Were the ancients that good?

No internet, travel was really difficult, most couldn’t read or write, what little video is available was made when they were old and most didn’t move that well.

Of course we respect them as they were the founders of what we practise today and some obviously were really good, but how many?

The lineage carriers were often bloodline and to be honest that doesn’t mean the talent of the originator was passed down, often, non family students were better.

I’ve often heard people say that the masters ‘hide’ techniques from students but in my experience that’s not true, either the master didn’t know it in the first place or the student was too thick or lazy to grasp the essence.

Real skill is usually in the basics and permeates everything in the art, but requires consistent study to understand and penetrate the ideas and principles. It’s there on show all the time for those that have the right eyes to see.

Lineage of any sort only tells a part of someone’s training story. There is so much information available for students today, it’s a wonder that they are not better, but then it all depends on their state of mind and desire to learn.