Logic is a process ... so attributing logic to the "human body" is kinda vague ... where would this logic reside? In the armpit or in the brain? Do you see the problem young fella? Logic exists as a process ... it's a process by the mind. Any halfwit shuld noah that.
I wonder if the Ancient Greeks applied logic to Pankration? Serious question as I have always wondered if their philosophy had any influence on their martial arts.Modern MMA shows they were definately heading down the right track when it came to unarmed fighting.
I am from Greece and I am positive that pankration, wrestling or boxing in ancient Greece didn't have anything to do with philosophy.. They were just plain old good a*s-kicking..
Thank you. Dear Rebo Paing, Just want to say thank you for your post. You express my feelings beautifully so I cannot add any more.
Old Man's Perspective When I began training in the 1960's, martial art training was very different than it is today. The attitudes shown in this string of comments would have been foreign then. When you trained, you accepted the paradigm, as Rebo Paing mentioned, underlying the training. It took years to understand what the teacher meant, not because he didn't speak English well, but because you didn't understand the basic principles underlying the training. It seems, from this discussion, that in these times, we require that any kind of training conforms to "modern" concepts. Those concepts are based on an angry isolation of mind and body, resulting in an internal war that is used as the basis for sparring. You certainly can rip techniques out of ancient fighting styles and stick them onto this internal battle to use as your modern fighting style. But the original systems of martial arts (or some of them) were also designed to allow you to use minimal movement and energy, to use techniques finely and efficiently as well as to develop an internal harmony and end internal battles. My impression of some of the posts here (forgive me for saying so) is of kids trying to prove they are tough by talking tough and ridiculing thousands of years of tradition as if all the teachers and practitioners who came before them aren't as tough as they are. Is that really getting us anywhere?
It is getting us just as far as clinging to outmoded, unproven (and in some cases disprove ) concepts that have no bearing at all on what we do. I still stress minimum effort maximum efficiency - it's just I recogise it as good body mechanics and intent rather than something in my midichloarians I have been in the game for 24 or so years so am hardly a Johnny come lately - I am just a pragmatist
Guys, this really is a meritable explanation of what chi is. Chi is not some supernatural energy force, it is the energy that underlies all of life. It is no different from gravitational energy, electrical energy, etc. It is just in a what scientists call a "different form" of energy. Chi is the underlying factor as to how plants grow and how we live. And as for those considering chi to be an "outmoded" and "unproven" concept, why is the study of chinese medicine is slowly being introduced into the western model regardless of the harsh opposition it has been recieving. Our western model of medicine is very scientific at its foundations but yet it is keeping its eyes open to the eastern model which includes the bodies chi meridians because it finds results. I understand that I may be acting very pragmatic as well because, quite honestly, practicing qi gung does much more for me than a physical exercise possibly could. I've recieved so many strengthening and healing benefits from it that regardless of whether or not it is placebo I can admit that it finds results.
Ares and Athena are the ancient Greek's god and godesses of war, courage etc. (I Googled it). I would be very surprised that any pan-theistic society/culture that had two deity's representing war, did not imbue their warrior arts with their philosophical and religious ideas. 'A*s-kicking' as you so eloquently put it, comes straight out of Hollywood. P.S. Thanks Bob Klein!
