Branches
When formally training for almost any skill or profession, it is common to find that there is a structured, organized curriculum in place to guide interested individuals in acquiring a basic understanding of a given subject to an advanced understanding with evolved capabilities. Martial Arts has historically been different - in the history of Martial Arts, no such formal structure has existed....until now. The White Lotus System provides its members with the worlds most organized, thorough, and complete system of martial preparation.
Basic Skill Development
For those starting martial preparation, the circumstances of combat can seem chaotic, volatile and unmanageable. Most people just starting their training will have many legitimate questions. These people sincerely appreciate that the possibility of entering into unarmed combat poses significant risk. Those who are aware that they are unprepared are rational - justified in feeling insecure about having to fight. They seek reality based solutions in order to overcome their very real concerns. ​
A fight involves two or more people - fears arise, in part, from concerns related to ones own abilities and, in part, based on concerns specific to managing the opponent. This specific branch of the White Lotus System directs practitioners towards furthering their own mechanical abilities in isolation, without the pressure of having to cope with an opponent, or the duress of operating under the delusion that their skills will be satisfactory to manage any given fight consistently.
Completion of basic skill development establishes the confidence needed in ones own mechanical abilities, allowing the practitioner the opportunity to safely direct their attention to towards skills necessary to manage understand and manage the circumstances of combat.
INTERMEDIATE SKILL DEVELOPMENT
Intermediate skill development leverages the mechanical foundation that practitioners establish in basic skill development and very systematically brings students through a process of developing the ability to abstract and actualize the systems concepts. As concepts transition from ideas into actual occurrences that unfold in time and space, they become what are referred to as "elements." ​
All combative events are composed of elements, much like every object you see around you is composed of elements from what we know as the periodic table. In the White Lotus System, elements are divided into three categories: biomechanical elements, combative elements and processing elements. ​
As with the periodic table, the elements of the White Lotus System are limited, but their possible applied combinations are too numerous to mention. The elements are also universal in their application and are not bound to "style." Through the elements, a practitioner is able to comprehend the almost boundless number of possibilities of unarmed combat. It is also, in part, the use of the elements of the White Lotus System that helps make unarmed combat manageable.
Advanced SkiLL DEVELOPMENT
In the White Lotus System, it is said that it is healthy to be afraid when starting preparation and appropriate not to be afraid at the end of it. Very often, the opposite is proven true. Many people start their preparation absent of being justifiably insecure, and end up more afraid than they should be towards the end of their preparatory process. ​
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Engaging in Unarmed Combat is an inherently dangerous thing to do. A responsible educator has a healthy respect for this danger and does not willingly promote that their students attempt to achieve combative objectives in the absence of thorough preparation.
It is not until a student has a solid grounding in mechanical skills and has command over the elements that they are ready to address achieving combative objectives. Practitioners entering into Advanced Skill Development are equipped with the pre-requisite knowledge and skill to start to achieving combative objectives under varying (and ultimately) random combative conditions. The learning curve at Advanced Skill Development involves incrementally arranging elements in specific sequences and patterns to realize outcomes that are in their favor.