humor!

It is still, to my knowledge, a very popular site, probably getting at least several hundred visitors every day. But now, at my current Shotokan rank, I no longer visit the site, and would politely discourage most people from doing so. Have my years of training killed my sense of humor? Not at all. I read an essay on why karate was a cult, and howled with laughter.

So what is my objection? My objection is the illusion of expertise. A couple of weeks ago, someone sent me a link to a section on the history of Shotokan, and asked me to comment on it. Curious, I read it, and felt increasing disbelief the farther I read. I remembered thinking, even several years ago, that the site was not particularly "friendly" to Shotokan, but had comforted myself that they took a few jabs at everyone else as well. However, what I was reading, purported to be the "history of Shotokan", was not only over-simplified and over-generalized, it was not only very condescending and insulting to Shotokan and its practitioners, but it was full of outright factual errors.

My first response was anger: How dare someone post something so clearly biased, and so poorly researched, and present it as fact? The casual visitor would never know better, even as I had not understood how inaccurate it was when I was in my karate infancy. My current depth of understanding and my much greater knowledge of my martial art and its origins allowed me to see past the superficial, and understand how inaccurate this article truly was.  And since I in no way represent myself as an expert, it's a bit scary that I could so easily see all the errors.

My second response was sadness: How many people might read that, and come away without any desire to explore further into my martial art, which has given me such boundless growth both physically and spiritually? They are missing out on a unique opportunity. It wouldn't be for everyone, but someone whose life might be changed, will not even try it after reading that article.

Out of curiosity, I read some of the articles on other martial arts, and found them about as I remembered: Irreverent but informative, clearly biased in favor of some over others but overall a good read, seemingly a great general resource for anyone interested in martial arts. But now there was a question in the back of my mind: If I had the depth of knowledge of those other martial arts that I currently have of Shotokan, would those articles also appall me with their inaccuracies? I suspect that most of them probably would, although I'd be willing to bet that some of them are very sound.

The reason lies in the whole concept of the martial arts "expert", or master. Simply put, after my years of training in one of the martial arts, I realize how much I have learned, and how much more I have to learn. My understanding has progressed by leaps and bounds, taking me to places never imagined in the early months or even years. I am sure that 10 years from now, I will look back on my understanding today, and find that I have grown that much more. If this is so, how can anybody possibly claim to be an "expert" in so many different martial arts? Can anyone claim to have put in the amount of time required, on both a conscious and a subconscious level, to grasp the intricacies and philosophy that drive so much of the physical?

The answer, in my opinion, is a resounding NO. Even with a lifetime of practice, there is no way you could truly master multiple martial arts. I don't care how intelligent you are, I don't care how enlightened you are, I don't care how hard you work. There's simply too much there that is intangible, unspoken but so essential, and there are so many different levels upon which to understand. A master knows his art from the perspective of the daily grind of training, through the ordeal of periodic testing, through the "special training" of public tournament. He understands the why, and the how. And believe me, he can spot the level of understanding gained by any particular student at any particular level. This requires an intimacy with his chosen art that comes only with years of immersion.

Don't get me wrong. You can certainly read up on the other arts, and gain a basic knowledge -- just make sure your sources are not catch-all experts, but true masters in that discipline. You can certainly train in other arts, and gain much from it -- again, if you train with those who have made this field their primary endeavor. You can certainly compare and contrast, and form your own opinions. In fact, I would encourage this, if you are curious, once you have attained a solid base in your first martial art. More knowledge can only lead to greater depth of understanding and appreciation when properly applied.

But if I see you sporting black belts from 4 different martial arts at the age of 27, claiming to be a "master" of them all, and professing your expertise to an admiring audience, know this: I will know that you don't truly understand any of the 4, nor do you understand the deeper philosophy of martial arts in general.

Shotokan Karate in today's world

DISCLAIMER: This weblog is intended to share my personal experiences and thoughts (right or wrong!). It is not intended in any way to represent "martial arts experts", or to represent specific styles, dojos, or instructors.

I have to include that disclaimer, because in order to really talk about what karate is in my world, I will probably name names and mention details. However, I don't want my words to reflect anything or anyone beyond myself.

I practice Shotokan Karate.  I do not set myself up as a martial arts expert, nor do I post this as an official representative of my organization in any way.

I'm posting this blog largely because I have come to realize how much karate has influenced me and how it has changed the way I approach my life, how much it is a part of my life that I really can't imagine losing. I love to talk about it, but so many outside the martial arts don't really understand my commitment. Why not skip training if you're really tired? Why not take the night off to go to a movie? Why not put off testing for your next belt level if you're that nervous or feel unprepared? They see it as a hobby, and don't realize that "karate-do" means a path through life, not a hobby you can pick up or drop as the spirit moves. Even after a few months where work and my personal commitments had to take precedence over my karate, resulting in a lessened commitment overall, I could not wait for the time to come when I could jump-start my training. Now that the time has come, karate once again consumes so much of my time, in dojo and out of it.

For those who do not know, Shotokan, as I understand and practice it, is a very traditional martial arts style, steeped in traditions and respect, but at the same time dynamic and evolving. We are encouraged to train hard, develop discipline, and approach ourselves and others with respect. It has given me so much more than I could have imagined several years ago, when I took up the sport primarily through curiosity and a love of martial arts movies. It's not at all what I envisioned, being so much more on all levels. The longer I do karate, the more involved I become in the art at all different levels, moving beyond just showing up at the dojo sometimes and into more rigorous training, some tournaments, and some assistance with instructing.

I am training in earnest again, which means putting in more dojo training hours, and putting in time at home for conditioning and basics. I have gone on my "training diet", which has nothing to do with weight loss and everything to do with making sure my body gets what it needs to perform at the levels currently demanded. I'm also suffering a few aches, pains, and strains, which go with the territory.

Today in particular, my quadraceps are stiff and tired, my shoulders are a bit stiff, my foot is sore, and my forearms sport impressive bruises from a tricky sparring drill. I would deeply love some chocolate but am virtuously eating a protein bar because I know darn good and well it will do me much more good! I don't get to sleep in tomorrow, because I have training Saturday morning, followed by the introductory class I assist with.

I wouldn't trade it for the world.