Just to tie in with yesterday’s post….
…..Okay when it comes to the Martial Sciences many people who train with me after reading up about IRT are often surprised with how old school I really am. When it comes to certain things like respect, honor, treating others as you would like to be treated I am as old school as it gets. I have been blessed with great instructors and each and every one of them is and always will be special to me! I believe in old school knock em down training till you are ready to pass out and fatigue sets in. I believe in one solid color uniforms in a training hall and people practicing as hard as they can. I however do like people to call me Brian instead of instructor or sir as Brian is my name! No one has ever disrespected me by calling me by my name. I also believe we can learn a lot from the past practices and techniques of martial practitioners who have built the foundations upon which we learn and I totally respect them for that. I believe in small one on one training where a unique relationship is formed and quality is maintained to the highest degree. So you see I am very old school. Yet I also believe in many new school practices and athletic training techniques. I had a workout on a versa climber the other day and it really exhausted me and hit a few muscles that I did not know that I had. I like the approach many modern martial practitioners have and yes I enjoy MMA and all it has to offer. I enjoy working out in athletic wear or BDU’s outside rather than a uniform which is less practical. You see I think you can be old school and new school all in one. Most of the old timers I have met were new school when they were younger and most of the new school practitioner’s now will be old school in a few years! I think in the end what is really important is that you just train and enjoy anyone you meet who will practice with you!
See You On The Mats!
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Brian R. VanCise
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Old school… new school…..training is what matters.
Besides, I recently found out that my old school Taiji teacher who has been training Taiji for over 50 years and learned in China…. Who one would think only trains Taiji and the Qigong associated with his Taiji…. also does sit-ups, pushups and various other body weight exercises.
I remember way back when the training form the early 70s in a traditional Martial Art (Japanese Jujitsu) and I look and many of the MMA schools of today and to be honest I do not see much difference in the training. The focus is different but the training is not all that different.
Absolutely I can agree with that Tim. Many of the old Training Halls that I had a chance to work out in the instructors did Karate/Judo or Tae Kwon Do/Judo, etc. So while the grappling/newaza may not have been as much as it is now they were doing throws, takedowns, kicks, punching, etc. plus a few chokes on the ground and more. Talk about alive training several sparred with no gear!
Actually, I think it’s all old school training. I don’t think that, in reality, the “old time warriors” were locked into some rigid training approach. I think that they were open to new, better ways to train — or at least the best of them were. I’m not saying they jumped on every fad… but if, in their assessment, there was a better way to practice or train something, I bet they did it. Or just a better way to be fit for fighting… But I bet they were also pretty critical in their assessments, too. After all, they weren’t training for a tournament on Saturday; they were preparing for life or death battles!
Excellent post Jim and insightful on several levels!
Back in the day few just trained one style or system
instead they worked out in several! They also had
purpose to what they were doing more than a hobby
to most of them!
Great blog Mr. VanCise! -and great way to some it up…about training and enjoying the experiences you have with people who will practice with you. The more I train with people, and heck, the more I do anything in life, the more it seems like keeping good relationships make training and everything just work better.
Thanks Branden glad you enjoyed the post!