Three New Member Essays

[Webmaster]

Swiss Arms Research Report - Derek Wassom
http://www.thearma.org/essays/FAH/FAH.htm

The Death of a Martial Art? - Shane Smith
http://www.thearma.org/essays/DeathofMA.htm

The Process of Learning Lost Martial Arts - Mike Cartier
http://www.thearma.org/essays/process.htm

[david welch]

Three outstanding essays!

My only critisism... Y'all need to spread yourselves out a little and CRUSH the feast or famine of the new essays. <img src="http://www.thearma.org/forum/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Brian Hunt]

These are all three really great articles. I enjoyed everyone of them. I am particularly enamored of the sword measurements in the Swiss Arms Research essay. I wish we had more historical sword measurements like this with things like point of balance, weight, etc. This could really help someone with the selection of a modern replica if they could compare the stats of a replica to the stats of a similar historical sword.

Just a thought.

Brian Hunt.

[Mike Cartier]

That was a great read Shane, got me all pumped up.
I am green with envy at the Swiss Arems report too, that looked like wicked fun.

[Shane Smith]

Thanks Mike.

I've read through your piece several times and I must admit that you present some truths that many overlook. As you infer,all we can hope to do is create our own valid interpretation of what we are seeing in the manuals. I think this is what seperates the martial "artist" from a "student" of the martial arts. Some guys can "perform" the various movements in a dry, classroom context,while yet others seem to be able to grasp and "internalize" the concepts and incorporate them into an effective and dynamic whole. Very thought-provoking work !

[John_Clements]

"the martial "artist" from a "student" of the martial arts. Some guys can "perform" the various movements in a dry, classroom context,while yet others seem to be able to grasp and "internalize" the concepts and incorporate them into an effective and dynamic whole."

****

Wow, interesting thought, Shane. I am going to have to use that. Well said. It absolutely corresponds with the whole idea we have been advocating al this time about "application" of the source teachings being the objective in our studies beyond that of "translation &amp; interpretation."

JC