Can you learn martial arts or self defense without a teacher? Answer = No.

I'm not sure where the idea of "self-taught" skills originated. I'm sure it's something that's rooted deep in history and it would be a mistake to assume the origins of the concept started in modern times. In art history there are examples of naieve painters, ones with no formal training, who became recognized for their contributions to art; some that come to mind are Grandma Moses and Edward Hicks.

I believe the naieve, or folk, painters make a valuable contribution to the field of fine arts.  However, I don't think it's reasonable to generalize the concept of self-taught art over into the Martial Arts field.  A Martial Art is a complex physical skill that is ultimately rooted in combat.  In painting the consequence of poor applied performance is lack of recognition and negative criticism; failure doesn't involve immediate negative physical consequences.

In the Martial Arts if one pursues a self-taught program of training and then tries to apply their skills in a "real world" arena the consequences are immediate and physical.  The consequence of failure in the applications of martial arts skill includes serious injury and/or death.

Unlike other fields of study in the humanities there are no prime examples of self-taught martial artists that are recognized for their contributions to the field.  Many people will mistakenly point to Bruce Lee as an example of a self-taught martial artist.  That would be a mistake since Bruce Lee was classically trained in Wing Chun kung fu during his early years in Hong Kong.  Even when he studied in the United States he sought skilled martial artists to train with and develop his skill sets that later were labeled as Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do.  Just because Bruce Lee dictated the direction of his own training and study, that does not mean he was self-taught.  He learned from other martial artists, such as Ed Parker and Gene LeBell.

Bruce Lee's philosophy "style of no style" has been hijacked and misrepresented to justify the reasoning behind self-teaching modes in the martial arts.  One need only truly examine the life and work of Bruce Lee to understand nothing about the man advocates for self-taught training programs.

If one truly is motivated to learn a Martial Art and has invested a lot of time into teaching themselves then I encourage them to seek out a relationship with a senior or master level martial artist.  Once you establish a good working relationship ask them if you can test out your self-taught skills under a controlled enviornment.  I am positive you will find self-taught skills insufficient to be competetive or reliable in application.  A refusal or fear of testing ones own skills against others is a definite sign one understands deep down they aren't up to the task.

I stand by the position that one cannot learn a martial art without the physical presence and guidance of a teacher; videos and books do not count as "a teacher".

My Youtube Channel; Goes together like a horse and carriage.

Youtube Channel: Bak Mei & other Martial Arts

(click link to visit my channel)

I've recently overhauled my Youtube channel and am now using it as a complimentary site to this Blog.  In the future I'll be adding video blog entries to supplement some of the written material contained in this format.

I go through the Youtube video content and select videos I feel have value in their presentation of some aspect of the martial arts.  Some playlists feature the highest quality visual examples of the style they represent.  Some playlists are for entertainment purposes only.  As I develop and refine my Youtube channel it will provide a reference resource for those who are just beginning to explore their interest in the Martial Arts.  One of the greatest challenges facing a novice to the martial arts during their search to find a school and style in which to train.  Such a novice, or even relatively new student, to the Martial Arts cannot accurately discern the difference between a high quality display of martial arts and a flashy show (with no underlying quality) designed to impress the uninitiated and attract customers.

The process of researching, questioning, and exploring the Martial Arts can be overwhelming and very time consuming for some one new to the field without any guidance.  Since, in pursuit of my own interests and education, I spend hundreds of man hours researching and exploring all types of Martial Arts I feel it would be a valuable service to share the fruits of my labor to be used by those who may need it.

The material I select is based on my experience and my own personal opinions.  However, one should consider that my experience and opinions are based on a lifetime of dedicated exploration of the Martial Arts supported by training and experience in various styles.  Using my material as a starting point is better than trying to muck through it all alone.

Chattanooga Martial Arts: Body Martial Arts; sample videos

Videos taken from the Body Martial Arts youtube channel.

Chattanooga Martial Arts: Chattanooga Fight Factory; video samples

Found this on Youtube searching "Chattanooga Fight Factory".

Chattanooga Martial Arts: Blaylock's International Martial Arts and Boxing; video samples

These videos were found on Youtube using the search terms "Chattanooga Martial Arts"

Chattanooga Martial Arts: Dojo Chattanooga; video samples

Video samples from the school Dojo Chattanooga taken from owner Trevor Haines Youtube channel.

Chattanooga Martial Arts: United Karate Studios; video samples

There are a few schools in the Chattanooga area that are part of the United Karate Studios organization. These are a few videos found on Youtube using the search "United Karate Studios".

Chattanooga Martial Arts: Terry Pollard's School of the Fighting Arts; video samples

These video samples were taken from Terry Pollard's School for the Fighting Arts Youtube Channel: Kalikungfu.

Chattanooga Martial Arts: Chattanooga Taiji Community; video samples

Video sample of Dr. Zibn Guo of the Chattanooga Taiji Community. Video available on Youtube.

Chattanooga Martial Arts: ITA Tae Kwon Do; video samples

There are several schools part of the International Taekwondo Alliance (ITA) franchise in the Chattanooga, TN, area.  Below are some sample videos featuring ITA Tae Kwon Do.  These videos are found on YouTube and open to the public to search and view.

That's Wrong!!! How to disagree with me.

The topics and posts on this blog are written from my perspective, knowledge, understanding of the subject matter, and biases.  Citations to sources supporting my position will be provided as I feel it is necessary.

If one reading these posts disagrees with my position or wishes to address what they believe to be incorrect information there are several ways they can go about expressing their views.  Just as the Martial Arts involve a way of engaging and dealing with physical attacks the academic disciplines of Rhetoric and Argument are a systems that deal with using words to attack and defend written statements.

Rules of Engagement for this Blog

• All feedback posted in the comments section that disagree with the post content will be considered a rhetorical debate in an open forum.  I will treat such comments under the rules and methods of argument and rhetoric.  One engaging in open discussion through the comments thread should be aware their position will be systematically explored and perhaps attacked for all to read using the methods of rhetoric and argument.  Those making comments should be aware how their presentation will be viewed by a general reading audience.
• The person making comments with different opinions will set the tone for the discussion.  A respectful tone will be responded to with a focus on (logos) logic and reason.  A less than respectful tone and attack will be responded to with a focus on (pathos & ethos) emotional content and qualifications for making statements regarding subject matter.  An open forum debate focuses more on the presentation of the material and establishing the credibility of those participating.
• For those not wishing to expose themselves to an open forum discussion I encourage e-mail communications.  I will not share the contents of e-mail communications and discussions, keeping the comments and their contributor's name private.  If a private discussion causes me to change my position then I will post a correction statement in a blog post then go through the related materials in the Blog and change the relevant topics to reflect my new position.
• The main point to consider is the difference between open forum debate and private discussion.  They are different and will have a different focus in communicating information.  Choose which one suits your purposes.

Yahoo Answers: Series 1; Frequently Asked Questions: What is the best Martial Arts style for . . .?

Yahoo Answers: Search "best martial arts"

One of the most frequently asked questions on the Y!A martial arts category is one that revolves around the theme of "What is the best" for various reasons ranging from self-defense, combat, effectiveness, to even more specific focuses about scenerios.  Such a question is rooted in lack of fundamental understanding about the nature of the Martial Arts and learning complex physical skills.

When earnestly seeking to learn a Martial Art the person searching for information and guidance needs to understand some basic concepts in order to effectively direct their energy in finding what they want.  First, a good working definition of the Martial Arts (dictionary.com,google web definition,wordIQ.com) is useful to everyone engaged in such a search.  Without a clear definition from which to work an individual risks having all manners of misconceptions clouding the issue and interfering with their efforts to find what they seek.

The term "Martial Arts" is a general category that contains hundreds of various topics, styles, and concepts.  All of these things that fall under the overarching label of Martial Arts may be radically different from one another and can oftentimes be in logical conflict with one another when compared.  The dictionary and other definitions of "Martial Arts" are limited in their scope and ability to communicate the complex nature of the label.  I believe to be accurate in nature the definition has to be less specific and touch on the fundamental concepts of the category. (Further reading trying to define Martial Arts)

I will define Martial Arts as follows:  Martial Arts - A field of knowledge covering all things related to the systematic study and practice of activities related to the phenomenon of combat and physical conflict in the human experience.  This category includes (but is not limited to) the sub-categories of spiritual beliefs, philosophies, sports, training methods, physical applications and concepts, history, biographies, and specific styles/systems of martial arts.
Once a seeker understands has a good working definition of the Martial Arts then we can go on to answer the question "What is the best Martial Art ... ?".  Studying and training in the physical aspects of a Martial Art is done under a teacher either in a school or other setting.  When seeking "the best" it is more productive to focus on the qualities of the teachers and type of instruction available to the seeker within their means to access.  Why?  Because it is impossible to objectively measure the qualities of various martial arts styles and compare them to judge which is best.  However, a seeker can research particular teachers/schools and compare them to one another to discern which is best for the particular goals and needs of the individual seeker.  It is important to note, however, the label of "the best" is a subjective term assigned by an individual using their own beliefs and needs as a basis to assign value.  One person's "the best" may vary wildly from others giving an opinion on the same information.

It is this subjective nature to the process of finding "the best martial art" that makes asking this very general question a non-productive approach to seeking direction on finding a martial art to study.  Essentially the FAQ "What is the best martial art ...?" and attempts to find answers to this question is a waste of energy and effort that could be better devoted to learning about the martial arts and developing more focused questions that reflect the specific needs of the individual seeker.

Yahoo Answers:  Answers from the martial arts category related to this FAQ.

• "There is no best style.
  
  Your size, body type and sex have nothing to do with the style you want to choose. People that think that your size and body type determine the style know little to nothing about martial arts.
  people of all various so called body types, are found in all styles of martial arts and do well in those styles
  
  Most people will tell you there style is the best or they heard such and such is a great style,
  The style is not important, what matters is how good your instructor is and how you train. The style is secondary, they all have there pro's and con's there are no superior styles.
  If you have an instructor that can’t teach you how to fight, regardless of the style, what good would it do you?
  
  Choose a school with a good instructor in the end that’s all that matters, that and how you train.
  Its the person that has the ability to fight not the style" -  (more quotes to be added)    Shihan J, 30+ years martial artist.
• (more quotes to be added)

Tips for making a better question to find "the best" for you:

• Find out what styles are available to you within the limitations of your travel, budget, and interests.
• Visit those schools/teachers and ask questions based on your interests and needs.  Write down information on web sites, brochures, etc...
• Decide which of the available instruction matches your needs.
• If you are unsure about how to decide which to pick out of the avialable choices then you can present a question that will give better feedback.  Model question = "Which of these options available to me are best suited to (fill in specifics)?"  Make sure to include the relevant information (i.e. school web sites, style names, school/instructor details, focus of training) in the details area of the question.
• NOTE:  If you don't narrow the field of your questions down to specifics then all the answers you receive will be based on the subjective opinons and biases of those who choose to answer the question. 

Martial Arts: CLC Bak Mei "White Eyebrow" Kung Fu: Part 2; History v.1, Introduction

 Introduction
History is not a strong point in my academic fields of interest. I have focused on the academic fields of psychology, philosophy, and sociology in my studies. When I deal with topics on history my perspective will be rooted in the perspectives in which I am strong rather than trying to use the rules in the field of history. While I am interested in the narratives of history I do not view them as a significant authority and source of truth.

Regarding the history of Bak Mei kung fu I consider there to be two distinct categories of historical narrative; 1) the Legendary history and 2) the "secular" history. The Legendary history traces the foundation of the style back to the legendary founder, Bak Mei, and the events revolving around the times of the Qing dynasty of China. The secular history starts with the modern founder Cheung Lai Cheun. The term "secular history" is a phrase I learned from Dr. Y.Q. Wong, Phd, during our conversations and refers to the difference between the lineage starting with Cheung Lai Cheun (not a monk or priest) as opposed to pre-CLC attributed to monks of the Shaolin temple and Chan Buddhism.

I choose to focus on the secular history because I am not equipped or educated in the areas of expertise (Chinese history and culture) to give a reliable account of the Legendary histories. Any information I have of that area is passed down directly from Dr. Y.Q. Wong and would be dogma that I could neither support or challenge with citations.

I will cover the history of Cheung Lai Cheun's life-time, his biography, and the foundation styles in which CLC trained and practiced before developing what has become modern CLC Bak Mei. I will do so using source materials from the internet, conversations with Dr. Y.Q. Wong, magazine articles, and historical accounts of the period. I hope to be able to contact and get feedback from the few still living persons who trained directly under CLC.



Relevant Links:
Bak Mei wikipedia article
Dr. Y.Q. Wong's Site (some articles available)
Hong Kong Web Site
Amazon.com Search Results for Pak Mei

There are dozens of websites returned when searching Bak Mei kung fu. Some are definitely legitimate sources of information and others are less so. I will not share those I know to be part of the mainstream organization because I am not qualified to judge the rest of the sites legitimacy and do not wish to imply insult or give offense by failing to link sites that are legitimate.

Traditional Martial Arts

Within the spectrum of Martial Arts there are those that fall under the category of Traditonal Martial Arts (TMA). What distinguishes a TMA from others is the adherence to the cultural traditions and training methods from which the martial art historically developed. Without this aspect of preserving the traditions of the first generation founders and practitioners of the style then the martial art ceases to be a TMA.

The name of a martial arts style can be confusing when trying to figure out whether or not it is a TMA because non-traditional styles that have deviated from their original design often retain and use the name of the TMA from which they started.

Some examples of martial arts designators that could be either a traditional martial art or non-traditional are as follows: Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Aikido, Kung Fu, Silat, Kenpo/Kempo, and Kali/Arnis/Escrima. Of these examples Karate, Kung Fu, and Kenpo/Kempo are the names most frequently misused to represent something that is not a TMA and sometimes it's not even by definition Karate, Kung Fu, or Kenpo/Kempo. The state of affairs in the martial art Tae Kwon Do is such a complex issue all the intracies will have to be explored in a separate entry devoted entirely to that art.

One of the key attributes of the Traditional Martial Arts is the original combat applications of the historical originators are often part of the style that is carefully preserved in transmission from one generation to the next. If time erodes away many of the styles tradition the focus is almost always to preserve the integrity of the style's effective concepts and applications. If those are lost then all else becomes meaningless in the context of the Martial in martial arts.

The majority of TMA's keep meticulous records regarding the lineage or path of transmission of the style from one generation to the next. Any teacher or school claiming to teach a traditional style should be able to provide you with the names of their teacher, their teacher's teacher, and so forth all the way back to the founder of the art. If this is not the case when questioned on the topic of lineage then that's a red-flag warning about that claim to being a TMA. It is the lineage of a Traditional Martial Artist that ties him or her to their style and gives them legitimacy, not an organization, franchise, or certificate.

For the most fundamental of Traditional Martial Artists that strive to follow the "old ways" the teaching of their style is a labor of love and not something they do in order to earn income. These fundamentalists in the TMA's are almost never easily found through internet searches, checking in phone or business directories, and do not advertise their abilities. Often they teach out of their homes, in parks, or in back rooms of various community businesses or Churches. For them the most important quality for students are traits that mirror the values and ethics of the tradition they teach. Classes under these types of TMA's tend to be very small in number and the relationships of those practicing the style more like an extended family than that of a group that share a hobby/activity in common.

Within the global Martial Arts community there are those who advocate strongly for the Traditional Martial Arts and there are those who strongly criticize the TMA's training methods and their effectiveness. The general population unfamiliar with the intricacies of the Martial Arts often don't realize how few Traditional Martial Arts schools exist in reality and how rare they are to find open to the public.

In my experience Traditional styles may also be referred to as "classical" or "feudal".

Martial Arts: CLC Bak Mei "White Eyebrow" Kung Fu; AKA Pak Mei, Bok Mei, Bai Mei (part 1)

This Blog entry will discuss the traditional Chinese Kung Fu style of Bak Mei "White Eyebrow". Bak Mei is one of the more rare styles of traditional (classical) kung fu in the Western culture and it is relatively difficult to find literature, resources, and accurate information regarding this style.

I am a student of the Chattanooga, TN, Branch of Bak Mei "White Eyebrow" Kung Fu, in training since December of 2002. I began studying under Dr. Y.Q. Wong, PhD, who is now deceased. I am continuing my training under Luke Kilburn. The secular lineage from Cheung Lai Chuen to me is CLC to Chang Beng Fat & Ng Nam King to Dr. Y.Q. Wong, PhD to Luke Kilburn to me. I will not claim to be 7th generation even though I trained directly under Dr. Wong for several years because Luke Kilburn has taught me much and corrected many things that were wrong in my practice.

A special note regarding the lineage of Dr. Y.Q. Wong: In a few instances I have read on the internet some subtle challenges to the legitimacy of Dr. Wong's lineage. These challenges were implied through the context of the writing and not directly stated, however, I will address them here. Regardless of the opinions of others regarding documents and pictures I have found the highest form of proof available that supports the lineage of Dr. Wong. The following video posted on YouTube is a clip of an annual celebration and gathering of Bak Mei teachers in Hong Kong. At time 1:23 to 1:30 Dr. Y.Q. Wong is performing.



This gathering is located in Hong Kong, the last residence of CLC before his death, and is hosted by the main branch of CLC Bak Mei located there. The reason I provide this as irrefutable evidence for legitimacy of Dr. Y.Q. Wong's lineage is because there is no way the Hong Kong association or the other masters of Bak Mei Kung Fu would allow some one making false lineage claims to attend and perform as a recognized teacher in their event. Cheng Beng Fat (son of CLC) and Ng Nam King were both important and honored members of the Hong Kong association, serving executive roles in that organization. If false, Dr Wong's public claim of them being his teachers would be an outrageous offense to the Hong Kong organization and his presence would not be tolerated in their functions. Not only was he present but he was also honored by being given a spot rotation in the performance of the masters and teachers attending the celebration.

As a supplement I offer this link to the Hong Kong official website "Global Pak Mei Martial Arts Association" where they have written an Obituary in english dedicated to Dr. Wong that states in writing his lineage and role in the Global Pak Mei Martial Arts Association.

Dr. Wong's widow, Michon, dedicated her energy and efforts towards preserving Dr. Wong's legacy and contributions to Bak Mei with the stated goal of helping the Chattanooga branch of the Bak Mei family become an active hub for international pracitioners of Bak Mei kung fu. Michon became terminally ill and assigned various duties and tasks to all the students and graduates of Dr. Wong's lineage. She asked I take on two duties to serve our branch, one of which is to be the "public relations" voice of our school and to raise awareness of our role in the Bak Mei community through appropriate means. She felt my high extroversion, social nature, self-motivation, several other personality traits were well suited to establish contacts, network with other branches and martial artists, and to help further her vision for Dr. Wong's lineage of Bak Mei. My efforts are handicapped by my lack of language skills in Cantonese and Mandarin. I hope to learn enough of those Chinese languages to be able to directly communicate with the Hong Kong and Guanzhou associations.

For those unfamiliar with traditional Chinese Kung Fu, this preamble is necessary to establish my connection to the style and offer evidence I know anything of value to write about Bak Mei. I will continue to write about Bak Mei in a series of Blog posts.

Please note, however, that Bak Mei is a closed style. This means that there are certain aspects of the style, the training methods, and the details of concepts and techniques that are not openly shared with the general public. This restriction is part of tradition and is a rule I will not break now or in the future. Any questions regarding areas specifically restricted are to be a topic of discussion to be done in person with an authorized teacher of Bak Mei who will decide whether or not to give detailed answers based on the style's moral and ethical standards and philosophies.

Registering with Technorati

This Blog entry is to complete the process of claiming this Blog with the Technorati website. The Technorati site is a Blog search engine and site in which Bloggers gather together to find audiences and share interests. It seems like a good way to inject oneself into the mainstream of the internet information highway.

UPG3KTZZ2DYY

Video review: Systema Strength and Flexibility Training

Martial Art: Systema.
DVD: "Systema Strength and Flexibility" by Kwan Lee.
Clip: Dynamic Stretching.
Amazon.com Page

Review:

I first heard about Systema from internet forum questions and topics. For a period of time I thought Systema was a self-defense method or combatives system. I set out on a research project to learn more about Systema and found it to be a martial art with all the accompanying philosophies, methods and history; not an abridged system. The Systema founders claim it is descended from and rooted in Russian Orthodox Christianity.

This video was made by Kwan Lee, founder and head instructor of Russian Martial Art Arizona.

While I found the material regarding exercise physiology and joints in the video to be accurate from my own knowledge through education and experience there is no supporting evidence or citations provided in the video. The dynamic stretching methods are completely new to my experience and I found them to be fascinating and useful. I've adopted that portion of the video into my own training routines.

While I gleaned some useful tidbits on training methods from the video I do not recommend a novice to the martial arts try to do the same. I already have a deep foundation in proper body mechanics and the basics of the martial arts. Without that prior training I wouldn't be able to understand what Mr. Lee was doing in the video. There are portions of the video that should not be attempted by novices without proper supervision. The clip I feature here is the easiest to understand and the least likely for some one to screw up attempting to do what they see. I still don't recommend anyone try to learn from this video without prior training or under qualified supervision.

I found the information in this video to be accurate, though unsupported by citation so verification could take some one quite a while if they aren't alread educated in those fields of exercise science. The exercises for joint mobility, conditioning, and strengthening are some of the best I've seen from any system or style.

END OF REVIEW.

This Blog entry is dedicated to Mo Mo who has screwed his wrists up by attempting to improvise strength and conditioning training without proper supervision.

Note about Chattanooga Martial Arts Guide

The compilation of the Chattanooga Martial Arts Guide on this Blog is an independent work of mine. I am not receiving any compensation from any martial arts school in the guide. If offered compensation from a specific school I will refuse. I wish to approach this project with honesty, integrity, and as free from external influence as possible.

In the interest of full disclosure I will state here that I am a student of Dr.Y.Q. Wong's Kung Fu Academy and my 8 year old step-son is a student of Green's Karate. I chose both schools based on my knowledge, experience, and needs. I do not recommend them above other schools based on general considerations, however I may recommend them based on specific considerations posed by individuals asking my opinion.

I have already identified a problem in this process, which is how to balance honesty in my reviews of these schools and not causing a negative or harmful impact on those businesses by expressing my opinions. Where possible I will avoid expressing my opinion and try to provide as much informational resources so that a reader may form their own conclusions.

While there are schools that employ training methods and have affiliations of which I do not approve I will refrain from expressing my opinion on those matters since I recognize those schools may provide other positive services to their students.

This project is to serve the interests of the consumers and potential students of the martial arts. The secondary function of this project is to promote awareness of the Martial Arts in the Chattanooga area community.