Banks, William

Money
Volume 15, Issue 6, pp. 195-204 (1986)

Recommended w/reservation

This article is recommended, especially for those whom are thinking of joining a school or a club for martial arts. Even though the statistical numbers and data are from the year of 1986, it still contains important points. Most people are fascinated by movies which involve action and fightings, and those great moves that are done by martial artists such as Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, and many others. This lead many people to join martial arts schools to learn how to perform those fascinating moves. But another main issue that drives people to want to learn martial art, is the issue of self-defense.

According to the article, aggravated assault and rape are rising while the rate of crime is declining. This is what is making people eager to learn how to defend themselves in such situations. But the problem is that about, "75% of new students quit within six months," Banks said. During this time, students learn some moves that they can apply in a dangerous situation; however, they could apply the right move but in an inappropriate situation and cause serious injuries while they only needed to stop or prevent such a situation. This, from a legal perspective, could cause them to face civil or criminal charges. Banks said, "Experienced practitioners of the martial arts are the first to admit that when it comes to self-defense, your most powerful weapon is still common sense." So if someone needs to learn martial arts, he/she should spend at least a year training regularly because that what it takes to acquire a basic level of proficiency.

The article also pointed out that training for any kind of martial arts would not only help the person phyisically, but it will also help him/her mentally and teach him/her self-confedence and the mental discipline that would help in staying calm in a dire situation and this would be more valuable in the long run than just blocking or punching techniques. Then the article says that whomever wants to choose to practice a certain martial art should take in concideration his/her size and temperament. Then after deciding which style to study, the person should look for how good the school he/she wants to attend; and it gives the approach that someone should follow in doing so. After that, Banks continues and gives a brief discription of karate, tae kwon do, kung fu, judo, and aikido since these are the most common martial arts in the US.

This article is good for those whom are thinking of joining a martial art's school and for parents whom are thinking of enrolling their children in those schools. It will give an idea to the new student of martial art to what is the goal of training for such and art and would lead them to continue their practice in the style they chose.

Annotated by: Ashraf Faden (April 1997)

Martial Arts: Aikido | Judo | Karate | Kung Fu/Wushu | Taekwondo |

Topics: legal issues | self-defense |