Competition and Its Usefulness:
August 9, 2008 - Greg Rouse
When considering the advantages of martial arts competitions and thinking about personally getting involved.
When reviewing the circumstances of our recent or latest participation in a tournament or competitive event.
We often find ourselves asking the most commonly self contemplated questions. Why should I compete?
What good was all of that? How did I benefit from this?
Any one who has ever spoken to anyone else who has ever competed in a martial arts tournament in today’s
circuit has heard the rumors. They have been fed the war stories and they have been made to reconsider
whether or not they themselves should get involved with it.
After hearing the many complications and disconcerting opinions of martial arts competitors who view
themselves the victim of a scandal, many, or even most, begin to play back all of the excuses. We ask
ourselves the critical questions to determine our own interest in measuring ourselves. We do this not in the
way to understand the benefits, but more like reasoning for not getting involved.
Except for the Enthusiastic Practitioner, we find fault in the system and therefore excuse ourselves from
participating. Many of us have had the discussion whether or not martial arts competitions are really worth
the effort. There is much talk about corruption in the tournament staff; corruption in the ranks, unfair judging
and ruling policies, systematic fighting and point systems unrealistic to the basic principals of self defense,
commercialization and the list goes on.
There are so many restrictions and regulations as to what can and what cannot be applied in the ring.
Organized Sports Tournament Associations are a dime a dozen. Whose rules should be applied? There can
be so much confusion that it may seem to reduce the effectiveness of martial style when compared to real
world self-defense; which brings so many practitioners together into the same mindset as to wonder why they
should compete at all.
With all of the excuses why not to compete I thought it reasonable to cover the redeeming facts why one
should consider competing. Who is the benefactor? Is it the organizational party that collects the registration
fees? Are they the concession owners selling foods and old but unused martial gear and accessories?
Could they be the advertisement companies or marketers? Truthfully speaking the real benefactors are still
the competitors. Although, martial arts competitions may have taken a turn for the worse in preparation,
organization, operation and commercialization their original design and purpose remain in full affect today.
Though the focus has been turned away just a bit it is still all about the practitioner. Participating in a martial
arts competition will take every thing you have learned up to the point where you now stand. Your self
control, patience, endurance, camaraderie, sportsmanship, discipline, integrity and so much more is all laid
out on the line. Let’s see how you conduct yourselves.
Each redeeming factor should be explained in greater detail than just to list them as reasons. Because of
that I have broken them down into three generalized points. Hopefully these points will help you to
understand the original design and reasoning for competition, as well as give you a better guideline into
deciding your own level of participating in future events.
Keeping your focus on the goal will help you reach them quicker. Keep a look out for the follow up articles on
the three redeeming factors of martial arts competition. Look for articles titled:
Competition and Its Usefulness, Pt 2: The What, Why and How
Competition: Know Your Opponent
Competition: Know Your Art
Competition: Know Your Self.
When considering the advantages of martial arts competitions and thinking about personally getting involved.
When reviewing the circumstances of our recent or latest participation in a tournament or competitive event.
We often find ourselves asking the most commonly self contemplated questions. Why should I compete?
What good was all of that? How did I benefit from this?
Any one who has ever spoken to anyone else who has ever competed in a martial arts tournament in today’s
circuit has heard the rumors. They have been fed the war stories and they have been made to reconsider
whether or not they themselves should get involved with it.
After hearing the many complications and disconcerting opinions of martial arts competitors who view
themselves the victim of a scandal, many, or even most, begin to play back all of the excuses. We ask
ourselves the critical questions to determine our own interest in measuring ourselves. We do this not in the
way to understand the benefits, but more like reasoning for not getting involved.
Except for the Enthusiastic Practitioner, we find fault in the system and therefore excuse ourselves from
participating. Many of us have had the discussion whether or not martial arts competitions are really worth
the effort. There is much talk about corruption in the tournament staff; corruption in the ranks, unfair judging
and ruling policies, systematic fighting and point systems unrealistic to the basic principals of self defense,
commercialization and the list goes on.
There are so many restrictions and regulations as to what can and what cannot be applied in the ring.
Organized Sports Tournament Associations are a dime a dozen. Whose rules should be applied? There can
be so much confusion that it may seem to reduce the effectiveness of martial style when compared to real
world self-defense; which brings so many practitioners together into the same mindset as to wonder why they
should compete at all.
With all of the excuses why not to compete I thought it reasonable to cover the redeeming facts why one
should consider competing. Who is the benefactor? Is it the organizational party that collects the registration
fees? Are they the concession owners selling foods and old but unused martial gear and accessories?
Could they be the advertisement companies or marketers? Truthfully speaking the real benefactors are still
the competitors. Although, martial arts competitions may have taken a turn for the worse in preparation,
organization, operation and commercialization their original design and purpose remain in full affect today.
Though the focus has been turned away just a bit it is still all about the practitioner. Participating in a martial
arts competition will take every thing you have learned up to the point where you now stand. Your self
control, patience, endurance, camaraderie, sportsmanship, discipline, integrity and so much more is all laid
out on the line. Let’s see how you conduct yourselves.
Each redeeming factor should be explained in greater detail than just to list them as reasons. Because of
that I have broken them down into three generalized points. Hopefully these points will help you to
understand the original design and reasoning for competition, as well as give you a better guideline into
deciding your own level of participating in future events.
Keeping your focus on the goal will help you reach them quicker. Keep a look out for the follow up articles on
the three redeeming factors of martial arts competition. Look for articles titled:
Competition and Its Usefulness, Pt 2: The What, Why and How
Competition: Know Your Opponent
Competition: Know Your Art
Competition: Know Your Self.
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