From Steven Oliver

Mixed Up Martial Arts


I just returned from Washington, DC. While there I attended a NASKA World Tour tournament (The U.S. Capital Classics) met with about 25 school owners representing around 5,000 students, and then met several times with my instructor Grand Master Jhoon Rhee.
Meeting with Jhoon Rhee and my other events during my quick trip reminds me of several important aspects of martial arts instruction in 2009 and beyond.
One of my favorite Jhoon Rhee quotes is "Martial Arts without Philosophy is Just Street Fighting." Now, he's obviously a visionary and at times out of sync with where things exist currently in the martial arts community due to focusing on where how he sees the future unfolding.
We discussed his development of Musical Forms (Martial Ballet.) He explained that in the 1960's he foresaw that martial arts "fighting" would no longer be necessary in the future but rather to preserve
martial arts the "art" must be preserved over the "martial." He then explained that his concept was 100% congruent with our American Founding fathers and with the true purpose of human evolution.
Quickly as he saw my skepticism he pulled out a manuscript of his soon to be published biography and pointed out this quote: "I must study politics and war, that my sons may have the liberty to study mathematics and philosophy, natural history and naval architecture, in order to give their children a
right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, tapestry,and porcelain." John Adams quotes (American 2nd US President (1797-1801), 1735-1826)
Now, that's really interesting. To me it seems that in the 1970's and 1980's most martial arts
 instructors had come around to Grand Master Rhee's way of thinking.We practiced the "DO" arts to facilitate personal development. The movie "The Karate Kid" shared principles and values that were
clear about developing discipline and confidence and avoiding violence. To my great disappointment it seems that many practitioners and instructors have lost sight of what Grand Master Rhee keeps clearly
in focus. Martial Arts Practice today for the vast majority should be purely about personal development. Clearly our armed forces and police need effective fighting technique, but frankly that's more often
about modern weapons not about unarmed combat (hopefully.) And, if you don't want to take Jhoon Rhee's word for it (or even John Adams) how about another kick-boxing and point-fighting legend Joe Lewis? He's perhaps the ultimate "old-school" tough guy still training students throughout the world. What's he have to say?
 In one aspect of what is called "martial arts," the MMA stuff, many black belts come across as heavily tattooed, cartoon looking hoodlums, who respect violence and feel free to curse and to exercise degradation
against others on national TV. The media has gone from completely ignoring us in the early sixties to seemingly only granting visibility to those who believe that it's in vogue to condone violence, and/or that it
is okay to send kids the message that adults accept the use of violence as a means to resolve problems. This is not the message that parents in martial arts wish to have their kids taught to value or with which to have
them exposed. Just as "Pro Wrestling" is not real wrestling, in a way, perhaps MMA is not real martial arts.
Violence by definition is a "loss of self-control." Martial arts teaches self-control; therefore martial arts is not violent-people are. Guns (for the gun control freaks) do not kill others-bullets do.We need to wake up-black belts are leaving the martial arts in droves. We need to revalidate and grant dignity to the meaning of the old definition of what is a black belt. Either it does not mean anything any longer (in this fanatical M.A. marketing atmosphere) or it has become the finish line which determines at what point in ones journey does he call it quits. SAD!
 Joe Lewis

It's vital to recognize that Martial Arts Training is always about developing high quality physical skills. It's about fitness and self-defense. However, those mostly arise from the mental and emotional development
that goes with rigorous practice of martial arts. And, to add another point that Joe Lewis makes. The first, second, or  third degree Black Belt must be a starting point for personal development. Just as a high school diploma should be a start to one's learning through life. For a beginning student achieving Black Belt is an appropriate early "bench-mark" to beginning quality personal development for life. It's not an end in itself.
Quality schools will (and, do) constantly expand and enhance the definition of what a Black Belt (and, 2nd, 3rd, 4th Degree Black Belt) is and must attain. Marketing for Martial Arts schools should be about
attracting quality students - never about watering down the achievement and recognition of students and never about lowering standards of excellence.
Stephen Oliver, MBA
8th Degree Black Belt