Ein guter Artikel von Burton Richardson:
What is an expert?
In this article it states; that we generally recognize a martial arts expert as someone who has developed a high level of skill in his particular "style". And it goes on to say how does one become an expert? What are the crucial distinctions that experts have made along their personal path to guild them toward such skill?
By looking at the word "expert", we can find valuable clues. The word "expert" has the same roots as the word "experience". An expert is one who is highly experienced in his field. As simple as that sounds, actually following this route is much more difficult, especially if we are talking about learning functional fighting methods that can save you in a street confrontation.
In realistic, combat functional fighting methods. They don't have or practice one step sparring. If they do! leave right away that is not street fighting. Functional fighting methods work off of experience, personal attributes and built up awareness of an on coming attack. When you find an teacher think of that teacher as a guilde to your personal combat method and naturally you will want to find an expert? an experienced one of course!
How does one get that experience? from a teacher? No! A teacher can only guilde your training and help you with techniques and tactics. The only way to get fighting experience is to fight. Being a boxing and kickboxing practitioner for many years, and a boxing/kickboxing instructor, I exercise much experience in educating students to the fear and training of contact.
That first bop on the noise and the feeling of their own blood will make or break them. Granted Boxing/kickboxing is not street fighting but the tuff stuff to stay in it is. Learning contact is well worth the time. There is no pulling of your punches and tag games. You mess up you get tagged alright, you get counted out!
I have been a fighter all my life, I grew up on Welfare and in the Projects of Denver Colorado. I was a very good street fighter before I got into the martial arts. I'm not saying I'm the only instructor out there that has not taken the same route in life. I know many, and they all believe the same way I do.
You got to test your stuff in the street. I'm not saying you have to go get into fights or look for them. But without that experience in the street how can you say you teach self defense or street fighting. You maybe an expert in "What ever fighting" you may have developed your own method of "duck foo wa" but have you got the experience in the ring, on the mat, in the cage on the street to back it up for your student's?
I'm so tired of all these instructors that have never done anything, but talk about what they would do? If this happens or if that happens? or they don't let you bite, pinch, grab the groin, poke the eyes! excuses! They have no clue? they are only guessing?
I have heard lots of excuses from lots of people why this is wrong. Many say that going out at night looking for a fight is unethical. Real fighting is just to rough, and they would have no student's if they go this route.
You don't have to spar full throttle. The truth is that if you want to be a good fighter, you have to have experience fighting in different ranges. Sifu Al Dacascos told me a story about a few Black Belts of his in the old days. That didn't have any experience in fighting on the street. So he would send them down to a friends night club in Denver to work as a bouncer for a few weeks. And they would get all the experience they wanted. I remember when they came back from these trips, they were scary
and more deadly then ever before.
If you want to call yourself an expert, at street fighting you better have the experience to pass on to your students. If you think about it you'll realize that experience is a better guildline than words or opinions.
If you want to become an expert, first recognize your goals. If you want to be a forms champion, find a way to get the proper experience to reach your goal. If you want to learn how to fight, you have to get experience, then rely on that experience to help in your furture performances. There will be many times when people without experience will try to influence you with their opinions. Just as you must fight your own way, use your expereience as a guilde. One thing is for sure, You are the only expert when it comes to your life.
Don't be fooled by instructors with all these new methods of defending yourself. Just buy there $39.95 video tape. If you can't find a good instructor join a boxing gym and listen and learn how to hit with force. There are no pulling your punches on the street. Any one who does not teach a progression to contact fighting is just jerking you around. No one, I know on the street waits for the flags to go up after your score a backfist and get the point! They kick your A**
Reality sucks, but that is what you have to do to learn how to fight and win in the street! So what is your goal? If you want to practice an art for the joy of it's movement and fancy flowers and become a expert in it great! But remember it is not street fighting. In street fighting someone goes to the hospital and sometimes to the boneyard.
Grüsse
