Martial "Arts" vs "Reality"

[ATACX GYM]

One of my senseis is pretty big on bunkai. He basically will take a standard defense move and apply it in all kinds of ways, against a dizzying array of attacks. It's eye-opening; a 'chudan uke seiken tsuki' (middle body block, lunge punch) can be used in so many ways, I lost count. His comments to us are somewhat from a different perspective than yours. He adapts the technique, but he keeps the technique he wants to use rather then abandon it. He says "If I am planning to use a middle-body block and a straight punch, I don't *care* what punch you throw, I can cover it." Then he demonstrates, tying his uke (often me) up in knots. He refers to it as 'committing to the technique'. So, a different point of view. Both valid, I suspect.

I agree here.I have done the same thing.I try to show that I'm not "abandoning the tech"...instead,I'm introducing real world factors that will compel us to make our techs more functional.Look at my ALTERNATING MACES UPGRADED I video.

Did I do a new tech? Nope. Did I introduce the reality that you're likely to get pushed and NOT block the shove coming at you,that you'll have to reestablish your base,and counterattack...oftentimes using the arsenal you learned at the White Belt level along with your ALTERNATING MACES? Yep. Does anyone anywhere from Ed Parker Sr. on down say that doing so is a bad idea? NOPE.Does Ed Parker himself recommend doing such a thing by "changing the definition"? YES.

MISTER PARKER "changing the definition" by reacting functionally to a street scenario...

The over-arching issue that unites you,Bill,me,MJS,your sensei Bill and anybody else who trains functionally is that...WE TRAIN FUNCTIONALLY.It's all about the functional training modality;Functionality is not just the ship (but as I said before) it's THE STARSHIP ENTERPRISE.It's the legendary Jason's ARGOS...and we are all aspiring argonauts.Lol.All of our techs are tested until they're able to resist real time,full fire attacks successfully...exactly as they're trained.Doesn't matter that we don't look exactly alike...but interestingly enough? Our techs WILL bear a certain resemblance.Why is that? Form follows function...that's why.

 

[Buka]

I think it's a yin/yang question, or at least a yin/yang possible answer.
Martial Arts is for the development of character, and it's a hell of a lot of fun. Without Bushido, (or at least the ethics taught in your dojo) we all might as well be going to a street fighting club. I think when the study of Martial Arts stops becoming fun, a person stops training. How well their knowledge translates to reality would depend on how they were taught and how they trained.
That's the yin.

As for the yang....if you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck.