What Went Wrong with Traditional Martial Arts

Why do traditional martial arts no longer work in combat

The Rise and Decline of Traditional Martial Arts

When referring to traditional martial arts in this blog post, I am talking about martial arts which focus on hand patterns and have developed over the last 200 years (which the majority were, despite many claiming of being thousands of years old) This means that students and teachers of the style spend over 90 percent of their time practicing solo movements and not against a training partner.

Traditional martial arts were once effective holistic fighting systems that included, strikes, clinch work, throws with some styles even including some ground fighting elements and joint locks. They were developed in the context of their time with many creating set forms or patterns as way of passing on concepts and movements to the next generation in a world where most people were illiterate.

So what happened? How did we go from effective and tested battlefield techniques to a student of traditional martial arts never have tested their martial skills in any form of combat? Let’s take a look.

The Problem of Tradition Over Function

One of the main elements that has influenced the stagnation of traditional martial arts is that many practitioners wish to preserve their old practices and methods, while also discarding more modern evidence based practices.

This is a problem as many of the original practices have either been lost, misconstrued or misunderstood for a few generations of martial artists. This can be seen in modern karate where lots of the original forms were designed for in close clinch fighting and has been altered to distance fighting in modern interpretations of the style. A clear example of this in Karate is something called a Hikite or pulling hand. This is a technique where a hand is pulled back to the waist as shown below.

The hand on the hip is the hikite

The original application of this movement was to grab, clear and or control limbs to move your opponent off balance for a throw, control one of your opponents hands so that they cannot strike with the limb or clear a path so that you can strike with the other hand. This means that both hands are active and you are not leaving a massive whole in your defences.

Modern practitioners of Karate claim that the hikite helps with power generation, but I am pretty sure that if this was the case then the hardest punchers, boxers, would take this method up very quickly.

Here is a video of a Karate practitioner who practices practical Karate discussing the true role of the hikite.

Click here to watch video: The true role of Hikite

This is one example of many that shows how valuing claims of lineage and rituals over the effectiveness of the martial art gradually erodes the practical value of any martial art and there are many many more example.

Due the unwillingness to pressure test and change traditional methods, traditional martial arts have lost any fighting kudos they may once have had.

Secrecy and the Illusion of Superiority

We have all watched Kung Fu movies where the old grandmaster teaches their student a secret killer move that helps them defeat the final boss. This idea of a secret move does have some historical truth behind it. Many traditional styles were family styles. This would mean a martial art developed by a small ethnic group of people or people within a family.

This led to an environment of closed door training and ‘hidden techniques’. This led to a closed system were no external factors could influence the development of the families martial art, giving a false sense of security and superiority. Creating a context were techniques were not pressure tested and myths and mysticism replaced real-world application.

The Refusal to Adapt: A Fatal Mistake

We have already touched on this topic. The resistance to taking on new training methodologies and pressure techniques, is a big part of why traditional martial arts no longer produce fighters.

There is another layer to this. Many traditional styles take a ones size fits all approach, meaning that they do not adapt their system to the individual. It doesn’t make a difference if a student is tall, small, what gender they are, physical abilities, how they think and move. In the teachers mind these are perfect fighting systems that need no adaptation. Any modern combat sports coach would know and understand that we must adapt training principles and methods to the individual is they are to see any success in a combat, there is no one size fits all approach in martial arts.

Avoiding the Same Pitfalls: The Future of Combat Sports

Combat sports can remain effective by avoiding the pitfalls of traditionalism. While the foundational techniques and philosophies of various combat disciplines are essential, strict adherence to past practices can hinder growth and adaptation. By identifying and challenging outdated methods, practitioners can develop more effective strategies that cater to modern contexts and diverse competition scenarios. Embracing a flexible mindset allows athletes to integrate new insights and refine their skills, ensuring that they are not only preserving the sport's essence but also enhancing its applicability.

The need for continuous innovation, open-mindedness, and real-world testing is paramount in the evolution of combat sports. Engaging in constant experimentation creates an environment where new techniques and approaches can be explored. Real-world testing provides real-world feedback, allowing athletes and coaches to assess the effectiveness of these innovations in actual competition. By prioritizing adaptability and a willingness to learn, combat sports can thrive, while maintaining their core principles and avoiding the pitfalls and mistakes of traditional martial arts.

WHERE DOES SANDA KICKBOXING FIT IN THE STORY

Sanda Kickboxing is one of the only combat sport to come from traditional martial arts. Its origins are rooted in traditional Chinese martial arts and wrestling. Its development involved taking the elements of traditional Kung Fu that were combatively effective and putting them into a combat sport. The result was a well rounded stand up fighting style that incorporates modern striking techniques, throws, clinch and wrestling. It is what traditional martial arts could be if they would adapt to modern times.

You can learn this dynamic style of kickboxing with us! Book your free trial class and learn an effective modern combat sport.