One way or another.

By Joel Persinger

Over and over again I hear martial artists (both students and teachers) claiming that their way is the only way or the best way or the original way or whatever. Some think the argument has its roots in the age old question “which martial art is best?”, but that could not be further from the truth. The argument has its roots in pride and arrogance.

Martial arts as we know them today were developed over thousands of years through trial and error. Therefore, martial arts are a work in progress. It is only through the lens of pride that we gaze upon the limitless number of approaches to the arts with a feeling of superiority. In fact, some arts actually started from the same root and were split due to arguments or politics. In which case, they are essentially the same. Perfect examples of this are the various “Karate” styles.

I received my black belt in Tang Soo Do (a Korean Karate style). Tang Soo Do could not be more similar to ITF Tae Kwon Do if it wanted to be. Sure, the “forms” (Katas, Hyungs or whatever you want to call them) are a little different and one instructor may focus upon the sport while the other focuses upon the ability to defend one’s self. But a round kick is a round kick, a front kick is a front kick, a palm strike is a palm strike and a back fist is a back fist in both of these arts as well as most other “Karate” styles. The techniques are very similar even if the philosophies may be somewhat different.

When my Tang Soo Do instructor retired a Tae Kwon Do instructor took over. Both instructors focus on self-defense, so the skills are about 50/50 hands and feet. Each instructor has a different approach to teaching and the traditional “forms” are different. Beyond that, the arts are the same. Both arts are Korean and have the same roots. They split over politics. Both of these arts claim to have been created by individual Koreans. Yet, if you pick up a book on the Karate of Okinawa (Karate-Do by Gichen Funakoshi for example) you will find it is basically the same art. In spite of this, I have heard many argue that one Karate style or the other is better. What prideful nonsense.

The simple truth is that no art is better than the other any more than one size really fits all. Truly different fighting systems may take different approaches to solving the problem of combat, but unless one of us has mutated recently we are all limited to having two legs and two arms. I have studied Karate styles, Philipino styles, and some internal Chinese arts. In doing so, I have discovered that each has its strengths and weaknesses. None are the perfect art.

As a black belt in a Karate style I have had the honor of being in the ring with other Karate men, Wing Chung instructors, Arnis and Kali instructors, Jujitsu practitioners and others. In each case these men managed to hit me, kick me, or put me on my butt and in each case I returned the favor. I remember a particular Wing Chung instructor who came blazing at me with chain punches (an absolutely devastating technique). He almost always got through with one or two and they hurt. He was obviously quite pleased whenever he managed to hit me (which was fairly often). On the other hand, I was quite pleased when I bopped him upside his head and through him hard to the mat or when I kicked him so many times it sent him running around the mat to escape. Now… which art was best that day, Tang Soo Do or Wing Chung? The answer is neither. Had we been fighting instead of playing around he would have hurt me badly and I him. End of story.

In the final analysis, the art that’s best is the one that helps you accomplish your goals. For example: If you’re military or law enforcement and just need to know how to fight, then simple, direct, quickly learned arts might be best. Krav Maga or W. Hock Hochheim’s Close Quarters Combative classes would be perfect. On the other hand, you may be looking for a way to keep in shape while learning focus, balance, patience and self-defense. In that case, a traditional art might be the ticket. I happen to like both. So, I study some traditional arts as well as take every opportunity to learn practical street fighting by attending seminars and working out with other friends who do. The bottom line is that only you can determine what works best for you. But what works best for you may not be best for the next person. If we were all the same, the world would be a very dull place.

So, I encourage you to study different arts as you go along in your life. The end result is that you develop your own art by adding what works for you to what you have already learned. Remember, humility is always better than pride… so practice humility and remember that every art has something to teach us.