The Evolving Face of Martial Arts

Periodically there are articles on the “golden years” of martial arts and martial arts training. Most often these articles glorify those years… The positive aspect of getting older is that having been there, it is possible to reflect on those times from personal experience. However, as often happens, we tend to remember the good times and forget about those other times, the ones that were not so good.

I often suggest to my students that if they have not been keeping a training-travel-competition journal, they would benefit by doing so. My first Judo instructor required us to keep such a journal. That was in 1956 and I have been keeping a record of my martial arts experiences since that time. Now, over 50 years of continuous training it is interesting to observe how martial arts training and expectations have evolved. In addition to my journal I have been fortunate to have students who have trained and traveled with me for over 35 years. One of these, Master Richard Morgan, is a professional writer as well as an accomplished martial artist and martial arts instructor. He has kept notes on his training for over 40 years.

In the early years (1950’s) training facilities were mostly YMCA’s (where I started) with a brown belt teaching under the direction of a Black Belt who traveled to various schools, overseeing the different brown belts and making sure that they were following a strict training regime. Mats were of poor quality, or non-existent, there were little or no heat and certainly no air conditioning. Safety equipment has made a quantum leap from basically non-existent to state of the art safety equipment in every imaginable color of the rainbow.

There are some seasoned veterans who view these changes with a jaundiced eye. I must admit that for awhile I was one of them. However, for the past several years I have significantly changed my negative position on these changes. The major explanation for this metamorphosis is my observation of the quality of students who are now choosing to train.

In the past, those that were brave enough to venture into the areas of towns where martial art training was available would park their vehicles and hope that they would still be there when their training was over and they returned. Additionally, they had to be tough enough to endure the less than enthusiastic greetings they received at the different training halls. Most often, the new comer was treated like an interloper. Training was brutal but no one complained. If they did, they were asked to leave or not come back.

The students of today are different. The most significant difference is that they come to training with more understanding of the martial arts in general and the specific art they want to study. They are internet savvy and use their skills to their advantage. They are usually well educated and are interested not only in the self defense or competition aspect of the art but also the history, the mind/body connection as well as how martial arts benefits the entire lifestyle.

This new group of students comes to training wanting to learn and most importantly, they have learned “how to learn”. These students challenge the instructors in a positive way. Not in the physical sense, but in the way they ask questions. They keep the instructors sharp and focused.

The changes that are evolving have taken the “mystic and mystery” out of martial arts training and have introduced this wonderful lifestyle to thousands of individuals who would never have ventured into those cold, stoic training halls of the past. I believe that I have evolved in my training. Having done so, I also believe that what every martial arts instructor can do to open up the world of martial arts training to those who would otherwise been to intimidated to experience is good for them, for the students and for martial arts in general.

Master James R. Garrison
V.P. World Oriental Martial Arts Federation

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