Extreme Martial Arts
Steve
as above, shown on the Discovery Channel.
One or two interesting `bits and pieces`, but I think it mostly centred on a
competition called something like `World Martial Arts` something or other,
which was held in Orlando, U.S.A. in 2003.
This was a 2 hour T.V. programme, and so many questions were running thru my
head throughout the programme that I really did`nt get much sleep that
night, but one of those many things was this..........
The Competition included many, many, types, styles etc, call them what you
will, Weapons, Kata ( a lot of which was questionable ), Kumite, Breaking,
but at the start of one ( lets call it Kata, for want of some other
description ) the `participant` started by doing a cart wheel, followed by a
reverse tumbling somersault and landing in a sort of Kiba Dachi stance with
a downward block.
Apart form the final move in this `pretty` little set what the hell has this
type of acrobatic, gymnastic `stuff` got to do with the Martial Arts,
although I really believe that I`m not missing something, or am I?
I am a Shotokan man thru and thru, cut me in half and I`ll have the words
Shotokan running thru my body like a stick of rock, ( ha bloody ha ) but I
really can`t get to grips with this sort of stuff.
Sure it`s all very pretty, and flowery, very clever and obviously wins
competition ( which is even sadder ).
There was one guy, whose talent was also quite obvious, who was twirling,
throwing and catching a `Katana` as part of his weapons section, but to me
that`s all it was, a well rehearsed `demo` to win a Competition, if you look
beyond that, he could probably do it in his sleep, does it actually really
mean anything, where is the `Martial Art` in any of this, and what I saw
bore no resemblance to anything to do with a Katana ( for example Iai do )
application, Kata, Samurai, Bushido etc, etc.
Some of these people would have no doubt faired better at a Gymnastics
Competition.
I have always tried to keep an open mind about Martial Arts generally,
although as a Shotokan man have always tried to understand and accept other
peoples Martial Arts and beliefs, but this was
just.......................well, words fail me.
Steve.
Stephen Marriott
Steve wrote:
>
> There was a T.V. programme shown just after Christmas here in the U.K. named
> as above, shown on the Discovery Channel.
>
> One or two interesting `bits and pieces`, but I think it mostly centred on a
> competition called something like `World Martial Arts` something or other,
> which was held in Orlando, U.S.A. in 2003.
>
> This was a 2 hour T.V. programme, and so many questions were running thru my
> head throughout the programme that I really did`nt get much sleep that
> night, but one of those many things was this..........
>
> The Competition included many, many, types, styles etc, call them what you
> will, Weapons, Kata ( a lot of which was questionable ), Kumite, Breaking,
> but at the start of one ( lets call it Kata, for want of some other
> description ) the `participant` started by doing a cart wheel, followed by a
> reverse tumbling somersault and landing in a sort of Kiba Dachi stance with
> a downward block.
>
> Apart form the final move in this `pretty` little set what the hell has this
> type of acrobatic, gymnastic `stuff` got to do with the Martial Arts,
> although I really believe that I`m not missing something, or am I?
The kata he did was supposed to be Seienchin - AFAICT.
It was all done for show... I guess it might be good entertainment if
you don't know any martial arts.
You can send your views to
http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/xma/xma.html
--
Stephen Marriott - st...@c4d.co.uk
Cranfield University, Silsoe Karate Club
Traditional Association of Shotokan Karate
ICQ#: 29793027 Yahoo Messenger: sjmariota AIM: sjmariota
http://www.stephenmarriott.com/ http://www.task.org.uk/
salvatore uras
I didn't see the show. Anyway, I think my feelings are quite similar. As
my experience accumulates, it seems to drive me away from the obsession
of strength and performance, in the direction of quality of movement and
mind control-things that have very little to do with visibility and
acrobacy. Maybe it's something of old shotokan men...
Salvatore
Brent Bowman
4thdan and 5thdan black belts and one of them got gold medals in karate kata
in the pan am games I believe not sure if that's the right name for the
games but in any case. So I have gained alot of knowledge about kata in my
short time, I've watched them perform kata after kata and I have never seen
them do cart wheels or such things as that. but there is an aspect of
agility. now they do jumps, spins, slides, and tumbles along with other
things. but really are you going to do a cart wheel in the middle of free
style sparring? if they could show a practical application of this then
maybe it would be more interesting. I would like to have seen this TV show.
anyway I agree with you and I'm not old lol only 17.
Ciao!
Danny
"salvatore uras" <zan...@katamail.com> wrote in message
news:ZdfMb.93329$_P.35...@news4.tin.it...
andrew.upton4
Gymnastics while wearing a gi - that's all it was.
I only watched it to the end because of entertainment value.
"Brent Bowman" <bjbo...@telus.net> wrote in message
news:0LgPb.3$i72.0@edtnps89...
MrUK4U
And, they do loads of handstands/headstands(yes, quite literally, standing on
their head/arms-and, then, striking with feet from that position!).
All I can say is, I don't think any style is 'crap!' Instead, what matters is
the skill with which the practicioner is able to use it...; the Capoeira master
was one very slippery customer to hit, indeed. The style is like dance...; and,
the classes also have 'music' in it...(no kidding)...; so, they have very
highly developed sense of timing/'rhythm'. They would duck/dive/dodge just like
a monkey does...; and, could come at you -quite utterly unpredictably- from
absolutely 'all' angles(up/down/sideways/right/left/underneath)???
I think, anybody using an ortodox style...would find it really very STRANGE,
indeed, when attempting to go fight against a capoerista player. In fact, being
faced with the STRANGENESS factor might just make them loose!
Some times, using strange methods works a hell of a lot better than using
ortodox methods...they say, box a grappler/grapple a boxer...-get them at their
weak point, in other words-...simply, because, they are NOT used to it?! I
guess, this was also the big secret which made the Ninja so successful over the
Samurai...fighting totally unorthodox!
Paddles
a kung fu style
i think its fantastic and would love to be able to do some of the techniques
check out this site http://www.a2zmartialarts.co.uk/VIDEOS.HTM
"MrUK4U" <mru...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040406235303...@mb-m11.aol.com...
MrUK4U
have you ever watched wu shu? that is a lot of gymnastics incorporated into
a kung fu style
i think its fantastic and would love to be able to do some of the techniques
<<<
Yes, I have seen kung fu inside of the movies...especially, Shaolin, and, love
to seeing the highly acrobatic flips/and, jumping techniques...which I don't
even care less what anybody else says...I'm certain could also be applicable to
being used in real life, too, as well. Teaching you such important things such
as correct body positioning/timing/balance/-etc. And, not to mention guts!
Because, I think, it takes a hell of a lot of guts to become really good at
gymnastics, alone; nevermind, having to go learn martial arts on top of it, as
well.
In fact, only just recently and for the last few weeks, I've been studying Kung
Fu. Though, I'm not exactly sure which style in particular it is?! Just saw the
lessons being advertised, locally; then, went to view; finally, I went. So far
to date, though...; I can't say I've learnt anything truly acrobatic...; only
merely ordinary breakfalls(forwards/backwards/sideways/-etc). But, I'm sure,
the training will get a lot more difficult, later on. And, then, again, there
is a Shaolin classes available elsewhere...; but, I don't wish to take on
trying to do/learn far too much, at once.
>>>
check out this site http://www.a2zmartialarts.co.uk/VIDEOS.HTM
<<<
I tried clicking on your above link...; but, a message came up saying...Real 1
is searching for a software update to correct the problem which is why I can't
view seeing the movie...; then, another dialogue box came up this time saying,
sorry, there are no software updates available?! But, will try, again...as the
site looks really GREAT...just can't wait to see the clips./-Thanks!-/;-)
I'm using here an old 56K internal modem...; maybe, that's why it won't work???
I need to get either ISDN/or, broadband(whenever I can afford it...because, I'm
still unemployed)...otherwise, downloading and viewing movie clips -especially,
which are long- don't really work-sometimes, it both loads/views incredibly
slowly?!
Paddles
try this one instead
"MrUK4U" <mru...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040502170613...@mb-m16.aol.com...
Darren Briggs
execution, however is there not a danger in losing the essence of the kata,
if gymkata are performed exclusively, rather than the traditional katas upon
which all karate styles are founded. I refer specifically to bunkai and
more specifically to those who seek deeper aspects, inparticulary kyusho
jitsu interpretations, which have something to offer. Conversely if both
gymkata and traditional kata are practiced, in as near an authentic form as
possible, the art gains.
Yours respectfully
A jujitsuka
"andrew.upton4" <andrew...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:S22ac.328$Cb4.17@newsfe1-win...