ANST - Martial Arts

[Dennis and/or Dory Grace]

Salut Cozyns,

Lyonel aisai.

In response to Mayne's question about prior fighting experience,
Baron Alaric says:
>Hmm... this is question I have long pondered.  It does seem that many (but
>certainly not all) of the more successful fighters I have known throughout
the
>known world were also martial artists.  How about some further questions:
>
>1.   Did the fighter excell in chivalric/rapier combat due to prior training
>in stance, balance, footwork, striking another human, etc... OR does the
>inborn physicallity and  mindset of ANY person who might engage in a
>traditional martial art lead to excellence in our martial art?

I'd go with the former, but I think I'll hold back my response for question
#3.

>2.  Can we "officially" label what we do a martial art in the modern sense?
>
>(BTW...I would answer this an unquallified yes-  I would say that the fact
>that we are one of the very few full-contact fighting genres far outbalances
>the sport-type label we might be stuck with due to our inability to strike
ANY
>area of the body (ie. the knees and below).

I'm afraid I'd have to offer a qualified yes.  In some ways, our activity
is more martial than many of the so-called martial arts taught in American
dojos.  Few modern practitioners of Karate, Judo, Kung-Fu, or whatever will
ever wield weapons of war.  Fewer still will ever be involved in any sort
of battlefield scenarios--even war games.  Many modern so-called martial
artists are just doing a highly stylized sort of exercise program coupled
with a bit of self-defense.

On the other hand, I have a difficult time not labeling what we do "sport."
 After all, none of our training is intended to enable us to actually kill
anyone in any real sense, nor are our war scenarios a realistic re-creatino
of actual medieval combat (oh, I can see the responses already).

>3.   What are the most valuable items, both mental and physical, a martial
>artist can  bring with him/her when starting an SCA fighting career?
>
>(I would submit-  the ability to take/give a hit, training regimen and
>technique, balance, foot speed, and stance.)

A good list, Your Excellency.  I would add timing and physical
self-knowledge.  I've noticed that dancers and gymnasts make the trasition
with a fair degree of ease, too.  I think one of the most difficult aspects
of our art is just learning to know where your body parts are without being
able to see them.  

>4.   Doesn't it seem odd that a lot of die-hard martial artists seem to move
>away from their traditional martial arts and devote most, if not all, of
their
>training time to our Chivalric/Rapier fighting?  Why might that be?
>
>(personally, the adversarial nature of the training in most dojos can't come
>near to comparing with the comeraderie, honor, and espirit de corps that we
>can take for granted in the SCA.)

Yep.  I took a few years off not too long ago.  After about a year of
martial inactivity, I was beginning to chew furniture, so I tried returning
to Aikido.  It just wasn't the same.  I missed the no-holds-barred action
coupled with relative impugnity from serious injury offered by chivalric
combat.

Incidentally, my background includes formal training in aikido, wrestling,
saber, savate, and kendo.

I would invite anyone wishing to continue this discussion in earnest to
subscribe to the Ansteorra-armored-combat list where I will be directing a
group read of Bruce Lee's _Tao of Jeet Kune Do_ starting May 1st.  The book
is available in most major book stores in paperback for $14.50 or through
Amazon.com for just about $12.00.  See you there.

 lo vostre por vos servir
Sir Lyonel Oliver Grace
_____________________________
Dennis Grace
University of Texas at Austin
English Department
Recovering Medievalist
mailto:amazing at mail.utexas.edu
http://www.angelfire.com/tx/cavalher

Micel yfel deth se unwritere.
                           AElfric of York
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