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Kaizen Blog Tools Rate This Blog
Creation Date: 03-13-2007 11:56 AM
scarey
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Status: Public
Entries: 29
Comments: 24
Views: 180,977

In General Competing for points vs competing for life Entry Tools Rate This Entry
  #19 New 04-06-2008 01:06 PM
I had an interesting discussion the other day about different styles and how aikido, specifically my level of aikido, compare with each other. At some point in the conversation it was brought to my attention that it doesn't matter what the style is. What is important is the level of commitment the individual has. The difference in commitment is readily noticed between practicing martial arts for competition versus practicing for self-defense (self mastery, self improvement, self realization, etc).

There is a definite amount of respect I have for those people who commit to training their mind and bodies to the point of being able to compete. Not being extremely competitive myself, I can only imagine that there is a certain amount of precision involved in competitive training, i.e., knowing the rules about where you are allowed to strike, knowing which strike zones are worth more points, etc.
There is a definite amount of respect I have for those people who commit to training their mind and bodies to handle being attacked on the street by multiple assailants. Someone who sets out to attack you has definitely committed themselves to your demise and your ability to handle that will be demonstrated by which person is able to walk away from that situation voluntarily.

So maybe it's worthwhile to find some similarities between these two scenarios. Doing this might help find out what the real differences are.

Similarities:
l. They both invoke an enormous amount of adrenalin
2. They both carry a level of emotional intensity
3. There is something at stake in both situations

Now for the differences, I'll take those similarities and get much more specific

1. Competition produces adrenalin but it's likely used by your body in a completely different way then if a sharp knife were to find itself inches away from your stomach.
2. I've never had my life threatened but I would guess that surviving that kind of incident would produce very different emotions than being part of an awards ceremony.
3. In a competition, your pride is at stake. When you are accosted, your life might be at stake. Dramatic difference.

Again, this post isn't to say what's right or wrong, who's better or not. It's just an attempt to examine the difference.
Views: 2493 | Comments: 5


RSS Feed 5 Responses to "Competing for points vs competing for life"
#5 04-13-2008 09:49 PM
scarey Says:
You're right, I missed the boat. I might be going further off the topic with what I'm about to say. I remember earliest days of training I was told if you have to use physical means in order to resolve a conflict, Aikido is already lost. I was immediately confused by the fact that what followed those words was a very physical lesson in what to do if someone grabs your wrist. Maybe the point of the advice was to figure out how to prevent someone from grabbing your wrist in the first place.
#4 04-13-2008 05:50 PM
Budd Says:
--Continued from previous comment Certainly wasn't asking you to get in real fights to the death -- no more than I was asking you to get experience in competitive martial arts -- before offering an opinion
#3 04-13-2008 05:50 PM
Budd Says:
I think you misunderstand . . . I was asking that, rather than analyze something you seem to not have experience in (i.e. competitive martial arts) and comparing that to a real life and death situation -- I postulated that you might actually look at what (I assume) you DO have experience in (i.e. non-competitive martial arts) and examine how THAT compares (how does it help, are there gaps from training to real life?) . .
#2 04-11-2008 03:34 PM
scarey Says:
That would certainly provide much insight but I don't normally attract people that want to attack me. That leaves me with the superficial option of choosing someone at random and attacking them for nothing more than the experience of being attacked. This leaves me where I am right now: bones still attached to me, head still turning 180 degrees, and mental faculties still function properly :-)
#1 04-10-2008 11:03 AM
Budd Says:
Interesting, how about comparing non-competitive (which I presume is what you currently have experience in) aikido practice with a real life and death situations and see where there might also be gaps?
 




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