Variations equals Styles

Caveat: Please make note that this article/post is my personal analysis of the subject and the information used was chosen or picked by me. It is not an analysis piece because it lacks complete and comprehensive research, it was not adequately and completely investigated and it is not balanced, i.e., it is my personal view without the views of others including subject experts, etc. Look at this as “Infotainment rather then expert research.” This is an opinion/editorial article/post meant to persuade the reader to think, decide and accept or reject my premise. It is an attempt to cause change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs and values as they apply to martial arts and/or self-defense. It is merely a commentary on the subject in the particular article presented.

This article is mine and mine alone. I the author of this article assure you, the reader, that any of the opinions expressed here are my own and are a result of the way in which my meandering mind interprets a particular situation and/or concept. The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of other martial arts and/or conflict/violence professionals or authors of source materials. It should be quite obvious that the sources I used herein have not approved, endorsed, embraced, friended, liked, tweeted or authorized this article. (Everything I think and write is true, within the limits of my knowledge and understanding. Oh, and just because I wrote it and just because it sounds reasonable and just because it makes sense, does not mean it is true.) 

“ … variations, represent idiosyncratic differences between instructors and their respective understanding of the system (original: kata).” - Garry Parker, “Poor Sensei” Article

The quote was pointed to the kata but in reality, as to my views, it is what makes styles, styles. Styles are merely variations in the way individuals view, perceive and understand of their practice of a style. When an individual reaches a certain level of proficiency they often find what they apply changes according to many things of which some are mental and physical make up such as a large framed person of slender built vs. a large frame person with a heavy weight build vs. a small framed person of short stature, etc. 

When this occurs they end up making the style they practice their own and some go so far as to create a new style that reflects these changes through practice, training and experiences. This makes the overall statement reflect the essence as to how styles come into being. 

 “Styles are merely individual perspectives, perceptions and experiences that create individualized variations represented as their idiosyncratic differences between how they were trained and taught resulting in their respective understanding, application and uniqueness derived from their individual traits of mind and body creating spirit that creates style.” - cejames