The desire to succeed is universal; nobody, especially the martial
artist, sets out to fail. What constitutes "success" is as varied
as types of people. To the ideal martial artist it may be reaping the physical,
spiritual, mental, and emotional rewards of successful training; it may even
come in the form of a successful martial arts school. Whatever the definition,
success embodies a way of living, which brings some kind of reward or achievement.
The ideal martial artist strives for and is in fact the embodiment
of "success". He/she is ultimately successful in all worthwhile endeavors
that he/she undertakes. Not only is there success indicated by material, political,
or social gain but also by the fulfillment of the more intangible fruits offered
by the martial arts. In becoming successful he/she learns the intricate secrets
of life, as life's ultimate reward is success.
The primary focus of the martial arts dwells on self-improvement,
self-discipline, self-confidence, emotional growth, developing a life philosophy
aimed at achieving harmony within ourselves, and the ability to overcome oneself,
preservation of self-dignity and honor come before personal gain because it
is "for defense only". By definition, then, "sport martial art"
is "for offense only". This is especially true of "Olympic-bound"
Tae Kwon Do or Karate, in which sparring is the primary focus.
It is self-evident that no true martial art can be categorized
as a sport, just as no sport can become a martial art without certain modifications.
And some of the martial art forms have in modern times deviated so much from
their original classical concepts that it is questionable that they can still
be considered genuine martial arts at all. Sport, by definition, has as its
ultimate goal championship performances and the establishment of records.
We will teach you to compete against yourself: all can be winners
with enough dedication. We will give you the tools that will last you a lifetime.
The true martial arts, on the other hand, do not emphasize competition,
record-breaking, or championships. Their ultimate aim is individual self-improvement
and self-realization. But many modern "martial arts" have been especially
guilty of emphasizing competitions of man against man, of team against team.
The competition for titles and awards is alien to the true spirit of the classical
martial arts. In addition, competition is not the right atmosphere for everyone.
Many children would be much more confident and achieve so much more if they
were encouraged to compete with their past performances and not compete with
others.
The martial arts uphold non-conformity without rebellion, concern
without fear, differences without hostility. In their ever-abiding search for
truth they bring change without confusion. The true martial artist gradually
achieves that permanent optimism which sets aside those materialistic emphases
that define people as commodities. Such qualities as discipline, concentration,
patience and genuine concern are not easily come by. The martial artist develops
them only by disciplining his life and daily habits in accord with the goals
he sets for himself. Easy it is not. The noblest mission it is.
With this in mind, change in the martial arts should be understood
as change that consists of development of some kind, like the development of
a tree from a seed. To understand what sort of thing Tae kwon do or Karate,
for instance, is developing into, we must look at its ultimate goal. In short,
Tae Kwon Do and Karate is distinguished from sports such as boxing or wrestling
just as an oak tree is from a birch tree.
Tae Kwon Do or Karate is neither sport nor dance. It is, rather, a technique and the spirit of unarmed self-defense. By its very nature and definition the true martial artist wears no protective clothing and uses no equipment. Thus, the training methods must be designed to control without reducing combat value. And such rules and regulations that transform a fighting art into a competitive sport reduce its effectiveness. Thus, the values of combat are weakened and elements not at all related to real combat creep into the exercise patterns.
The winner of sport Tae Kwon Do or Karate tournaments is determined by the quantity of points scored by the offensive assault of an opponent. "Sport Tae Kwon Do or Karate," then, diverges from the path of true martial art. Indeed, it is no longer martial art. To sum it up, in Art, you are only in competition with yourself to achieve self-development, while in sport; one competes with others to achieve a trophy or championship.