How to Learn Martial Arts

[DoctorTony]

Has anyone ever heard of or uses Target Focused Training (TFT)?
Please bare with me, I am not a Martial Artist, but I think it is a form of Tai Kwan Do and JuJitzu (spelling on these?).
Uses a lot of the Yang energy.

Thanks for this thread.

[Heretic]

Originally Posted by DoctorTony

Has anyone ever heard of or uses Target Focused Training (TFT)?
Please bare with me, I am not a Martial Artist, but I think it is a form of Tai Kwan Do and JuJitzu (spelling on these?).
Uses a lot of the Yang energy.

Thanks for this thread.

TFT seems like another close combat street savvy art as advertised. It relies a lot on Chin na, or a lot of grappling, locks and throws. Chin na is awesome and is in just about every art to some degree. I DO have to tell you that I don’t like going to the ground on the street. It just opens you up too much because you can’t move out of the way if needed. The best block to any strike is simply not being there. If there were 3 guys on me, the last thing I want to do is go to the ground and wrestle with one while the other two are just waiting for a chance to hurt me.

The same goes for kicks, no matter how good I am at them, I would not use them in multi-attacks and probably not on the street at all unless it was a finishing move. They ARE devastating though and it is hard for the novice and even the intermediate practitioner to abandon them. There is a big argument on what does or does not work on the streets, and many people usually blame the art and not the practitioner concerning effectiveness.

Tae Kwon Do is heavily reliant on foot work and even a black belt can get owned on the street because it takes a very long time to become resilient, and learning some one footed stances would really increase your effectiveness. A kick is vastly more powerful than a punch in terms of physics, and I have also seen some very well trained practitioners of Tae Kwon Do who can handle multi-attacks in an impressive way by using feet alone.

I think a lot of good arts get a bad reputation as street arts simply because they take so long to learn, and most of the people who try this stuff on the streets are no better than intermediate performers of that art, so it is no surprise that people label them as bad street arts.

Most people who have mastered an art simply would not get in a street fight, unless they like to fight, and look forward to these situations. I can’t explain why but to tell you that there is a world of things you can do phycologically to play on your attacker’s fear, once you have conquered your own. There are so many other techniques that can be performed that are far removed from physical harm that will let the enemy know that they better not pursue an altercation with you, but this doesn’t always work of course.

[Heretic]

Thanks for the posts guys and keep them coming, I could talk about this stuff for days and days without stopping. I will probably make some other posts on certain aspects of the arts I find interesting that can be communicated over the net and absorbed for use.

I can tell you with certainty that just about every move found in these arts like Krav Maga, Systema, TFT and countless more “streamlined” arts can be traced back and found in so many other older arts. They are not original, they are not new. They are just explained in a way that can be applied to today’s needs. This in no way means they are copycat arts though, because it is the system that defines the art and not the moves.

My original post contains all the ingredients found in all the arts. And like a chef, the artist can observe and taste a culinary creation, define what is in it, and how it was made by what he already knows, and has been exposed to, and then he can replicate it.

Like a good culinary delight, the first time a chef makes it, it is awkward, and may not come out as expected, but with perseverance and dedication, a good chef and recreate a recipe and make it over and over once he has figured it out. But you DO have to know the basics of cooking first before you can do this.

[DoctorTony]

Thank you Heretic! Much appreciated!

[ShinShinKid]

Hello, noob here, just wanted to put in my two cents:

I agree with what Heretic is saying. There is no martial art, only artists -- expressing what they have been taught. There is no dispute that with our society's general trend towards peace, many teachers have lost the ability to teach combat effectiveness. All that being said: Nothing beats a well-qualifed and certified instructor. Please look carefully for instruction before you sign up anywhere. Look around at different places, arts, etc.

I have a bit of a different categorization than Heretic: A good martial arts teacher ought to be able to teach you-

1) Conditioning: Physical strength, balance, and stamina should all improve under proper teaching. Mental conditioning should also improve; the ability to recognize aggression, make choices under pressure, and endure adversity should also be heightened under proper instruction.

2) Ettiquette: A fine honing of ethical standards should take place under proper tutelage. This first takes the form of standard dojo dos n' don'ts. Later, deep discussions regarding what is right and wrong and how to handle oneself while representing said art. It's highest level is a heightened ability to get along well with others, even total boors.

3) Technique: A syllabus should be given to students, to let them know what's ahead. Differences in geography, history, and environment account for slight differences to every teacher's art. A good teacher will use learned techniques to increase a students ability to defend themselves. A good teacher will keep in mind your physiology to adapt technique, if needed, for you. A good teacher will not be secretive, political, or otherwise show favor to any student over another.

Look around for what's right for you. Get names of instructors, and google them...make sure they are legit.

Anyways...