The Way to Go-Philosophy in Martial arts Practice

Finally a book about martial arts practice for adults! The authors have combined expertise in the martial arts, physical education, and philsophy, as well as in many languages and cultures. They have applied their expertise to considering practical issues in the martial arts today. Currently, the

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physical techniques of the martial arts have been transmitted fairly successfully from Eastern to Western culture. But the cultural and philosophical side has not transferred as well. Why should not your spiritual training be as rigorous as your physical training in the martials arts? This book shows you how that can be...

This book considers philosophical issues that arise in martial arts activities. Whereas the earlier volume, Martial Meditation, concerns the theory, this book concerns the practice. It considers such issues in the contemporary martial arts scene as:

The nature of a martial art
Tradition and innovation
Training goals and problems
Teaching methods
Professional responsibilities
Martial arts movies and contests
Equal opportunity and affirmation action
Sexism
The morality of self-defense
Self-development and zen buddhism
The future of the martial arts

Reviews of the earlier Martial Meditation

The book's greatest value will be to correct the distorted view which many people have of the martial arts...Martial Meditation is the first sustained philosophical attempt to grasp the nature of this family of human activities...Their advice is that if you really want to find out what a martial art is, start a practice of one of them; and my advice is that you also read Martial Meditation...It is an awesome by-product of training, practice and wisdom. The book is by far the best work on this intriguing subject, and I encourage you to meditate with these two masters.-Professor Spencer K. Wertz, former President of the Philsophic Society for the Study of Sport

Martial Meditation...is a very strong, readable, and well-argued book from two knowledgeable authors who provide a clear and critical perspective of martial arts from its Oriental heritage to its present-day development.-Professor Burt Konzak, Contemporary Sociology

Contents

Preface
Introduction
What are the martial arts?
The way
Sport
Art
The nature of a martial art
I The legacy of Bruce Lee
The life and myth of Bruce Lee
The tradition of Bruce Lee
Is a tradition necessary?
The history of tradition in the martial arts
Bruce Lee revisited
II Tradition in the martial arts
Paradoxes of tradition
Tradition in time
Repetition and change
Ri and Ji
Innovation
Creating new traditins
III Goals of the martial arts
Safety and the martial arts
Wellness as hedonism
Wellness versus goodness
Motives for the martial arts
Personal progress in the martial arts
IV Training
Reasons for new goals
The career of a martrial artist
Borefom
Why bother?
Levels of training
Training problems-Forms; Sport and competion; Repetition and ritual; Persistence
V Teaching
Whom to teach?
Levels and types of instruction
Sensei versus teacher
Tuition
Teaching styles
The ideal student
The teaching environment
Future teaching: Traditional or modern?
VI The professional
Money and the martial artist
Professional versus amateur
Physical education programs
The martial arts profession
The master
Master versus coach
VII Public issues
Spectators of the martial arts
The value of watching
The media and the martial artist
Legislation
Contests in the martial arts
VIII Equality in the martial arts
Equal opportunity
Rank
Children
The old
Handicapping
Discrimination
Equal opportunity: Does it suffice?
IX Feminism in the martial arts
The dilemma of difference
A cultural detour
The weaker form of the dilemma
A biological detour
The stronger form of the dilemma
Nature and the way
Real human beings
X The virtues of self-defense
Self-preservation
Self-confidence
Self-control
Moral duty
Resoponsibility
Entry into the martial arts
The limits of self-defense
Modern self-defense
A martial arts tradition on self-defense
An attack on 'self-defense'
From ethical theory to mushin
XI Self-development: No thy-self
Self-esteem and performance
The self: What matters
Selflessness and the no-self
Self-love
The no self (mushin)
XII The future of the martial arts
Curent trends in the martial arts
The individuation of teh martial arts
Eclecticism and the unity of martial art
From jutsu to do to sport??
Drawbacks of martial art sport
What should the martial arts become?
The way of the martial artist
A note on method
Bibliography
Index

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