The "Style" or "System" Trap

     Learn this style and be undefeatable. Study this system and you can defeat any attacker.  These lures are often used to market a particular martial art style or system to the public in hopes of taking advantage of those that are seeking an easy answer to developing martial art ability.

     It is easy to fall prey to these advertising slogans. Who wouldn't want to believe that there is one end all to be all martial art method that can defeat all others and can make us invincible? Many would have you believe that by studying their "system" that you will be provided with all of the answers, that they have discovered or been handed down an ingenious formula that no one else knows or will be able to defeat.

     Be careful to not fall prey to clever marketing schemes that make you feel that you are missing out by not studying their system. Those that seek these "systems" are usually those that need that false sense of security that is provided by completing a "system". Once that "system" is completed, now they have the answers or the "truth" in combat. The "truth" is that no one style or system can have all of the answers or all of the knowledge for every situation. One may choose to specialize in a given system that feels very natural to them, but they must be in a constant state of learning and researching to complement their chosen path.