| "There is nothing like experience itself", I | | | | trainer. He didn't discard all traditional |
| am not sure exactly who said those powerful | | | | training, but what he kept was useful and |
| words, but they have an effervescent truth. I | | | | necessary. His transformation expanded to all |
| learned this the hard way when I was going | | | | martial arts practice today. This man is a |
| for my first degree black belt. The only type | | | | true inspiration! |
| of fitness training I did back then was forms | | | | |
| and sparring. When the day of the test | | | | Another great thing about blending both |
| arrived, I almost fainted and I was gasping | | | | approaches is their ability to simplify |
| for air. All things happen for a reason and I | | | | techniques. Think of the innovations of the |
| think that eventful day was a pivotal point | | | | heavy bag, shields, focus pads and other |
| for me. | | | | target tools. All striking like kicking, |
| | | | punching and elbowing have greatly improved |
| Traditional training in martial arts mean | | | | because accuracy, timing and power can be |
| using your forms, katas or hyungs, kicks, | | | | practiced without the need to hurt a training |
| punches or blocks as the only means of | | | | partner. Resistance training, weight |
| training. This approach helps tremendously as | | | | training, isometrics, under water training |
| far as developing proper execution and for | | | | and plyometrics among other new school |
| just learning techniques. However, your body | | | | accessories have changed the martial arts |
| needs to be powerful and explosive to be able | | | | world forever. |
| to deliver devastating and fierce techniques. | | | | |
| At this point tradition and modern training | | | | Finally, by taking an old school approach |
| must meet. | | | | like meditation, we can practice |
| | | | visualization to enhance physical prowess or |
| Imagine if we kept using the horse and | | | | to practice internally when we are not able |
| carriage today as means of transportation. It | | | | to participate in class because of sickness |
| would take forever to go to a far place, | | | | or injuries. What we can use in martial arts |
| correct? The same goes for the martial arts | | | | both physically and mentally are already |
| and combat sport, there must be a blend of | | | | amazing technologies because they teach us |
| the new and old, instead of isolating the two | | | | how to use our potential in ways we never |
| from each other. Tradition is necessary to | | | | thought possible. Instead of creating |
| understand martial movements at their basic | | | | opposition by choosing either old or new |
| level and modern training is necessary to | | | | approaches, we should learn from both like |
| improve those movements. A perfect example of | | | | yin and yang which coexist with each other. |
| this is the transformation of Bruce Lee from | | | | This is the balance of life and this is the |
| a traditional trainer to a scientific | | | | balance of martial arts. |