| Mastering the Martial Arts:You can't train by the numbers | |||||||
| by BUDDY AMATO | |||||||
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In today's world of internet and video instructional tapes, and basically the attitude I want in yesterday, it is no wonder that the Martial Arts has taken that same path of gain without train. In otherwords, anyone can put up a phony Black belt degree on the wall of their phony so called school/DOJO and the average person who has no idea what to expect from a legitimate Martial Arts instructor who has put in his entire life to the training and pursuit of excellence ih his art form and in many cases, are taken in. This happens everyday when wannabe Martial Arts belly crawlers go to the internet or video store and buy self-help tapes on the Martial Arts. Or better yet, send in their fifty dollars to a mail order joke company and get a video, attached along with it a certificate that in the real world is worth less than used toilet paper, single ply at that! Today's world of internet services for the most part, I guess is great. But, for people that use it for gain without sweat and training, create problems for the unsuspecting customer who gets conned by these con men in pajamas. Many good insgtructors have training videos on the market and they sell the videos without phony certificates that go along with them. I myself have training videos along with many of my associates, the difference is that they clear up things when you forget what you've been taught. There is no way you can learn anything worth passing down without putting in time with a teacher showing you the proper form and showing you what you are doing wrong. The tape is not going to stop and yell out to you that you are damaging a muscle or to shift your weight in a different direction because you are about to fall and snap your neck. These training videos have been around for many years, but I have noticed that since the Billy Blank training videos hit the market, it has taken off. Billy Blank's puts out an excellent video, but the problem is that even though he himself is an excellent Martial Artist, I have serious problem with anyone calling these tapes Kick Boxing training videos. The only thing you will be capable of doing after watching these videos is tomatoes at Joe's market down the street, and maybe eggplants if you really performed properly. How anyone can thing they are training at kick boxing by jumping around doing aerobics is quite comical. I have had people come into my school and profess how they have been training in kick boxing for two or more years by watching kick boxing videos. I have to do everything in my power to keep myself from laughing outloud in their faces when I hear this. You have to remember, after being in this situation you may be a very qualified aerobic teacher and you may be great as far as your physical conditioning after training from these type of tapes. But in no way are you trained in kick boxing. Another comical joke is when someone in the area claims to be a Krav Magna instructor. In this case they bought a training video and shazam! just like Jennifer Lopez in her last movie, he/she is a master at this art form. Do not get me wrong, Jennifer Lopez is a great actress on the screen, but I say this movie and even though it was exciting to watch, the problem I have is in the movie, she trained for a few months and than again, shazam, wonder woman unleashed. In the case of the instructor that purchased his diploma through the mail, he is an even bigger joke because he is not even an actor! If you want to be an instructor, then by all means you should train with him for a few years, earn the right and then make to claim. When training at throwing a punch or a kick, there are many things that have to be mastered. These tapes do not go into the proper dynamics and body positioning, and there isn't anyone there to tell you; "Hey,don't put your thumb inside your hand when you punch!". This simple thing is what these two year wonders at kick boxing do when they take their first class at a real Karate/Kickboxing/Grappling school. You cannot in any way, shape or form use a tape to take the place of real instruction. And if you are one of the many people who actually have the gall to have a certificate on your wall because you paid fifty dollars, watched a vider and became an instructor, then give me a call please because I have a self-help tape for you and for your proctology diploma. Again, videos are great for what they are intended to do, and that is to give aid to the student that trains and sweats and puts in time in a school that is recognized by its peers to give you the proper instruction to achieve your well deserved goals. Just stop and think for a minute, would you want to have your eyes operated on by someone who received a degree over the internet or by someone who bought a tape that showed them how to do it?. If your answer is yes, then in your case, by all means, buy and train by video, then hang your diploma on the wall because that bogus eye doctor cannot hurt you, your blind already! Grandmaster Buddy Amato operates Amato's Karate and Weapons Academy, 589 Palmer Avenue, West Keansburg and is the author of Buddys Animal Kingdom. For more information, call (732) 671-9555.
Copyright Buddy Amato Amato's Goju-ryu Karate, Nunchaku, Bo-staff, Aikido, Sword, Kendo, Sais, Kick-boxing, Tai-Chi and more 589 Palmer Ave, Keansburg and is the author of Buddys Animal Kingdom, NJ 07734 (732) 671-9555 |
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