Gen X folks like me remember the gas crisis of the 1970s. Long lines at filling stations and incredibly high prices forced average people to change their perspective.
One of the most luxurious cars of the time was the Lincoln Continental. Huge bench seats front and back, four doors, AM/FM stereo, plush interior and eight thirsty cylinders. It was like driving a couch. But when gas prices put the squeeze on bank accounts, a lot of people traded in their “land boats” for tiny cars like the Toyata Corolla. Two-door sedan with stingy seats, “four on the floor” and plastic interior…but it got 35 miles to the gallon. You may not have ridden in comfort but you didn’t have to take out a loan to fill the tank.
Perfect example function over form. As with many things in life, once the fecal matter hits the oscillating device, people tend to trade nice, shiny things for dull, boring, efficient things.
Students and teachers of traditional Japanese martial arts, (Budo) wrestle with this concept all the time.
You may be surprised to learn that there are martial arts that have very little to do with practical fighting. Kyudo, the Japanese art of archery is one example. This art evolved from the samurai era when archers were frequently used in battle. Kyudo practioners use a traditional Japanese long bow to demonstrate precise, orchestrated movements in a ritualistic fashion. Masters of the art can still hit a small target while riding on the back of a horse at full gallop. Impressive, but kyudo isn't really meant to be used in, let's say, a street fight. It was definitely a combat art at one time, but now practiced primarily for the mental and physical benefits of a traditional martial discipline.
Actual “fighting” arts touted as modern self-defense systems are very different from their original forms. Recently I wrote another article about kata and the athletic and inspiring performances seen in the Olympics. But the kata introduced by Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan Karate looked very different than what we see today. Jigoro Kano’s Judo and Morhihei Ushiba’s Aikido, respectively, have also given way to sport and aesthetics. Of course, this is merely my opinion, but I do speak from experience.
The aikido I studied in a small, dingy gym in Japan 30 years ago is very different than what I often see in today’s architecturally pleasing dojos. The movements are far more graceful, the attacks far less invasive. There is an opinion among many aikido practioners that training partners should work together to “create the art.” In other words, your partner (uke) should accommodate you with an attack that you can work with. Uke is more or less expected to demonstrate a clean and artistic fall based on your execution of the technique. Hence, you have both created “aiki.” For some, the artistic expression of the art has over shadowed the original intent.
Likewise, there is a big difference in the karate kata that I studied for competition vs. the kata I now practice for practical application. The movements of the latter are much smaller, faster and…boring. No high kicks, no elongated punches to demonstrate power. I guess I’ve realized that spectacular form and flashy techniques would impress a lot of people except for the ones trying to do me harm. A comitted thug would be about as impressed with my perfect stance as they would with my little black belt.
Some would argue that such an opinion takes away from the intent of Budo, which they say is “form over function.” I’ve heard it said more than once that if we practice the form with intensity and commitment, the function will come in time. It’s the process, not the end result that’s important. There’s some truth in that statement, but it’s kind of like saying that you can defend yourself if you study salsa dancing long and hard enough.
Try selling “form over function” to a person who comes to you for instruction in self-defense because they had been brutally attacked. If your intention is to study a martial art for the sake of possible physical confrontation, you have to train for that. You cannot hope to fend off a perpetrator if the bulk of your practice is dedicated to “looking the part.” I gave up trying to look like an aikido or karate guy a long time ago.
If you stop by our dojo, you will see that we adhere to many of the cultural and ceremonial aspects of Budo. I do my best to teach my students about the origin of the arts we practice and how things like bowing, uniforms and customs add to our training. I believe all of these things have value and they definitely enhance daily life.
But I'm not concerned with people being able to demonstrate a form we can label. I'd rather help them to develop the discipline, confidence and physical ability to handle themselves in a given situation.
I'll take the "four on the floor" any day.
Dave Magliano
Jissenkan Budo
Dojo Cho
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