Ah, 2007 is here and now! And the martial arts, iron game, and fitness/health con artists and thieves are as busy as ever thinking of new ways to get into the pockets of those who seek health, strength, physical prowess, athletic performance enhancement, and personal evolvement. The wolves are lurking outside the door just as sure as Osama bin Laden is sitting in a Afghan or Pakistani cave somewhere plotting his next evil plot against western civilization.
I can't wait to see what "new" martial art will be discovered that will supercede and make irrelevant all that have preceded it. Just like the food supplement makers and vendors need a hot and trendy NEW product (or revamping or reformulation of an old product) in order to keep the bucks flowing into the old bank account (and the "shills" happy with their "new and improved" whatever), the martial arts studio owners need to have something "fresh" to capture the imagination of their trainees (true believers?). Will it be Russian, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Burmese, Tibetan, Indian, European, African, or Latin American? Will it be a grappling, kicking, punching, "punching / kicking," " punching / kicking / grappling," a variation on ninjitsu, blade, stick, staff, chain,...or something that requires six fingers on each hand?
Whatever the "powers that be" and the promoters choose to get behind and promote, I will be patiently waiting to see how they package it so that I can get a good belly-laugh at their gall and chutzpah in presenting it to the martial arts public.
Currently grappling, mixed martial arts, and shoot-boxing are the "hot arts" that keep the old karate and taekwondo storefronts in business. but you can bet your last dollar that there will be something NEW on the market that will capture the fancy of the young adults and adults who need a new martial arts "fix" periodically in order to keep them interested in sukpporting their martial arts "habit."
Meanwhile, there are always spectacles like the recent Liddell versus Ortiz UFC fight, K1-Max, violent video games, and a slew of international "martial competitions" and "action" movies to keep the average martial arts junkie primed and pumped for whatever will be deemed the "latest and greatest" art on the horizon. It may not be pretty, and it may not even have a "touch of asia" in it's bloodline, but it will put dollars in the cash register, and that is all that really counts in the wacky world of commercial martial arts.
I really have no interest in any of that garbage, but I do find that watching the "passing circus" to be amusing. I have seen the same circuses in bodybuilding, powerlifting, fitness training, and even in drumming and dance over the past 4+ decades (*drumming is currently in it's "drum therapy" stage of evolution (?), and "Dancing With The Stars" has "drummed up" a bit of interest in social dancing over the past year or two...just to let you know about two other "circuses" I keep tabs on).
It is better to have an interest in "arts" with heart, soul, and tradition, than it is to always "surf" along on the shallow waters of what's "hot" and whats "not hot."
A more substantial commentary is next in line!
01/08/07
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