Hello folks,
I am not usually one to post on forums, but a student referred me to this forum. It seems for a while everyone has been saying they wanted an unmoderated forum for RMA discussion...it has happened, and how civil it is! I congratulate you guys on a good forum!
I want to thank Arthur for his kind words...while on tour with one of my students who is an entertainer, I got the chance to meet with and talk to many great martial artists, and give seminars and clinics in some great place...it was a wonderful learning experience, and I want to thank guys like Arthur who I have spoken with, and hope to work with further in the future.
I think we are seeing a very interesting situation occuring right now...A new martial art culture has come to America, and survived it's initial introduction to work it's way to recognition. That is Russian Martial Art.
It has it's branches in the USA...diversity and many ways one can train in it. Now, suddenly, we are seeing people and children who instead of going to a karate or tae kwon do class....they are going to Russian martial art class (I teach a few of these lucky kids). This is an amazing transition...when I look at the first generation of Russian Martial Artist's practicing in America, I am proud to be one of them. I can't wait to have a child to pass it to them...well, I can wait a little while
The RMA community is young and prosperous...and it is a great gift to those who practice. While we are all tasked with the safeguarding the purity of and the protection of our individual styles and systems, we are all part of one greater culture that has been given to us...some by chance, some through just plain bugging people
I'm the first to say I don't agree with some methods, etc., but in the end we are all in one family, and cousins in RMA.
I think we all recognize the gift that RMA is...each time I teach, I am humbled thinking of what they know in Russia, and thankful to God for the gift He gave me. I hope, plainly speaking, that in the future petty things like money and ego will not tarnish all of the work done toward the legitimization of RMA in the circles beyond the RMA world. I would hate to see someone not find the right training, and end up just not training in the Russian arts due to "politics"....and then miss out on such a great gift.
In saying this, I hope to see in the future a point where we have an RMA festival, where everyone comes together...Systema, ROSS, Kadochnikov System, Sambo schools, the local guy teaching what he learned in Russia, I mean everyone....and we have show our diversity in methods and practices, but unity in Russian Martial Art.
Cheers!
M
ps...our site has had MASSIVE problems, but everything is finally fixed. Please excuse the mess, as some of you have called and emailed and asked when it will be fixed. It is!
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