All Martial Arts are Mixed

Traditional, Freestyle, Classical, Mixed - what does it all mean?

The Martial Arts are fundamentally about shaping the individual to fulfil their potential physically and mentally. So why would you keep doing the same thing over and over again if you had new information or techniques that you make you better.

I postulate that all Martial Arts are fundamentally mixed - they draw inspiration and innovation from each other and observation. All they styles I have looked at build upon others and have junctions in their history where they adopted new things or changed what they did based upon other styles or individuals (or animals for that matter).

Now before I hear the arguments their in nothing wrong with branding a style, codifying and standarising a curriculum or mandating that students follow this. This is a critical part of the instructional process and is every instructors/sifu/masters right.

But we could all benefit from an open mind regarding each others brands/terms/logos and consider them for what they are. Every individual has the responsibility to do their best and find out what is best for them. Obviously if they go to an instructor for instruction they should accept instruction within the boundaries set for them.

Where a lot of Arts vary is the style of the instructional process. Many stick to a standarised curriculum until you attain a certain rank then you are encouraged to express you individuality. This is to give you repeatable fundamentals as a strong basis. Other arts encourage experimentation and flexibility from day one, but even these have the instructors fundamentals to draw upon.

Every man and his dog quotes Bruce Lee, and I can't resist - his philosophy is profound and intelligent but you need do dig beneath the one line quotes to get the real sense.

"Use only that which works, and take it from any place you can find it."

"Accept what is useful, reject what is not."

"Learn the principle, abide by the principle, and dissolve the principle. In short, enter a mold without being caged in it. Obey the principle without being bound by it. LEARN, MASTER AND ACHIEVE!!!"

All Arts have and encourage these basic characteristics, often in different ways. We just need to investigate and inform ourselves before we judge.