COMMERCIALIZATION OF MARTIAL ARTS

INTRODUCTION

1. Man, like other animals already knows to fight as survival is inbuilt in his genes. He wants to excel in combat with others as an ultimate assertion of his presence (offense) or in order to protect himself, his family or his assets (defense)

2. He is searching for MAGIC. He wants to know certain vital points where he can strike to quickly subdue his enemy, or certain methods of crippling, handicapping or creating serious dysfunction in his opponent.

3. The Martial Arts Instructors in the business of combat are well aware of this craving. They capitalize on this demand and create illusions of secret techniques which can be effortlessly applied and result in crippling the opponent.

4. Let us study some of the common marketing strategy used for improving business in various martial arts and increasing number of student enrollment. Many of these are common to various arts.

1. JUDO:

Strategy a) The Black Belt

The Belt concept was first adopted in Judo. The Black Belt is supposedly the ultimate stage in martial arts. He is invulnerable and can supposedly fight ten goons with swords with hardly any effort. In reality such characters belong to fictional comic books. Today the Belt concept is taken up by almost all martial arts.

Strategy b) The Incredible Throw

Throws are portrayed as a solution to every attack. You will become like Phantom tossing goons around left, right and center.

2. KARATE:

Strategy a) Portrayal as Bruce Lees Art

In 1972 before his death, Bruce Lees ordered closing down of all his schools teaching his art, which was Chinese Kung Fu based. After his death, Enter the Dragon was released and the world went crazy after Bruce Lee’s Martial art and wanted to learn it. At that time, only Japanese Karate was available. Karate got marketed as Bruce Lee’s art and suddenly a hundred thousand Karate schools cropped up in various parts of the world.

 Strategy b) Imperial Military Disciple

Karate is taught as a military art, with the students not allowed to even bat their eyelids without the instructors order. Students fancy this as it is akin to Military discipline. This is one of the good points about Karate.

3. KUNG FU

Strategy a) The Kiai

The loud shout which generates power in the navel and transmits it to opponent. In the boxing ring, boxers knock out their opponents without any yelling or fuss. The Kiai adds tremendous value to the arts and is now adopted my most eastern arts.

Strategy b) The Chinese Dummy

The students strike this fancy wooden human like dummy, to replace actual sparring with real opponents. In recent times, the wooden dummy has awed many a audience interested in fighting arts

Strategy c) The Deadly Open handed Animal Strikes

Open handed strikes like Tiger Claw, Snake Fangs and Eagle beak are nowhere as powerful as the closed fist. These look good only in movies.

4. TAEKWONDO

Strategy a) Tall Flying Kicks

Tall Flying kicks, Jumping, Turning, Sweeping, Spinning serve to stupefy the audience and sell the business. In reality flying kicks rarely work as the opponent can see it coming and merely side steps to avoid it.

Strategy b) Olympic Sports

Classification of Taekwondo as a sport adds a competitive edge with an element of safety, in fighting with padded protective gear. So no one gets hurt but all can compete. But this kind of fighting with legs only is far from the reality of street fighting where flying kicks rarely work.  

Strategy c) The Kata to replace Sparring

People don’t like to get hurt, but like to still train in mortal combat. The Kata serves this purpose, fighting imaginary opponents in air via predetermined sequences

5. KRAV MAGA

Strategy a) Military Instructors

Krav Maga means contact art and is a non specific generic word like martial arts or Karate.

In Israel most citizens are drafted into the army and serve in forces for a short duration. So every citizen considers himself qualified to teach Krav Maga.

Strategy b) Military Art

Few KM organizations claim to teach the Military, SWAT and Special Forces. They run “Military & SWAT” Courses in various parts of the world, especially where public can shoot live firearms in private firing ranges without permit.  In these courses local Units of Police, Army are invited to participate in their spare time off the record. SWAT which actually means Special weapons & Tactics is taught as “SWAT- Self Defense to Weapons Tactics” Rubber AKs and Pistols are used to teach students.

Strategy c) Street Self Defense in Short period

Certain street situations like Hand Grab, Collar Grab, Choke, Bear Hug form major part of curriculum. Students are taught how to give standard response to each of these. No Punching, Kicking, Striking or Throwing is taught in detail. The claim is that a 10 day course will make an instructor out of you.

6. TAI CHI & AIKIDO

Strategy a) Hit with Inner Energy

Little or No external force is required these arts advertise, we hit with inner energy. Tai Chi uses inner “CHI” whereas Aikido throws many opponents at the same time with inner “KI”. Baloney!

7. KALARIPAYAT & CAPOEIRA

Strategy a) Magical moves on pressure points can paralyze the opponent , whereas pressure on healing points cure him of every ailment

No Science will testify to this. Vital points are known to every martial artist like the groin, solar plexus and shin. There are no “paralysis” points or “Healing points” known to man.

8. KICKBOXING

Strategy a) Fancy Gyms, Boxing Rings, Punching Bags, Equipment

Kickboxing is the same old martial arts marketed as a FITNESS Mantra. Taught without any discipline, with club culture, music, mirrors, mats and with Aerobic style counts.

THE REALITY IN MARTIAL ARTS:

1) All humans already know how to survive & fight, some better some worse. A good Instructor will channelize this existing survival instinct and build technique on that

2) The taller heavier and more aggressive man always has a distinct advantage and that’s why there are weight categories. Realize this and you will learn to beat the odds.

3) Fancy stuff like Flying Kicks, Tiger Claw strikes to secret points, loud shouting doesnot  assure you victory on the street. This era is of Reality based arts Muay Thai, Jeet Kune Do, Mixed Martial Arts& BJJ

4) Martial arts can only be learnt by sparring with uncooperative opponents and not by Air practice. In the words of Bruce Lee, ‘You cannot win a sprinting event by daily jogging around the track’. In order to be good in fighting, Regular Sparring is a must.

5) Martial Arts are meant for the primary goal of survival in street fight or mortal combat. Don’t do martial arts primarily for Fitness, Style or Recreation. These come as side effects to the martial artist.