So what is the Modern Martial Artist to do? We are told the only way to be an expert if to set your feet firmly in one of three catagories; Competition or sport martial arts like MMA or Bjj or Judo or Tae Kwon Do or Muay Thai, in Reality Based Self-Defense systems & short cut self-defense systems like Tony Bauer's SPEAR, Jim Wagner's Reality Based Personal Protection or even the Fairbairn system of Military Hand-to-Hand Combatives (all good systems with a good foundation of techniques) and in traditional systems with spirit and history unique to them but adapted or not to modern sport useage or ancient warrior fighting techniques. Is the Modern Martial Artist to bounce between all three mainstream branches of martial arts and create their own system or be drawn up into a Martial Arts cult of personality where Grandmaster so-&-so or System founder whomever cannot be questioned and their methods can not be improved upon..?
There will always be a need for tradition especially in the area of the Spirit of the martial art. As a ninjutsu practicer I find that many elements of ninjutsu are applicatable for modern life; even though ninjutsu historically is not a "martial art" in that it has a battlefield application. Ninjutsu is the "Hidden Art" it is about creating results with the smallest amount of force. Rather then fighting we disappear and hide from the threat... rather then fighting we use psychological manipulation to redirect an enemy... When all else fails we Assassinate an enemy so that they do have a chance to retaliate or harm us or our loved ones...
While I don't find much use for the assassination portion of ninjutsu, I do use psychological manipulation on a regular basis. Everything from dealing with unruly individuals to helping people realize their true potential. I have even been acused of misusing my "Ninja Powers for Evil" by Grandmaster David Harris to pick up women... In the modern world of "Civilized Society" the courage to face an aversary directly is replaced with a sort of political in-fighting & back stabbing that can make the threat of physical violence all the more dangerious if only indirectly.
The Modern Martial Artist is at a disadvantage and at an advantage from his older peers; first the Modern Martial Artist has more information and more options, secondly the modern martial artist can custom build a system from several others that may fit the needs and personality of the individual Martial Artist. The Modern Martial Artist has two distinct disadvantage as well...
More information means more useless information to the individual & custom building a system is hit or miss, trial and error and time consuming. I recently watched a video of Tony Bauer explaining "Hick's Law" (More options more time to sort and choose those options) which reminded me of a very scientific way of explaining Bruce Lee's infamous words about the goal of mastery being a daily weeding out of excess and not its abundance. For the Modern Martial Artist the daily decrease of techniques to simple core methods that needs to be built up & is the only path to success...
The Threats of modern society are self-defense against devious coworkers trying to steal your job or keep you from being promoted, false friends who wish to drag you down with them, muggers, rapists, terrorists and even their own psychological weaknesses. The Modern Martial Artist must be built on a solid foundation of psychological and philosophical principles that create a kind of mental toughness associated with the Warriors of the Past, carrying their spirit of self-discipline and self-sacrofice to the modern word around them. Then core fighting techniques need to be drilled so that speed, power and accuracy are developed and adaption and competition to develop simulated experience (not just in a cage or on a mat but in dealing with self-defense scenarios as well) and finally expanded into weapons systems.
It is not a matter of this style Vs that style, and while I have taken this approach with Street Focus Jujitsu (http://shadowwarriorpress.com/products/street-focus-jujitsu-handbook) that concept and principles are not my own to claim, they are not exclusive to myself. The concept is a Spiritual Root in all Martial Arts no matter their form. The spirit of the concept is one of personal growth and understanding. Of being in a state of constant readiness and prepared to face your enemy on any and all grounds by being mentally and physically tough.
Self-Aware, Self-Controlled, Self-Motivated and Self-Disciplined, now more then ever does the Modern Martial Artists have an opportunity to become a Modern Warrior reflecting the best virtues of Bushido Philosophy...
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