how important do you think the history is?

[donald1]

in my class i go to mostly working on forms, techniques, and other training methods. sometimes when there is no training going on we would occasionally talk about a specific part of history (example like why they wore ____ type of outfit to ____ reason or how has _____ affected martial arts)
Ive been privileged to learn some history of martial arts a lot that i don't know about martial art history. Ive got to know that its important because it helps to know the forms and training are not made up and its good to know where it came from.

what my question is how important is knowing the history to you and why?

 

[wingchun100]

in my class i go to mostly working on forms, techniques, and other training methods. sometimes when there is no training going on we would occasionally talk about a specific part of history (example like why they wore ____ type of outfit to ____ reason or how has _____ affected martial arts)
Ive been privileged to learn some history of martial arts a lot that i don't know about martial art history. Ive got to know that its important because it helps to know the forms and training are not made up and its good to know where it came from.

what my question is how important is knowing the history to you and why?

I don't think history of who added what to the style matters as much to me as, "Who added this to the system, and why?" For example wing chun didn't always have the pole form. Someone added it. Why would you add a long-range weapon to a close-range combat style? Those are the kinds of things I wonder about nowadays.

 

[Dirty Dog]

in my class i go to mostly working on forms, techniques, and other training methods. sometimes when there is no training going on we would occasionally talk about a specific part of history (example like why they wore ____ type of outfit to ____ reason or how has _____ affected martial arts)
Ive been privileged to learn some history of martial arts a lot that i don't know about martial art history. Ive got to know that its important because it helps to know the forms and training are not made up and its good to know where it came from.

what my question is how important is knowing the history to you and why?

I don't really think the history of an art is all that important to learning the art. That doesn't mean it has no value, and I certainly have spent a fair bit of time studying it. But I study it because it's interesting, and because it can help with understanding the whys and wherefores of the system. Not because it makes my techniques any better.

I don't think history of who added what to the style matters as much to me as, "Who added this to the system, and why?" For example wing chun didn't always have the pole form. Someone added it. Why would you add a long-range weapon to a close-range combat style? Those are the kinds of things I wonder about nowadays.

Perhaps to make the art more well rounded? A one dimensional art is something of a disadvantage. Study the history, and perhaps you'll figure out the whys.

 

[Takai]

Part of the reason I chose my current sifu was his passion for the history our system. While his skill was certainly the bigger part, the fact the he could passionately relate and teach the history (just in our first meeting) really stuck with me. I guess I just like to have someone that is more than a "we just do it this way" kind of instructor. I kind of suffer/enjoy from the eternal condition of asking "Why?".

 

[tshadowchaser]

I feel that it is important to learn the history of your system because knowing will give you a perspective on exactly where and maybe why much of the material came from.
Unfortunately many systems I have encountered in the last few years seem to have a history that dose not stand up under close scrutiny . This includes the instructors heritage and his being able to tell names and places he trained which can be proved to completly made up facts about instructors in the system.

 

[Meitetsu]

in my class i go to mostly working on forms, techniques, and other training methods. sometimes when there is no training going on we would occasionally talk about a specific part of history (example like why they wore ____ type of outfit to ____ reason or how has _____ affected martial arts)
Ive been privileged to learn some history of martial arts a lot that i don't know about martial art history. Ive got to know that its important because it helps to know the forms and training are not made up and its good to know where it came from.

what my question is how important is knowing the history to you and why?

I enjoy studying the history of Koryu martial arts but I am not at all interested in the lineage histories. They have a saying in Japanese:温故知新 Onko chi shin, which is roughly "study something old to find something new."

 

[Mark Lynn]

I really enjoy the history or the martial arts and the diverse systems of the martial art forms.

I believe that at least knowing something about the history about how the systems developed; who developed what, when and how; which countries had influence on what systems, etc. etc.

Does it make my techniques better? No. Does it make my kata practice better? Possibly but I'll go with No for now.

Knowing the history of the arts help in the following ways.
1) Puts the given system in somewhat of a historical context instead of something mystical or in the fantasy realm. In other words it grounds the system, makes it more real.

2) It helps in creating and instructing on the meaning of techniques (speaking of applications of techniques here) within a given system.

3) It helps to see how the system was modified or how it evolved overtime. For instance how sparring influenced karate, or how Wado was a blending of Jujitsu and karate, why we have so many karate styles today, or versions of the same kata etc. etc.

4) It can also help explain how certain views or mind sets attitudes are developed in the arts. Like the possible influence of the Japanese Sword arts that came to Okinawa might have influenced the thinking and techniques found within karate. (One punch one kill mind set).

These are just a few reasons I think that history is good to know.

 

[wingchun100]

I want to add a little footnote to what I said before.

When I think of the history of the STYLE, I think it's cool to have maybe a basic glossing over of where it came from. (As I said before, a lot of the civilizations that developed martial arts passed history down orally so nothing is 100% accurate anyway.) However, I AM interested in learning the teacher's history. Did he learn from somewhere legit, or did he read about his style in a magazine once and is now marketing himself as a sensei?

As for what qualifies as "somewhere legit," well that is up to all of us to determine what qualifies for that adjective on our own. I can't tell you who is a fraud if you believe they aren't.

 

[Balrog]

what my question is how important is knowing the history to you and why?

History is always important, and not just in martial arts.

George Santayana said it best:

Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness. When change is absolute there remains no being to improve and no direction is set for possible improvement: and when experience is not retained, as among savages, infancy is perpetual. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

I personally love the history of the various Martial Sciences. It is great to know more about systems and the people within them.

 

[geezer]

History is always important, and not just in martial arts.

George Santayana said it best.

Santana said that? Whoah. And I just thought he played awesome guitar.:boing1:




OK. Now how about this: "Those who cannot remember their forms are condemned to repeat them. A lot. Until they get really good muscle memory. Then repeat even more, just to be sure."

 

[donald1]

History is always important, and not just in martial arts.

George Santayana said it best.

Santana said that? Whoah. And I just thought he played awesome guitar.:boing1:




OK. Now how about this: "Those who cannot remember their forms are condemned to repeat them. A lot. Until they get really good muscle memory. Then repeat even more, just to be sure."

never heard him, but looked him up and saw his bio and some of his quotes

i like this one he said:for a man who has done his natural duty, death is as natural as sleep- George Santayana

​

 

[Balrog]

OK. Now how about this: "Those who cannot remember their forms are condemned to repeat them. A lot. Until they get really good muscle memory. Then repeat even more, just to be sure."

I think that quote is attributed to every martial arts instructor ever.

 

[Balrog]

never heard him, but looked him up and saw his bio and some of his quotes

i like this one he said:for a man who has done his natural duty, death is as natural as sleep- George Santayana

​

As with any philosopher, Santayana is somewhat of a difficult read. But if you can chew through A Life Of Reason, it's quite worthwhile. It takes some serious chewing, though.