The Best Martial Art

I read a story recently about a black belt holder in Brazilian Jujitsu who attempted to disarm an assailant on a bus in Rio de Janerio and was unfortunately killed in the confrontation. Did his martial art fail him? He was an avid competitor and a master of the art. He left behind three children.

Similarly, a visiting Chinese professor was assaulted by an armed robber in Los Angeles and he successfully used his Kung Fu skills to defend himself. He lost $3,000 in personal property but he walked away.

So, what is the difference? Is it because Kung Fu is better than Brazilian Jujitsu? I don't think so.

You know, I've learned a lot about martial arts marketing in the past year and there are two things a school owner is supposed to do to get new students. First, you have to describe how yours is the best martial art out there. Second, you need to employ scare tactics and other means to get people interested in self-defense for themselves or their children. Present a problem - violence, and present a solution - martial arts. "Defend yourself in three moves or less." "Help your child to become bully-proof."

Personally, I just can't get into those kinds of tactics. Not only does it make me sound like a used car salesman, but I've never believed there is no one best martial art for self-defense or life skills. I have been blessed to have had many different experiences that allowed me to shape and evolve the arts I practice and teach today. And it looks nothing like it did 10 or 20 years ago.

Some folks get really picky about things like authenticity and lineage. A long time ago, I watched a karate teacher berate a visiting student because he had the audacity to modify some of the kata (forms) to suit his needs. The teacher went into a long dissertation about "true" Japanese karate and how nobody had the right to alter it. Perhaps he may have saved face a by asking the student why he made his own changes. You see, if you have a long history of knee injuries, like this guy did, you can't always do the "form" the way it was intended.

Part of the issue is the way martial arts is perceived these days and probably 98% of that comes from social media. Back in the day, you know, before computers, we had these cumbersome tablets called "books." Books and magazines were social media. "Real time" was time you spent in the library looking at microfiche.

And advertising for a martial arts school? Well, here's how that worked. You rented a space, typically next to a bar or tattoo parlor because that was all you could afford. You'd put a sign up and if you had any money left over, an ad in the phone book. If people wanted to see what kind of martial art you practiced, they came to the school. And if you were an instructor in those days, you had to be prepared for challenges. Not life and death challenges, per se, but "let's throw on the gloves and see who is better." You know, who has the best martial art.

I had my fair share of guys who simply wanted to fight and see who was bigger, stronger, faster. I am not ashamed to say that the majority of those confrontations ended in a draw. There were maybe one or two times where I had a better skill set than my opponent. Or maybe I was just lucky. Maybe the other guy just wasn't on his game that day. In any case, it was clearly not because I was a superior fighter or practiced a superior art.

My personal regret is that you couldn't tell me that at the time. I too wanted to find and hone my skills in the "best" martial art. And when my body still did everything I wanted it to, I did a lot of crazy, albeit stupid things. I made my falling practice (ukemi) unnecessarily high and dangerous in aikido and jujitsu. I used to punch and kick trees, did the board-braking thing for a while. I was involved in what I believed was the best martial arts and sneered at other people for not practicing the same style or same way that I did.

Then, this amazing thing happened: I grew up.

Here's what I wish I would have realized a long time ago. The best martial art is the one you still want to get up and practice every day. It is the one that keeps you in shape, inspired and hopefully, in check. Whatever you do, I think the one constant should be humility. If your martial art is merely a vehicle to feed your ego, then it is not the best martial art for you.

And what about self-defense? Do you have to "pressure test" your art against somebody with a similar set of skills to see who is bigger, stronger and faster? Must you frequently engage in full-contact sparring and take shots to your head and face so you know you can survive the "real thing?" I don't think so. Trust me on this one, your face never gets any tougher. Just more disfigured. Furthermore, sooner or later your body is going to demand payment on the credit you took out in younger days.

The best martial art is the art that makes sense to you. Every time you step into the dojo or practice on your own, you should feel challenged and strive to improve yourself. Don't buy the hype about self-defense or fighting skill. Stay in shape, eat as clean as you can and practice regularly. Combat applicability is a natural consequence of environmental circumstances and sincere training.

Finally, if you're wondering if you practice the "best" martial art, ask yourself what you want people to say about you when you're gone. "He was an awesome fighter." "She practiced a supreme martial art." Personally, if people say that I was a good friend, a loving father and husband and mentor to some, well, then I found the best martial art.

Dave Magliano

Tatsu Dojo

Jissenkan Budo

Dojo Cho