Style or Approach?
This entry is written from the perspective of self-defence needs and does not delve into the competition-oriented arts or those geared toward personal development. Specifically, I address whether you should care more about an instructor’s approach than his style.
Some claim the superiority of one “style” over another….such as karate over judo or vice versa. This even extends to those practicing the same style…look at the various Wing Chun groups as an example. You can see Wing Chun Group A denigrate Wing Chun Group B. I have observed the same for other martial arts. In my opinion, such thinking is juvenile and outdated in the 21st century.
Any martial art is good as long as its approach meets the needs of today’s society.
A good instructor should understand the underlying concepts of their art and apply them to today’s world. If you run into an instructor that insists that the art must be practiced exactly as it was 25, 50, or 100 years ago, look elsewhere. On the other hand, if an instructor can apply the concepts of his art to today’s environment, give him or her a chance.
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For example, let’s take a hypothetical martial art and split them up into Group A and Group B.
Group A would be classified as “traditionalists” because they practice the art as it “has always been done that way.” They are not interested in evolution and not necessarily addressing the self-defence needs of the 21st century. Everything is done for “tradition’s sake.”
Group B consists of folks who take the underlying concepts of the art and apply them to today’s society. They apply the concepts of the art to various mugging scenarios, ground situations, knife attacks, or carjacking scenarios.
Even though Group A and Group B practice the same martial art, they take different approaches. Now, we’re no longer talking about which martial art style/system is “superior,” are we? As alluded to elsewhere, instructors are often the most critical factor in determining their approach. “Styles” or “systems,” in my opinion, are just labels. The most crucial factor is the instructor.
Find a good instructor who understands the concepts, and you’ll be in good hands.
Additional Reading
[…] So, I would argue that the idea that there are no superior styles is just bunk. Naturally, it comes down to who designed the system and wrote the curriculum for that particular martial art style. That brings up the topic of the quality of teaching. […]
[…] their universe, the instructor has closed off all options. When it comes to power generation, “it has to be done this […]
[…] Style or Approach? […]
Your focus on the instructor’s adaptability over strict adherence to tradition resonates deeply with me. In my experience, the ability to apply martial principles to modern-day scenarios, whether through Taekwondo or Karate, is essential. Techniques evolve, but the underlying concepts remain timeless. A flexible and relevant approach to instruction is critical in preparing students for real-world encounters.