martial arts training opinions?

1) As realistically as safely possible, and including surprise and group attacks.

2) Practicing Kata helps with body mechanics, and if trained properly should provide a technique base to pull from for execution in sparring. If trained properly, sparring should be just an extension of other Kata related practices.

3)See #2

4) The purpose of sparring is to become accustomed to physical threats, understand the feeling of fight or flight, know what it's like to get hit, learn to not think too much when fighting, 'feel' the opponent's intentions, etc etc. The purpose of sparring at my dojo is not for sport, so there are not points. However, it is very competitive in nature and people like to say they did well and 'won' said match. There are restrictions for safety, just as there are in sport, but a few less at my dojo than most others. IE: small joint manipulation and certain pressure point application (quite minimal, and followed by qigong if necessary) is allowed.

5) Technique is incredibly important. There is something to be said about talent, and luck with wild flailing, but a person with technical skill should easily disarm their opponent an win.

6) Yes, you would, if you knew what you were doing and so did your instructor when you practiced your Kata.

7) Somebody who uses physical violence as a last resort, and only fights for their life or the lives of others they are protecting. NO, not just anyone can become a great fighter.

8) Sparring is not full of emotion or rage and an intent to harm, where as fighting is generally full of emotion; possibly anger and even fear, and contains the intent to permanently maim or kill.

9) First, to fight. Second, to reduce emotional overkill and gain emotional control. Third, to become in tune with the things around me. Fourth, because if I stopped, there would be a gargantuan void in my life.

10) Everyday

11) 20 years

12) Shurite Karate Jitsu and Chen Family "Original Style" Taijiquan are my two primary focuses at this point in time. I may pick up Judo again sometime this year.

1. Yes. Muscle memory is very important so the realer it is the better.

2. Yes.

3. Once again muscle memory. If you have to use your martial art in a defensive role you will react and not think.

4. To practice your techniques in as real of an environment as possible. Point sparing doesn't help.

5. It's only a piece of the puzzle. You need strength technique and cardio to win win fight or a sparring session. It's about 33.3% important.

6. It depends what type of kata. If it's a realistic kata then yes it would. It would mostly be slightly. It would only help in one situation.

7. Cardio, technique, and strenth. To be a great fighter you must have all of these and you must have heart.

8. Rules. Fighting is anything goes.

9. Because I started for self defense but I keep training for the love of martial arts.

10. At the least I train 3 times a week.

11. I have trained for a year.

12. I train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Kajukenbo.

1. Quite often actually but with in reason as I don't want to seriously injury my students.

2. Absolutely it has and still does

3. Understanding the bunkai of the Kata, placement of the techniques and use of several factors only learned through Kata makes fighting easier.

4. Sparring is training to improve your application of the techniques you study in a controlled environment. It is not about fighting as any moron can fight.

5. Extremely important and a must have if you ever want to develop a devestating strike / attack / defense.

6. Yes and the level of improvement would depend on the study

7. A person who knows how to not fight nor has to fight to prove anything to anyone but also trains to defend themselves when the time comes. The greatest fighters I ever met were the ones that people would not think could fight.

8. See above

9. Because I love learning the martial arts...

10. Six days a week right now, on average around four days a week since 1978

11. Since 1978

12. Goju Ryu Karate, Yoshin Ryu Jujitsu, Aikijustsu, American Kenpo, Iaido, Kendo and Kobudo

1. No. I use lots of techniques (such as high kicks and spinning backfists) in sparring that I would never use in a real fight (but they are fun to land in sparring!).

2. Not at all.

3. When I started out in Kempo years ago, I spent many hours on katas. Not only did these not help me at all with sparring, I think they actually made me worse! The stances and techniques bore no relation to actual fighting or sparring. I didn't get any good at sparring until I started teaching myself some basic boxing skills.

4. It is both a sport and a fairly close approximation of actual fighting.

6. It would be better than doing nothing, since katas at least give you a workout and give you an opportunity to practice your punches and kicks, etc. But it would not help you nearly as much as if you had spent all that time doing more realistic training.

9. For fun!

10. 1-2 times per week

11. Off and on for 18 years

12. Currently kickboxing.

Derek,

1. Full Contact Sparring with full body armor

2. Yes, practicing forms does help; however, it requires most people many, many years to fully understand the application of the katas to sparring

3. See above

4. Kata is designed as a mechanism reinforce technique without repetition on a single technique as well as demonstrate some applicable combos as katas are more dynamic than kihon kata or repititions

5. Technique is important but is a component of overall skill and conditioning

6. Moderately assuming you grasp the fundamentals of the technique as well as the underlying techniques but there are much better methods of gaining skill which is why many school perform repititions, katas and sparring

7. If you are referring to MMA then well above average skill in striking, clinching, takedowns and grappling as well as intense conditioning combined with natural aptitude

8. Sparring is not typically "all-out" or no holds barred which is less demanding while "fighting" either implies street fighting or MMA

9. Personal development and self fulfillment

10. Not enough

11. Longer than I care to admit

12. A hybrid, eclectic style based on my experiences with Aikido, Boxing, Ju Jutsu, Isshin Ryu Karate, Kung Fu, Shotokan Karate and Tai Ji Quan,

Can they reduce, diminish, or disable, the wiring? I'm not sure that I would put it that way. I would lean more to changing or rewiring for the better... because I want to. But if one can happen, then it is only logical that the other can too. Below is my reasoning for the changing whichever way it may go. Instinctual behavior can indeed be changed with consistent physical exercises and psychological influencing. The point of martial art training is to make adjustments to the student's physical instinctual reactions. This is why there must be the consistent training, it is what adjusts the spinal responses to the different types of physical stimuli. This is why even if the person behaves in the manner of fearing any form of fighting will automatically respond once the physical threat has impacted them. (This takes place because the response route runs from the sensation to the spine and back, completely leaving out the brain and it's 'necessary' computations and assessment of the situation.) I hear time and time again, even from the 'masters' of systems saying that martial arts train in the natural behavior for self defense. That is absolutely untrue. If martial arts were natural responses, we would NOT have to work so much at it to become proficient. We would also not have to work consistently to keep the skills gained. I do feel that the adult neurological responses to situations that are lightly threatening to mortally threatening are much more difficult to influence or change, because they are not only born instinct, but also 'trained' instinct based off of the societal influence forming the thought chain and synaptic pathways. In younger people (children) the instinctual pathways can be influenced easier than adults. That is because they are still forming their processes or synaptic pathways. In adults more of a 'brainwashing' approach must be taken to make the adjustments, because they have already formed their 'permanent' thought processes. It is possible, and we've seen it happen throughout society, most notably when dealing with cults, or some form of religious extremism. It is also used in many fiction stories involving military and other secret organizations, which are somewhat based off of rumor of events that have taken place in history. The synaptic paragraph is where I get more of a no to your question. It takes an almost religious devotion to the martial arts, and a 100% commitment to survival to be able to adjust one's own instincts; and this is not something the majority of martial artists do. (NOTE: The majority is all inclusive, the world over. There are many who do, and they would be yes, but there are still enough to be a no.) Ultimately, I don't see martial arts as diminishing or changing a notion such as the one the of the man dying to save his son in a negative manner. I say this because of the moral influence of the most renowned martial art societies, (East Asian). It is taught in these systems that truth, and just actions in all behavior, as well as sacrificing one self for another is honorable, and will repay the soul in this and the next life. People more often than not aspire to these teachings in the martial arts, as opposed to pure self preservation and a solely objective outlook on life forgoing any attempt to help another in need.