A student last week approached me and asked, “Sir, do you have a workout regimine that you do? I would like to work on my physique.” The short answer to his question was yes, but when you pull back the layers, the better answer to the question is that while it won’t hurt to do other workouts outside of class, it really isn’t necessary if you want to get in shape.
With the rise in popularity of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai and other arts that are more geared toward combativeness, I have heard many people ask in a very polite and curious manner, “Why would somebody want to train in Tang Soo Do or Karate?” I simply reply that it depends on what the student is looking for in their training. Some may or may not pursue the constant combative aspects found in those martial arts.
One of my colleagues, Karl, has a better answer to the question that really makes you put everything into perspective. People use different parts of their background to help them relate to the martial arts. I use my engineering and music backgrounds to help me better explain certain aspects of training. While Karl is an engineer just like I am, I will note that Karl enjoys playing video games in his spare time. This background led him to answer the question, “Why would somebody want to train in Tang Soo Do or Karate?” like this.
Karl explains, “While a lot of combative arts appear much like Player vs. Player video games, Tang Soo Do is more like Player vs. Environment games.” Let’s compare a game like Super Smash Bros. to a game like Minecraft. While there are certain exceptions to different game modes for both games, Super Smash Bros. is mostly a Player vs. Player game and Minecraft is mostly a player vs Environment game. In Super Smash Bros, your outcome is dependent on your ability to surmount your opponent(s) or the computer. In Minecraft, you can really choose your own adventure, adapt different strategies, work on yourself, and compare yourself to how you were the day before. In Karate or Tang Soo Do, an opponent is not necessary to assess your growth. It is a full body workout when taken seriously and can really change you as a person in mind, body and spirit.
The practice of forms really gives you the ability to work on yourself by yourself and that is the end game. Sure there is definitely a certain aspect of working on yourself in the combative arts, but in the end, you are assessed in comparison to another person not on your ability to do something on your own to certain standards.
In reality, as long as you maintain a clean diet, regularly practicing martial arts in any way will get you the rest of the way to the destination of fitness. Through the use of forms training, you really don’t have an excuse. Shito Ryu founder Kenwa Mabuni was known for doing 30 forms every day to maintain his level of technique and fitness. What is your excuse? Go get to work.
