Martial Arts Revealed: Benefits, Problems, and Solutions

By Jamie A. Seabrook

Learn about the enormous benefits one can receive from consistent martial arts training-physically, psychologically, and spiritually. Martial Arts Revealed reports on issues that are critical to every person involved in the martial arts: What steps should be taken to avoid a potential fight situation? Which factors affect the psychosocial characteristics of children involved in martial arts? Are the martial arts as safe as other mainstream sports activities? How can Tai Chi benefit the elderly?

At the same time, Martial Arts Revealed will outline some of the more common challenges occurring today. For example, it will also address important subtopics such as: The association between competitive martial artists and eating disorders The problem of competing martial arts organizations Martial arts rivalries Head injuries in highly competitive tournaments

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jun 15, 2003
• ISBN: 9781469723730

Jamie A. Seabrook

Jamie Seabrook is a 5th Degree Black Belt in American Kenpo Karate and also holds black belts in Kung Fu, Modern Arnis, and Shorin-Ryu Karate. He is a member of the Masters Hall of Fame (2000). His educational background includes a Masters Degree in Sociology (2000) from the University of Western Ontario.

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Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS  

INTRODUCTION  

1  

2  

3  

4  

5  

6  

7  

8  

9  

10  

11  

CONCLUSION  

REFERENCES  

I dedicate this book to my wife, Chantel, and my daughter, Morgan. I am so

blessed to have the two of you in my life. I am so grateful to Chantel for inspiring

me to pursue my dreams and for lifting me up when I am down. You are my best

friend and the joy that brings me happiness every day. I love you forever.

Morgan—your mom and dad realize that heaven must be missing an angel since

you are with us. We love you so much precious one. It is Jesus’ love for your parents

that allowed us to be blessed with you.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS  

I would personally like to thank my father, Dale, for believing in me and giving me all kinds of encouragement throughout my childhood years of training. My dad motivated me when I was frustrated and was a guiding light through storms. He went the extra mile by paying for private lessons and taking me to tournaments, seminars, camps, and so on.

I would also like to thank all of my instructors that I have had over the years. Without their knowledge, I would have never had the drive to write this book. To my local instructors throughout my childhood and teenage years, thank you. A special thanks goes out to Master Steve Spry, who was instrumental in recommending me to the Masters Hall of Fame, and who has given me confidence unimaginable.

I also acknowledge my wife, Chantel, for her dedicated efforts in editing this book, and for believing and supporting all of my martial arts goals. Thank you.

INTRODUCTION  

The most unique feature of this book is its applicability to everyone who is considering or is currently involved in the martial arts. If you have never taken martial arts before, or do not have extensive experience in it, this book will introduce you to similarities and differences between various styles of the martial arts, and how to choose a style that best suits your interests. Thus you will learn about martial arts that specialize in throwing techniques, kicking, joint locking, grappling, striking and so on. Once you have narrowed in where your interests lie, it is relatively easy to choose a style of martial arts that is conducive to you.

A comparison will also be made between modern and traditional methods of self-defense. In making this comparison, I argue two key points. First, it is logical to try to improve and upgrade previous knowledge of self-defense. Second, if traditional methods of practice are our choice of study, we should aim to fully comprehend the movements of the particular style by researching the true applications intended by its originators.

Martial arts organizations are another key issue of this book. The aim is not to give a listing of the various associations that you can become involved with, but rather to give a critical analysis of some of the more common problems associated with organizations. You will learn about the politicization of organizations and how they often exploit martial artists for its own benefit. I will also describe how martial arts organizations can be enticing to black belts in general, and studio owners in particular.

The psychological impact of martial arts training will be evaluated. The reader will learn how martial arts training can build a student’s self esteem, confidence, discipline, humility and focus. Conversely, you will learn why some people develop negative attitudes from training in the martial arts, and why choosing an appropriate instructor can be one of the most imperative decisions made in your martial arts journey.

Confidence and self-esteem is often shaped by our satisfaction with our body type. The harmful impact that the media can play on having people obsess about their bodies will be addressed, and how competitive martial artists are at an increased risk of eating disorders. Martial artists should eat regular meals that offer a balance of high-carbohydrate, moderate protein and low fat in their diets.

Injuries and injury prevention will be addressed. Many people believe that martial arts training put children and adults at a higher risk for injury than most conventional sports practiced today. Not only is this not true, but in many cases, martial arts practitioners are actually at a lower risk. Where injuries do occur, they are likely to be minor, and usually do not require students to stop training for healing purposes. An exception occurs, however, with students and instructors that participate in full-contact fighting without wearing the appropriate protective gear. Most notably, not wearing a helmet when participating in full-contact tournaments puts martial artists at a high risk for serious injury. I argue that rules must change at these tournaments, and that wearing protective gear must be more firmly enforced.

The practice of Tai Chi will be analyzed, particularly as it relates to the elderly. Through a comprehensive review of the current literature, the physical and psychosocial benefits of Tai Chi will be demonstrated. There will also be evidence showing that seniors can participate in many hard styles of martial arts, and are likely to improve over time. I argue that elderly people need to be considered in the present and future of the martial arts. To incorporate this age group into mainstream martial arts, we must break down stereotypical barriers about older people. For example, we must recognize the knowledge that seniors can share with us and eliminate beliefs about the inevitability of physical and psychological decline in older persons.

Through their years of dedication and sacrifice in the martial arts, the reader will learn what it means to be a master of the martial arts. I will differentiate true masters from self-proclaimed masters. True masters have positively influenced the lives of dozens, hundreds, perhaps even thousands of persons over the years, and exhibit an attitude of humility, honesty, courtesy, self-control, integrity and discipline. They do not have to boast about their accomplishments and skill level. Others can watch them and do it for them. Self-proclaimed masters, on the other hand, did not receive their title by anyone except themselves. They lack patience, are aggressive and arrogant, and find a need to criticize as many martial artists as possible.

Throughout this book, I offer a journey into my past and present and try to demonstrate some of the positive and negative issues surrounding the martial arts today. Much of what is stated is backed up by evidence; some issues describe only personal experience. The purpose of this book is not to persuade you into thinking exactly like I do. Rather, it is to enlighten you about issues that can help you make more rational decisions in your martial arts journey. I hope that this book will bring more people into the martial arts. If you already have extensive experience in the martial arts, I am optimistic that this book will give you up-to-date information on critical issues as they relate to the martial arts. It may motivate you to alter your way of teaching, or prompt you to try a different style of the martial arts.

Lastly, a book without solutions and ideas to problems is worthless. Thus I offer ten key steps that I know will help you achieve everything you deserve out of the martial arts. Regardless of your length of training, these steps can guide and motivate you to be your very best. The ten steps are as follows:

1. Decide What You Really Want to Get Out of the Martial Arts

2. Choose A Style That Best Suits Your Interests

3. Find A Martial Arts School in Your Area

4. Ask Questions

5. Find Time to Practice

6. Interrupt Your Patterns

7. Set Short and Long-Term Goals

8. Learn More About What You Already Know

9. Keep An Open Mind Toward Other Styles

10. Teach

1  

MY MARTIAL ARTS JOURNEY

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.

—(Calvin Coolidge)

In September 1985, my parents took me to the Western Fair—an annual event that provides rides, food and beverage, displays and games for children in my hometown of London, Ontario, Canada. While games and winning prizes usually captivate me, I noticed something that changed the direction of my concentration. It was a martial arts demonstration. The master instructor was breaking boards in the air with punches while he continuously threw them one after another. He also walked on nails, with seemingly no effect. The greatest display, however, was his weapons demonstration. The instructor was using weapons of all shapes and sizes and was choreographing specific movements of the weapons to music. I was awestruck. I looked at my dad and told him, I want to learn that.

The very next evening, I was wearing a white uniform (called a ghi) and was enrolled in karate. My father enrolled me at a school that was very close to our home. The head instructor was a 4th Degree Black Belt in the art of Kenpo Karate and a student in Modern Arnis. I learned quickly that martial arts practice, and these two styles in particular, were quite different from demonstrations. There were very little flashy maneuvers being taught. Instead, I was learning realistic street applicable movements that could potentially save one’s life.

During my first class, I found myself in a group of mostly adults. I was very anxious and fearful of not knowing what to expect. After a brief warm-up and stretching routine, I will never forget the first thing that I learned. It was a self-defense technique that is performed when someone is choking you from behind. The technique required me to do a backward elbow to my opponent’s solar plexus, followed by a downward hammerfist to the groin area. At that point, I was to grab my opponent’s testicles and finish with an upward elbow to the chin area, thereby breaking a few teeth of my opponent as well. I remember how surprised I was when learning these dangerous movements. It was almost as if I believed that I was a trained ninja, whom if ever attacked without reason, could easily destroy my prey with swift karate blows to vital targets. This level of confidence did not last.

My first two years of training had a lot of downsides. The biggest obstacle that I faced was trying to remember the countless number of self-defense techniques that were required for each belt level. As I look back on the situation from an instructor’s perspective, I think it would