Progress

I have been fortunate in my progression through the world of Martial Arts.

I started with Karate. To me, it was the perfect first step. Most of the time it is a solo activity, even in a crowded room. Everybody is doing their own punch, or kick. Nobody else matters. Occasionally, the instructor will correct something, and then move on. By the time one ever deals with a partner, one is already skilled enough to handle it. I’ve always been a solo kind of guy, especially when I’m learning.

My next step was into wrestling. Not usually considered a Martial Art, wrestling is really a martial sport. I became the assistant to a very skilled and experienced coach. Along the way, I learned to roll around, and became proficient at a basic level. I also became something that most Karate people are not; comfortable on the ground. In wrestling you always work with partners.

Now I am grappling again, in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The Gracie family version I’m learning is perfectly designed to add on to another art. No kicks, no strikes, no blocks. Everything is a grab, takedown, and submit sequence. The submissions are all chokes or joint locks. It is adding ground effectiveness on to my earlier wrestling comfort. It was a kick to find one of the rare certified schools near my rural home.

Does my Jiu-Jitsu training mean I would take an attacker down, and then submit him? Nope. I’m a much better whacker than I am a grappler. Besides, gravel or concrete is not something I want to roll around on if I don’t have to.

The weird thing is, I don’t really consider Martial Arts to have anything to do with self-defence. It does, but not for me. I have never been attacked, or been in a fight. I figure the chances of it ever happening are quite remote. I would be a pretty sorry and pitiful figure if I’ve spent most of my life training for an event that never occurs. For me, the self-defence part is just a bonus.

Some people get their activity from smacking round objects around. Think of golf. People devote a great deal of effort and expense into perfecting their ability to put a dimpled ball into a round hole. My sister does Yoga. People their do Yoga to get better at doing Yoga. I work at Martial Arts to get more skilful at violence. I think it’s cool. I think it’s an art.

Maybe I should take up golf.