I'd taken to learning techniques via video a few years ago. It is a great way to pass on techniques because as a student I can watch it as many times as I want and replicate the technique. The down side is that I don't have the instructor there to ask questions. Either way I thought it was good to go.
Then I went to a seminar with Shaolin a few months ago. he was pretty point blank that he is against that type of learning. Maybe he is just old school or something. Lots of the "masters" are against that kind of training. But then again lots are for it. Just depends I guess. For me it is all about what you do with it.
I think that some are against it because that means that students learn faster, therefore it makes them less important in the learning process, so why should a student pay them for what they can get cheep or free over the Internet and other sources? So then instructors institute minimum class hours in order to get promotions. Ok, well, makes sense to an extent, but doesn't that just ensure that they have years of consecutive months of tuition? I know everyone has to make a living, but at a certain point martial arts has to be about more than a business.
With that said, I am choosing to take what I think is the best of both worlds. I am all about watching videos and then learning the techniques and practicing them on partners on the mat. I use books and DVDs to supplement my learning. With that said, time on the mat is important too. But I don't think that it means that you have to be in a formal class. I can't control what is being taught in a formal class. I want to practice moves until I own them and being in a formal class can stunt my own learning. In my opinion it is about learning the techniques, not just having lots of hours on the mat. I've seen guys that just sit on the sideline during training, and others that are great at rolling, but don't know but a few techniques in the curriculum. Isn't the point of the whole thing self defense?
That brings me to another topic, sort of. Again, the difference between self defense jiujitsu and sport jiujitsu. I don't understand why it is that players can be promoted because they are good at rolling, but don't know the self defense techniques. In a real confrontation rolling is great, but there's lots of things you just can't do on concrete, or in a home that has furniture, or in other real life scenarios. Rolling is an awesome training tool, for sure. You have to be able to do it well, without a doubt. I just don't get how people can be promoted that don't know the self defense curriculum, meaning that which Helio Gracie created, or in the case of judo, that which are covered in the kata. Then again, judo is primarily a sport, whereas jiujitsu is primary self defense, or so it is advertised.
Maybe that is the key. Separating the black belts so that one is for those that practice self defense and another for those that are BJJ sport types. Sure, there is tremendous overlap, but are they the same thing? I am starting to more fully appreciate what Helio said about not having created a sport, but a method of self defense. Rolling is fun, but I think so many people miss the point that the art is about self defense. That should always be in the forefront of all training. If you don't know the self defense technique, then you aren't learning jiujitsu. You are learning a game or sport.
Rolling is fun. It is a great training tool. Just don't forget that this is about self defense in the process. Go to class. Read the books. Watch the videos. Throw out anything that isn't practical for self defense. learn what you can, wherever you can be it in class, books, or video, and get as much mat time as possible.
Then I went to a seminar with Shaolin a few months ago. he was pretty point blank that he is against that type of learning. Maybe he is just old school or something. Lots of the "masters" are against that kind of training. But then again lots are for it. Just depends I guess. For me it is all about what you do with it.
I think that some are against it because that means that students learn faster, therefore it makes them less important in the learning process, so why should a student pay them for what they can get cheep or free over the Internet and other sources? So then instructors institute minimum class hours in order to get promotions. Ok, well, makes sense to an extent, but doesn't that just ensure that they have years of consecutive months of tuition? I know everyone has to make a living, but at a certain point martial arts has to be about more than a business.
With that said, I am choosing to take what I think is the best of both worlds. I am all about watching videos and then learning the techniques and practicing them on partners on the mat. I use books and DVDs to supplement my learning. With that said, time on the mat is important too. But I don't think that it means that you have to be in a formal class. I can't control what is being taught in a formal class. I want to practice moves until I own them and being in a formal class can stunt my own learning. In my opinion it is about learning the techniques, not just having lots of hours on the mat. I've seen guys that just sit on the sideline during training, and others that are great at rolling, but don't know but a few techniques in the curriculum. Isn't the point of the whole thing self defense?
That brings me to another topic, sort of. Again, the difference between self defense jiujitsu and sport jiujitsu. I don't understand why it is that players can be promoted because they are good at rolling, but don't know the self defense techniques. In a real confrontation rolling is great, but there's lots of things you just can't do on concrete, or in a home that has furniture, or in other real life scenarios. Rolling is an awesome training tool, for sure. You have to be able to do it well, without a doubt. I just don't get how people can be promoted that don't know the self defense curriculum, meaning that which Helio Gracie created, or in the case of judo, that which are covered in the kata. Then again, judo is primarily a sport, whereas jiujitsu is primary self defense, or so it is advertised.
Maybe that is the key. Separating the black belts so that one is for those that practice self defense and another for those that are BJJ sport types. Sure, there is tremendous overlap, but are they the same thing? I am starting to more fully appreciate what Helio said about not having created a sport, but a method of self defense. Rolling is fun, but I think so many people miss the point that the art is about self defense. That should always be in the forefront of all training. If you don't know the self defense technique, then you aren't learning jiujitsu. You are learning a game or sport.
Rolling is fun. It is a great training tool. Just don't forget that this is about self defense in the process. Go to class. Read the books. Watch the videos. Throw out anything that isn't practical for self defense. learn what you can, wherever you can be it in class, books, or video, and get as much mat time as possible.
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