Don't be afraid to specialize.
Guys,
I am bringing in maybe more than 2 cents today. I just read this really good book. It is called, " The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing." It is a book of business, but is applicable to martial arts, if you think about it. See, we live in a world where the trendy mantra is " learn a little bit from every art. Pick what works, discard what doesnt" seems to be very popular in the martial arts world these days. But I caution you not to get carried away. It is okay to be good in only one thing.
For example, there are a lot of good martial artists out there. They may be good at striking, or good at grappling, or good at weapons. The current trend is that a martial artist must be good at ALL of these. Not so. Maybe if you like to participate in mixed martial arts. But in everyday real life, that may not be a good idea. It is very difficult to be adept at a number of martial arts in a reasonable time. I say, that it is MUCH better to specialize first.
Now as a man with extensive experience in kenpo, Muay Thai, judo, jujitsu, wrestling and boxing, that may seem strange coming from me. But the fact is, most people DON'T want to do all of those things. People tend to want to do just one thing, because it is that one thing that they enjoy. So for the instructors out there, do not be afraid to do just one thing. If you do karate, teach karate to the best of your ability. If you teach judo, practice it to the utmost of your skill.
What I am saying is that, there is still a need for a specialist in the martial arts world. If you want luxury in cars, there is still the Bently. If you want fast and sporty, there is still the Ferrarri. What I am saying is that you should not believe the hype. There is no need to be a jack of all trades, you may find yourself the master of none. Specialize, become and expert, and you will still have an audience.
I am bringing in maybe more than 2 cents today. I just read this really good book. It is called, " The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing." It is a book of business, but is applicable to martial arts, if you think about it. See, we live in a world where the trendy mantra is " learn a little bit from every art. Pick what works, discard what doesnt" seems to be very popular in the martial arts world these days. But I caution you not to get carried away. It is okay to be good in only one thing.
For example, there are a lot of good martial artists out there. They may be good at striking, or good at grappling, or good at weapons. The current trend is that a martial artist must be good at ALL of these. Not so. Maybe if you like to participate in mixed martial arts. But in everyday real life, that may not be a good idea. It is very difficult to be adept at a number of martial arts in a reasonable time. I say, that it is MUCH better to specialize first.
Now as a man with extensive experience in kenpo, Muay Thai, judo, jujitsu, wrestling and boxing, that may seem strange coming from me. But the fact is, most people DON'T want to do all of those things. People tend to want to do just one thing, because it is that one thing that they enjoy. So for the instructors out there, do not be afraid to do just one thing. If you do karate, teach karate to the best of your ability. If you teach judo, practice it to the utmost of your skill.
What I am saying is that, there is still a need for a specialist in the martial arts world. If you want luxury in cars, there is still the Bently. If you want fast and sporty, there is still the Ferrarri. What I am saying is that you should not believe the hype. There is no need to be a jack of all trades, you may find yourself the master of none. Specialize, become and expert, and you will still have an audience.
posted by Anthony, freestyle kenpo teacher | 5:40 PM
1 Comments:
excellent advice! i thank those who do specialize, especially in traditional arts that are being "phased out" by more popular mixed arts. without those pracitioners we may lose the beautiful heritage of our martial fore-fathers.
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