THE Martial PATH

“Tradition” is "great," that is the path one first takes and how one learns the basics! “Innovation” however, is the "upgrade;" that is how one prepares and progresses, that is what moves you into future knowledge, potential and ability. 

Sensei Urban said it best, " from old knowledge comes serenity and from new knowledge we get progress." 

People believe & are led to believe that all Martial Art (M A S) Disciplines are different & that like a “salad,” with as much tasty potential, you can actually "mix" them? 

Does a Soldier, an Assassin, as a weapons expert or Mercenary type or Law Enforcement or other Military Combatant, etc., “actually” mix and use more than one weapon at a time? And how would one accomplish that? Would they try to stab "and" shoot their opponent at the same time "mixing" their technologies?

Combat is about the moment, which is usually, sudden and occurs at lightning speed when it’s most unexpected. It can also be very final for some, at best. One needs to be decisive, brief and effective!

Survival and Combat is about time, choice, space, perhaps there are constraints within which one must be fully functional and fully aware, as well as skillful with incredible ability, knowledge of yourself, your opponent, the environment and the Dao, as well as the knowledge in particular about the details of the predicament in which one may find themselves!

Simplicity and sometimes, 10,000 things also work into the formula.

All this must be taken into consideration and only within a fraction of a second of an elusive moment and without time to think, plan or prepare and with just barely enough time to react properly and place oneself out of harm’s way yet one that would save the day?

Why would anyone make more difficult an already complicated situation by trying to do more than one thing at a time, especially when in critical circumstance and within a time critical precedent?

Let us say that, you are an elite assassin on a job, an officer on patrol, etc., If a situation comes up, which inevitable it will, and you find yourself in the middle, are you going to mix your choice of weapons or are you going to choose the best single weapon/instrument for the situation that will “get the job done?” 

It is also true that one may need more than one tool to get the job done but will it require handling more than one weapon at a time or even mixing them up?

There is only “one” Martial Art (M A S), only one survival: strategy or technology or methodology or modality, which when put into action fully resolves and “completely finishes” the issue or task at hand. This technique is dependent upon three factors: 1. The “critical” distance between you & your opponent which determines what weapons are used and or what defenses can be used to counter the attack. 2.The environment has a great deal to do with choice of weapons, defenses and strategy for both the attacker and the defender.  3. Last, but not least and perhaps the most interesting and important ingredient, is you? What do “you” bring to the outcome of the encounter? What skills, knowledge, attitude, instincts, patience, experience, “will and daring” do you bring and can apply at the critical moment of needed implicit action and will you do the follow-through?

It is the single or again choose the best weapon under the circumstance that ha can count on? 

purity of individually selected & solitary techniques that will save you in a moment of crisis.

When people talk about mixing, how does one punch & choke “at the same time” or how do you mix an arm-bar & kick, etc.? You don’t! All attacks and defenses come one at a time from one person at a time coordinated attacks are a rarity and still you can only defend on attack at a time!

Real power, true essence, the ability to survive under any circumstances and under all contingencies comes from pure focused concentrated energy & purified effort.

This only comes after many, many, many years of practice, of experience, of blood, sweat & tears, and from many instances of pain, in a variety of sizes, shapes, styles and colors, etc. 

Real power comes from being able to breathe correctly for each situation, relax even under the most stressful of circumstance. It also means to swallow one’s pride, to be able to allow your true inner self, true inner nature & strengths and weaknesses to come forth when needed, this to include one’s survival instincts which move effortlessly from within you to without and throughout one’s opponent.

Getting back to the “original premise,” I ask you this, how is a fist made in China, different than a fist in Japan, Africa, Russia, North America, or anywhere else?

I'll give you the answer, it's not different anywhere else in the world! Neither is a kick, choke, arm-bar or any other technique or any other part of the human body. 

The “human body” is “finite,” not infinite. The reasoning is based on the fact that all people are basically mind, body & spiritually the same as we are also connected by the same. Now, “emotionally,” that’s a much harder subject especially when you talk about ego, selfishness, advantage, hate, bias, crime, politics, religion, etc., wow!!!

In Martial Art Science (MA) we differ in many things: our approach, environment, language, style, practice, forms, style, philosophy, etc., but in the end we all fight the same according to our need and situation, according to our own personal individual abilities, our physical makeup, teachers, desires, ideas, personal philosophy, psychology, wisdom, goals, objectives, etc...

Mind, Body & Spirit & Soul are for another discussion.