The art of striking is commonly viewed as brutish and void of intelligent thought by those who are unversed in the various styles and approaches to this art. An average "street fight" is a scene which lacks intelligence, thought, or logical reason - it is driven by negative emotion. When a man can think, while his attacker cannot, then the man is safe and can conquer his obstacle.
The thinker, the man who takes initiative and controls the actions of himself and his opponent is the one who wins. The man who can put his opponent on a "leash" wins.
The art of striking is a science - a method of managing chaos; normalizing and conquering an otherwise unpredictable and dangerous environment. To make the fight unemotional, straightforward, and internally organized is one of the primary goals for those who wish and to be competent in and to more fully understand the stand-up phase of fighting.
When a man can think, then the man is safe and can conquer his obstacle.
This frame of mind can be applied to all aspects of life which require contemplation and/or a solution - to approach obstacles rationally, without pride, without negative emotion, and with the goal of coming to the most positive and effective solution which can be achieved is just one of the many metaphorical lessons which can be learned indirectly through the practice and study of martial arts.
This phase of fighting has been studied, analyzed, practiced and improved, and has evolved for thousands of years. At Green Lion Martial Arts, we take the very best of various arts in order to be most effective in reality. We do not restrict ourselves to a single style, there are no styles, only rules - we mold ourselves and our techniques to be most effective in whatever environment we encounter. We do not make assumptions or create step-by-step plans for fictional scenarios with limited outcomes and possibilities; we create contingency plans for a chaotic and unpredictable encounter. Taking all useful techniques, methodologies, and approaches from various styles like Muay Thai, Dutch Kickboxing, Tae Kwon Do, Boxing, and others is our approach to the art of striking. To absorb what is useful, discard what is useless, and add what is essential our own - this is the way of Green Lion. To continue to be open minded, to question everything, and to improve without restricting ourselves of knowledge and experience is our goal.
By Elliot V.
