Traditional martial arts are worthless

[Darkpaladin]

How is BJJ not traditional? Did it arise in the mind of Helio full formed with no external stimulus?

No, it was created when Helio witnessed a deathmatch between Zeus and Odin for the WWE Heavyweight Championship of the Universe...c'mon, didn't you read the Gracie biography?

[Matt Bernius]

Anthropologically something gets classified as "traditional" if it manages to survive about two generations from its founding. Before that it ranks as a "Neo-tradition" though the desire to "neo-" everything was a 90s social science disease that Anthropology unfortunately caught. At this point BJJ is just about on the cusp and is closer then Aikido is towards being a traditional martial art by a few years.

Seems like the back half of the ninties into the new century have been dominated by "meta."

- Matt

[Coyote]

Has Asia ever tried the Art of Fighting Without Fighting?
Full contact Feng-Shui?

[Lane]

Yes in India. I mentioned that before. It was during that trip I started collecting KATARs.

(this isn't one of mine but one I would like to have)

Your kung fu is best. I humbly bow out.

[PizDoff]

Uh, glad this topic stimulate some discussion.

This was sent over to me in an email from one of my company's clients and I think it sums how some arts stay 'traditional' and static while others change and evolve.

"It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change."

Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
British naturalist

[QuickJab]

LORDASIA,

You've probably been asked this before, but I'm too drunk to search at the moment, what were your favorite martial arts? Doesn't necessarily mean the most effective, but the most interesting or the best time you had training?

[Spunky]

I think it sums how some arts stay 'traditional' and static while others change and evolve.

"Traditional" and "static" are not mutually inclusive.