And in martial arts, this generation is getting what they want in other aspects of our society, and yet with martial arts they are not old enough to know what they need. Such things like training practices, lack of kata, McDojos, are all they know and will be all they expect.
Out of traditional martial arts, the younger generation gave us XMA. Out of traditional martial arts, the younger generation gave us tricking. Out of traditional martial arts, the younger generation gave us MMA. They will insist on long-distance learning (internet), they will insist on competing for the youngest or fastest black belt.
They will change everything.
Then again, isn't that what we did when we were younger? Isn't this what the older generation said about us? I think we didn't have the means to think collectively like today's technology allows, but we nevertheless protested the older generation. And look where we are today!
I don't know if we're going into a better or a worse direction; for me, it's not looking good. Trying to find a school that teaches real Taekwondo is a dream I gave up almost a decade ago. (Conversely, instructors have given up looking for students who want traditional Taekwondo).
No, we will not see more older students training. I think traditional styles will likely turn into what Tai Chi turned into: an exercise program. It won't be long before we really can earn a black belt in TaeBo or Karobics. Perhaps there will be traditional schools out there teaching the real stuff, but by and large, the money is always where the younger generation is.
Nevertheless, I handle it by being the best person I can be. Right now, I coach soccer, softball, and baseball; I am cub master for my son's scout pack; I teach or assist taekwondo classes in several schools. Nearly all of this involves children, so, the millenials will see me as their martial arts role model. Sure, they will also see the MMA, XMA, tricking crowd; but I will help balance the perception of what martial arts really is. But I am a dying breed, and fewer and fewer older people are staying with martial arts. Those who do have already succumbed to the evolution. One need only look at the pushers and movers over in Kukkiwon: old decrepit 8th, 9th, and 10th dans teaching people how to compete.
You and I see this from the same standpoint of our age. But this is not something that is just beginning to happen. It has been happening for decades. Knowledge is sometimes lost. But there are tow things I'm aware of that make me hopeful for the future. First there will always be a few dedicated instructors that teach the old methods and will not go the way of the greedy and ignorant. They will make sure they teach the real deal and instil that same set of values in their students. The second point is rare but is happening in one or two styles I'm aware of. One style I know of that is very rare has lost much of its Bunkai for a good reason. The style was a pure combat style and had no kata until the late 1950's or early 1960's. Then the style moved to Japan where the Japanese would not recognize it as a legitimate style unless it had Kata. The Kata were added, but the master that added them did not know the bunkai. Now generations later the current Soke of that style is and has been studying with other styles in order to put back the Bunkai that was lacking. I too learned that style for many years. And as you can guess I was not taught the bunkai. In 1983, I began to get pieces of the bunkai and have been on a more and more aggressive search for correct Bunkai. My bunkai is not for the kata of the style I mentioned since I changed the Kata I practice and teach several decades ago.
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I didn't see this question before a best answer was picked. But I want to add my 2 cents.
This has happen for many many years already. Much has been lost. This is why some schools teach good bunkai. Some teach bad bunkai. Some never heard of bunkai.
I believe that there will always be a remnant of those that will teach and learn the things that many believe are lost or will be lost.
In my opinion, MMA, and BJJ are fads that will peak, then fade. TKD has already peaked, and was replaced by MMA as the new fad. The next fad... who can say? Savate?
As for this old man, I'm shopping around for a Tai Chi class. (Qi gong Tai Chi may be the next big fad, as the boomers continue to age.) I quit the dojo about 10 (12?) years ago. I had a busted up shoulder that couldn't heal with classes 2 nights per week, plus one day of helping teach the kiddy classes. Oh, and going to work. I had lost heart. Easy to do with a broken wing.
But I think the traditional schools will soldier on. In spite of the next fad sport. Just as they always have.
Knowledge is probably lost, and regained, with each generation.
MMA is not a Martial Art (in a sense of fighting style), it's more like a Combat Sport...or a a generic term for mixture of various Martial Arts.
About the question...I'm not an American, so I can't answer in their behalf. Anyway, there is nothing wrong about the aging, it's a natural process, but that doesn't mean that older martial artists have no value. We should all appreciate them because of their knowledge and life experience.
Any art is lost when the true foundation and traditions are no longer taught or even practiced... There are older MMA fighters who have trained in both but yet since it is of combat sport, just like any sport it changes either for better or worst..
Now for the age, every one ages, I think hear in America it is that younger kids and young adults use bad judgment, yes their my be more older people in some places, because lets face it the truth is younger generations are killing each other off. It doesn't just happen here but all over the world.. To me age is just a state of mind if you always tell yourself your old you will feel old.. If you use a positive mind set nothing can be over come that one simple fact, yes everyone dies.. Its better to see what is in front of you now then tomorrow, you physically can't see tomorrow, but you can use this today to make tomorrow better for the future and the past made better for today. Its called becoming wiser and learning from past mistakes to help not make the same mistake for the future.
No I don't think so people are always in search of the meaning of all martial arts..
Well, we cannot make that assumption quite yet. Yes, it's sad on what martial arts has come to because of the McDojos. I'm pretty young myself, but I would assume the same was said about you by your instructors when you were training. Let's not be jumping to conclusions yet. My instructors aren't even that old, in fact the lineage dates back really far. As with the traditional instructors dying, they are due to medical reasons or old age. I can tell you that it's happening with someone who has done significance to martial arts and the organization we're under. My instructor on who he trained under is getting old, I'm not sure of his age but he's like in his 70s.
With that in mind, don't doubt us all, my instructors aren't even the most experienced nor are the oldest around, but they teach traditional style of karate. Basically, what they teach of striking, grappling, and weapons that comes directly from the Okinawans. I can't comment on BJJ, but W.T.F. TKD? Psh, Taekwondo is so diluted itself and people have only seen the sports side to it. Keep in mind that the frikin ATA gave TKD a much worse name. My Sensei says not many people make it to white to brown. How many people in the younger generations make it and teach martial arts? You can try to foretell, but don't jump to conclusions.
You are an instructor, right? Keep teaching and you can obtain a few students teaching whatever you teach in the future, regardless of art.
It all depends on the quality and integrity of those students a "Master" chooses to teach, and those that may become the new instructors of a system. The higher the quality of instructors and students, coupled with high levels of personal integrity will help maintain the system as it is designed. However, I believe it is the destiny of all things created, taught, and learned, to adapt to the changes of the world and society. Even TMAs have evolved in themselves simply because of the changes in the potential threats that are presented.
Example: It is not wise to use a standard punch defense against an attacker armed with a weapon.
Although a system may change through necessity, the serious determination of instructors and students to maintain the integrity of it's design will guarantee it's survival amongst all the "arts" that are just thrown together and then "thrown away".
Just keep in mind that not all young people and children are senseless. Alot are but quite a few are not. We'll probably gain some knowledge and lose some. Its going to happen one way or another so why fight it?
Well the knowledge wont be lost it will just become increasingly harder to find.
Maybe tma become the next big fad or maybe fma becomes the next big fad
the speed of which knowledge has compounded with the internet
has made knowledge as whole available to the whole general
populace unprecedented ,what one took 20 years to obtain
masterhood in the olden days can now take 2- 3 years
weather u like or not what was once secret is now open on
a wide scale and adding diffenrent dimensions namely
stand up clinch and ground has made becoming an artist more
complete
Let's face it. The American population is aging----or at least I know I am :).
http://www.aoa.gov/Aging_Statistics/
Many of the traditional martial arts masters (and the MMA ones too) are getting older. How do you think this is going to impact martial arts as a whole in the United States?
Are we going to lose a lot of knowledge?
Will MMA, WTF Taekwondo, BJJ and Kickboxing be what defines the martial arts in the future?
Or will nothing happen and things will pretty much carry on?
How do you, individually, handle the fact that you are an aging martial artist? Like it or not, the longer you live, the more you age.
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I am aware of an attempt to unify and standardize teaching and testing criteria for 17 Asian styles around the world and especially in North America. This may help affiliated schools attain and maintain higher levels of quality training.
