By Scott Shaw
To
the untrained individual, a martial artist is the person who can defeat his or
her opponent or even an entire onslaught of attackers in the most powerful and
expedient manner possible. With punches, kicks, and throws the opponents are
quickly sent to the ground. To the trained martial artist, they understand that
the fighting arts are much more than that, however, only after years-and-years
of training and mental refinement does the true martial artist emerge embracing
the mindset that it is far better to not fight at all than to ever go
hand-to-hand unless it is absolutely necessary.
In
martial arts schools the novice and the long trained individual alike train
their bodies to become the most proficient and effective self-defense machines
possible. They initially learn and then master the basics of self-defense.
After this point they constantly refine their fighting methodology to become
not only the most competent self-defense technician that they can be but also
the most thoughtful and complete human being that they can become. As their
years of training progress, the true martial artist comes to understand that
though they can most likely defeat any attacking opponent, they may not even
need to forcefully do this as they can allow their attacker to defeat
themselves.
When
I lead martial arts seminars I oftentimes base the class upon something that
Bruce Lee said in his film, “Enter the Dragon.” When accosted by a boisterous
and sure-of-himself martial artist onboard the boat to Han’s Island, Lee did
not respond to the man's challenges to fight. Instead, when asked what was his
style Lee stated, “The art of fighting without fighting.” I believe that the
screenwriter of this film truly captured the essence of the true martial artist
in those words, for it depicts the ideal mindset of the truly advanced fighting
technician – they don’t need to fight to prove who they are. Thus, they do not
fight unless it is absolutely necessary.
In
these aforementioned seminars I commonly teach the participants to defend
themselves without the need to enter into a punch-by-punch, knock-down,
drag-out fight. Instead, I teach them how to defend themselves in the easiest,
most direct, least confrontational manner possible. Though this style of
self-defense is the best way to keep yourself free from incurring the injures
of a forceful fight; such as broken hands from punching or twisted body joints
from grappling, the sad fact is, the person who is defeated in this manner is
never the wiser for your fighting them in this fashion. They never say, “Thank
you,” for you not tearing them apart though you could.
In
my life I have encountered physical confrontations, generally, but not always,
brought on by somebody trying to rob me of something. Instead of losing
my peace, I have defended myself in the most rapid manner possible and then
walked away. I did not beat them to a pulp once they were sent to the ground
just because I could. In fact, in a few cases, I have actually helped the
attacker back up to his feet. Did they say, “Thank you?” No, they did not. They
usually walked away making further threats. There has also been times when
someone has attacked me and though I could have easily defeated them very
quickly, I realized that this was not the best course of action. For example, a
man once charged at me when I was standing at the top of a staircase. All I had
to do was sidestep his attack and perhaps give him a little shove and that
would have been the end of the confrontation. The problem was, as we were at
the top of the stairs, had I done that, through his own momentum he would most
likely have plummeted down the stairs, face first; obviously hurting himself
very badly. But, I consciously did not let this happen. I knew he was no
competition so I took the initial hit and defended myself from that point. Did
he say, “Thank you?” No, he did not. Did he say, “Thank you for not beating the
crap out of me,” after I defended myself with a simple deflection upon his
secondary attack? Nope, not a word of thanks.
The
fact of life and the truth that you need to understand if you hope to rise to
the level of a true martial artist is that your defeated opponent is
never going to say, “Thank you,” even though you did not hurt them as badly as
you could have in a confrontation that they instigated. Your attacker is never
going to appreciate the fact that though you could have physically destroyed
them, you did not. Instead, you took the high road. You may have defended
yourself, but you did not send your opponent to the hospitable while doing so.
You behaved like a true martial artist, not like some street ruffian.
I
believe that it is better not to hurt someone, even an attacking opponent,
unless you must absolutely do so. It is for this reason that the true martial
artist takes the time to research and understand the true essence of the body
dynamics of physical confrontation and from this understanding is willing to
take the first-hit if that means that their opponent will not be seriously
injured in the confrontation.
But
remember, no, they are not going to say, “Thank you,” after the fact –
though they most likely should. Why? Because they are obvious not a conscious
enough person to understand the true facts of physical combat, nor are they a
conscious enough person to understand that if they are the one instigating the
confrontation they are the one who should be defeated.
The
ultimate truth of the martial arts is to be more than your opponent. Not
only a better fighter but a better person. Strive for this distinction.
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