Okinawan Fighting Art "Ti": Quality Control in Karate/MA

When you begin to feel like you are a tough guy, a warrior, a master of the martial arts or that you have lived a tough life, just take a moment and get some perspective with the following:

I've stopped knives that were coming to disembowel me

I've clawed for my gun while bullets ripped past me

I've dodged as someone tried to put an ax in my skull

I've fought screaming steel and left rubber on the road to avoid death

I've clawed broken glass out of my body after their opening attack failed

I've spit blood and body parts and broke strangle holds before gouging eyes

I've charged into fires, fought through blizzards and run from tornados

I've survived being hunted by gangs, killers and contract killers

The streets were my home, I hunted in the night and was hunted in turn

Please don't brag to me that you're a survivor because someone hit you. And don't tell me how 'tough' you are because of your training. As much as I've been through I know people who have survived much, much worse. - Marc MacYoung

WARNING, CAVEAT AND NOTE

The postings on this blog are my interpretation of readings, studies and experiences therefore errors and omissions are mine and mine alone. The content surrounding the extracts of books, see bibliography on this blog site, are also mine and mine alone therefore errors and omissions are also mine and mine alone and therefore why I highly recommended one read, study, research and fact find the material for clarity. My effort here is self-clarity toward a fuller understanding of the subject matter. See the bibliography for information on the books. Please make note that this article/post is my personal analysis of the subject and the information used was chosen or picked by me. It is not an analysis piece because it lacks complete and comprehensive research, it was not adequately and completely investigated and it is not balanced, i.e., it is my personal view without the views of others including subject experts, etc. Look at this as “Infotainment rather then expert research.” This is an opinion/editorial article/post meant to persuade the reader to think, decide and accept or reject my premise. It is an attempt to cause change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs and values as they apply to martial arts and/or self-defense. It is merely a commentary on the subject in the particular article presented.

Note: I will endevor to provide a bibliography and italicize any direct quotes from the materials I use for this blog. If there are mistakes, errors, and/or omissions, I take full responsibility for them as they are mine and mine alone. If you find any mistakes, errors, and/or omissions please comment and let me know along with the correct information and/or sources.

“What you are reading right now is a blog. It’s written and posted by me, because I want to. I get no financial remuneration for writing it. I don’t have to meet anyone’s criteria in order to post it. Not only I don’t have an employer or publisher, but I’m not even constrained by having to please an audience. If people won’t like it, they won’t read it, but I won’t lose anything by it. Provided I don’t break any laws (libel, incitement to violence, etc.), I can post whatever I want. This means that I can write openly and honestly, however controversial my opinions may be. It also means that I could write total bullshit; there is no quality control. I could be biased. I could be insane. I could be trolling. … not all sources are equivalent, and all sources have their pros and cons. These needs to be taken into account when evaluating information, and all information should be evaluated.” - God’s Bastard, Sourcing Sources (this applies to this and other blogs by me as well; if you follow the idea's, advice or information you are on your own, don't come crying to me, it is all on you do do the work to make sure it works for you!)

“You should prepare yourself to dedicate at least five or six years to your training and practice to understand the philosophy and physiokinetics of martial arts and karate so that you can understand the true spirit of everything and dedicate your mind, body and spirit to the discipline of the art.” - cejames (note: you are on your own, make sure you get expert hands-on guidance in all things martial and self-defense)

“All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed.” - Montaigne

I am not a leading authority on any one discipline that I write about and teach, it is my hope and wish that with all the subjects I have studied it provides me an advantage point that I offer in as clear and cohesive writings as possible in introducing the matters in my materials. I hope to serve as one who inspires direction in the practitioner so they can go on to discover greater teachers and professionals that will build on this fundamental foundation. Find the authorities and synthesize a wholehearted and holistic concept, perception and belief that will not drive your practices but rather inspire them to evolve, grow and prosper. My efforts are born of those who are more experienced and knowledgable than I. I hope you find that path! See the bibliography I provide for an initial list of experts, professionals and masters of the subjects.

Quality Control in Karate/MA

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

Quality control disciplines have a huge purpose, to control the quality of what is provided is what people think when they hear the term/phrase. It comes down to a type of regulation and certification to ensure the public gets quality services or processes especially involving the exchange of monies involved. Not to diminish the importance of what is involved like, in self-protection terms, the bodily harm or death that can be involved.

Now, know this and take heed. The "buyer beware" adage people hear in that the martial arts and karate industries, especially in regard to self-protection/defense, are NOT regulated and ARE self-certifying or self-certified. This means, in all likelihood, the guy running the dojo is self-certified and at the very best certified by some other guy who is likely self-certified. There is no oversight by any governing, valid and authoritative organization or standards or practices. There is NO QUALITY CONTROL except what the self-certified deem and insist on.

Many people are duly impressed upon entering a dojo for they see the "atta-boy" wall of honor that houses certificates, certifications, bling as in other impressive accolades like art work, etc., and other such things that are NOT from any accredited sources we normally consider valid and quality oriented for enforcement of standards and practices.

There are not government controlled and certified agencies involved; there is no FORMALLY recognized, expect by those very same self-certified member driven orgs, organizations that maintain professional standards and practices in the discipline (e.g., like American Medical Association for medical professionals), or any other unbiased organization with standards and practices for quality control over the industry/businesses.

All this is about ensuring you, the buyer for you are buying services in these instances even when self-protection/defense oriented, are actually going to get a value that will not end your life or result in grave harm to you physically, mentally and economically.

The following are questions and concerns you should know and use when seeking out self-protection through martial arts and karate. It is about recognition that although a school or facility advertises self-defense that you recognize that what is actually being provided reaches a level of accuracy and proficiency in that effort, self-defense defense. Ask the following:

Is this a sport being taught?
Is this a “one stop shopping” business?
Will the self-defense applications work:

How much time is spent teaching you what's involved in scaling force for different situations?
How much time is spent developing the ability to do while adrenalized?
Does the program teach you about understanding and staying within appropriate use of force parameters?
Does the program teach you abut the “wheel barrow test,” Simple. "Can you put it in a wheelbarrow?" If something has a physical existence you can. If something doesn't have a physical existence, you can't. While whatever-that-issue-is may be important, it isn't as 'real' as something physical?
Does the program teach you when to stop in self-defense?
Does the program teach you about how crime and violence happen?
Does the program teach you about self-defense being about protecting your body, not your feelings or ideals.
Does the program dedicate time spent talking about society, rights and socialization instead of self-defense related issues. (e.g., how not to go to jail for defending yourself)?

When it comes to self-defense techniques the filters are slightly different. They are:

Does the move have required mechanics to work?
Does it work against a larger/stronger/non-cooperative person?
How specialized/over-generalized is it?
What is the context for its use?
What are the legal restrictions/ramifications, etc., on its use?

Does the school use a lot of business acumen and advertisements, etc., indicating its commercial objectives where there would be concerns about getting hurt or having insurance concerns that would water down what is being taught, etc.?
Doest the school push the sport aspects while advocating their value for self-protection?
Does the program involve principles such as “physiokinetic’s or what is termed body mechanics” for their protection methodologies?
Does the program have, “force testing for methods used in self-protection?”
Does the program differentiate between sport, fighting and defense both reality and legally?
Does the program teach defense using experienced, larger, pissed-off aggressive, unpredictable and ready to do grave harm opponents under a more reality based adrenal stress oriented method?
Is the advertisement, etc., a “fear-based perspective” when providing information to sign up for their program that includes self-defense?
Do they teach you the differences as to circumstances as to what self-defense is and when it exceeds the self-defense legal and social limitations taking it into excessive force?
Does the program teach the chaos and moving line that is the demarkation between adequate acceptable force to excessive illegal force?

These and possibly many other questions should be in your tool box when seeking self-defense. It is something even current practitioners should review from time to time to ensure what they are training, practicing and applying under the umbrella of self-defense is and remains appropriate to actual hands-on self-defense in the real world. Otherwise, then we must consider what we are doing in our martial art and karate classes as either or/both sport and recreational, like a club house social connection effort, discipline thus leaving self-defense/protection out of it completely.

Beware tho, most if not all such commercial efforts are likely to use influence compliance efforts to sell you on their programs simply because it is about money, business and that dojo’s livelihood. It is about being aware and wary of their ability to influence how you view their services. Buyer beware!

Reference: No Nonsense Self-Defense by Marc MacYoung and Dianna MacYoung @ https://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com

Bibliography (Click the link)