The popular perception of martial arts today

Currently, everyone seems to be interested in fighting. MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) and No Holds Barred competition is the newest fad. The study of martial arts has been around for thousands of years and has affected many cultures. With the launching of UFC (the Ultimate Fighting Challenge) in 1993, popular perception and focus has become centered on the combative aspect of martial arts. Though practical self defense has always been a part of most traditional disciplines, there are other valuable aspects to consider. Traditional martial arts include internal aspects, concentration, and mindfulness, with the primary aim being the destruction of the ego to help one gain personal and spiritual growth.

One of the by products of an intense focus on fighting is the critical analyzation of your partner’s strategy. When preparing for a fight, people invest countless hours watching fight tapes, breaking down the movement and techniques, and picking training partners who fight like the upcoming opponent. I agree that these are helpful strategies when you are going against a specific individual.

What is the best strategy?

A senior student who has practiced for about 15 years recently asked me, “If I’m in a fighting stance, should I have my right foot forward or my left foot forward? And does it matter in relation to which stance my partner is in?” This is a basic, but interesting question, especially when you take into account that this person has been sparring for over 14 years, exposed to many different styles of martial arts, and spends hours online reading about strategies and different perspectives. Many people suggest that you fight with your dominant hand in the back to generate maximum power. A smaller yet significant percentage state that you should place your dominant hand forward. Their claim is that your dominant hand is faster, has more coordination and is better at grabbing and trapping. Others suggest that you should fight from a very square stance, so you can quickly use either hand or foot to block or strike. And believe it or not, there are even a few far fetched notions that you should stand on one leg like the Karate Kid, so you can kick quickly and confuse your partner! I guess if you search long enough, you can find almost anything out there.

Remember that this is an advanced student—I would not expect a beginner student to accept or even understand my answer. In the beginning, I was taught that even though we all have a dominant side, we should work on being able to spar with both sides forward, switching back and forth at will. In a real situation, if you get one arm hurt, a rib broken, or other injury, you will be able to move the affected area to the back, protecting it as much as possible. Thus, you need to be able to fight with both sides as efficiently as possible. Another way is to examine the partner’s stance and, based on the stance they are in, determine what attack to throw. For example: your left foot is forward and so is your partner’s—therefore, they would be open to techniques “x, y, or z”. Or your right foot is forward and their left foot is forward—technique “a, b, or c” would be most effective.

Physical vs mental discipline

Surely, the above advice may be technically accurate when referring to a mechanically driven activity. The problem is that in martial arts, strategy is very similar to trickery. You might be thinking, “If I do this, he’ll do that. I can fake him by doing this.” And it becomes a game of tricks. The core of the martial arts is not a physical discipline, but a mental discipline. The key is to keep the mind as calm and peaceful as possible. To contemplate strategy is to become attached to a specific outcome. When these techniques don’t unfold as your mind has imagined, you become frustrated. Or you get hit by the technique that you never expected, because you were fully prepared and waiting for something else. Expectations and attachments cloud our mindfulness and receptivity to what is ACTUALLY happening here and now. In the end, your stance or hand positions don’t matter—you must understand that the aim is to have your mind, body, emotions and breath completely connected and calm, waiting without anticipation for whatever WILL happen.

Being open and sensitive to the motion and energy of your partner allows you to respond spontaneously and creatively in the moment. The Japanese have a word, mushin. The direct translation is “no mind.” The state of mushin is what Ueshiba Sensei meant when he said, “when spirit flows through you.” Bruce Lee said this state is when “it” flows through you. When you respond from this higher state of consciousness, you are responding as a martial artist—not just as a fighter. The state of mushin can only be achieved when “you” get out of the way and you become a conduit for the practice. Our skills are no longer there to impress, but flow naturally.

This state can not be achieved when we are agressive or attacking. It is our aggression and offense that prohibits the spiritual state. For when we attack, our attitude consists of thoughts like, “How dare you!”, “I’ll teach you!” and similar feelings which are completely attached to the ego. But by learning to relax, and get beyond the ego in a neutral state, you’re not thinking of defending or attacking. You are just being. You are able to respond well. It becomes more of a mental discipline and a moving meditation. With more practice, it becomes a spiritual discipline. The difference between fighting and art lies in the state of consciousness of the practitioner when the techniques are executed—not in the effectiveness of the techniques. The true martial artist strives to live and BE in this state of mushin or no mind, on and off the mats.

Winning at all costs

Let’s look at the fighter’s attitude in day to day life. He is taught in the ring to be aggressive, never to back up when his partner is hurt, to turn on the heat, never show pain when injured, and to win at all costs. There are many good lessons here, such as developing a strong will, good concentration, and overcoming physical and mental limitations. But these qualities in a day to day life can be hard for him—and others—to live with. If he adopts an aggressive nature toward everyone he meets, people are going to dislike him and think him most unpleasant. Verbally, mentally and emotionally harming someone, and allowing himself to ‘turn up the heat at all costs’, creates unbearable relationships or, at best, co-dependent ones. Finally, if he has trained himself to win at all costs, he may succeed at his goals, but the wake he leaves will be destructive.

Compare this to the martial artist who develops confidence, concentration, self discipline, and an attitude of openness. Not attached to anything, he is able to enjoy everything. Responding appropriately to verbal, emotional, and mental attacks, his partner always feels challenged, yet cared for. His goal is not to destroy people, but to work with them. Practice is not something to do for an hour or so a day. But it is a way to see life. Thus it is always an opportunity to be in the moment. Strategy is something you do when you are trying to win. Art happens through you when you are able to get out of the way.

–Sifu Robert Brown is the author of the martial arts philosophy study course, Lessons in Mindfulness and owner of two martial arts schools in southeast Michigan. For more information, visit his website: http://www.zenmartialarts.com