whats your view on the "handicaped" and MA's

**Kingston** · 02-06-2003, 04:18 PM

I was watching the TV show "How do they do that" or something similar to that....

They had a guy in a wheel chair, paralized from the waist down, who was a 2nd degree black belt in Karate. Im thinking "this is gunna be funny". For the most part it was. its always tragic when someone becomes paralized, and Karate did improve his life alot.

They showed a little demonstration of him taking on 4 guys (one at a time) who were obviously going with the movement, even talking about how he can do a modified stomp with the feet rests of his wheel chair.

im thinking just kick the damn chair over, see how good he does then! Or come up behind him and push his chair down a steep hill lol. Thats mean i know, but how would his karate skills deal with that.

the guy said that he was glad he found karate because they didn't have to modify the techniques to much so he could be true to his "combat art" that he had been able to master.

Then i rememberd the time i saw the guy with no legs practicing Kendo and Karate...it was on "Ripleys Beleave it or not", he was a black belt...HE HAD NO LEGS! This guy also had some low budget martial art action films comming out, with him in a wheel chair defeating dozens of attackers.

also Webster whos about 3 feet tall is supposibly a black belt.

So my question is. Do you think all those people are kidding themselves by practicing these martial arts. Im not sure how many of these guys acualy beleave they could defend themselves against the simplest form of attackers, it seemed like both the wheel chair guys did....

i realize that getting alot out of martial arts is a decent reason to take them, but because the nature of martial arts is combat it kind of changes if people cant use it for that reason.

what are your opinions....or does it even matter....

(this was mostly just a rant, but i want to hear what you all think about this as well)

Bri Thai · 02-06-2003, 04:40 PM

Thank you for your opinion.

Can someone put this guy Kingston down?

Personally I would like to beat him to death. What a twat.

**Kingston** · 02-06-2003, 04:43 PM

Originally posted by Bri Thai
Thank you for your opinion.

Can someone put this guy Kingston down?

Personally I would like to beat him to death. What a twat. -

*sigh*... once again Bri gets drunk and writes a post

lol thanks for your input bri thai

heh, how can i respond to that? Your just a man ruled by his heart i guess.

you seem to be getting the wrong impresion......is it my problem or yours?

**BellyOfTheBeast** · 02-06-2003, 04:50 PM

sure he might get his ass kicked in a real fight but if this guy uses karate to have some hope in his life and give him confidence that he could do something with himself then all the power too him and just because he's in a wheel chair doesn't mean he has to limit himself by not doing anything that might not be effective. Martial arts is a gateway towards other positive things not just fighting, believing in yourself and stuff like that. It means different things to different people. For you it might mean fighting combat for him it might open doors to something else. Thats my opinion anyway. I couldn't imagine living being in a wheelchair so if this guy is happy good for him.

**Kingston** · 02-06-2003, 05:08 PM

i suppose so, nothing wrong in doing what you can. Its just strange the way they market these guys as being "master karate fighters".

Iv seen peolpe who play football with no legs, i dont mind that, the guy was good!

but it didn't show clips of him taking on multiple attackers and winning without a scratch!

i had a guy who practiced iaido at my club who only had one leg, he was quite impressive, and modified the techniques realy well.
but the main purpose for iaido is to "master" and to get injoyment out of the techniques themselves, not there effectivness in battle.

i played football in front of my house with a kid who had down sindrom (spelling?). he saw me and my friend playing and wanted to join in, i had no problem with it, so it started to become a regular thing.... if that kid was put on TV for his amazing football skils i would think its funny to. his mom got a little clingy though, pushed me away....but thats another story.

i guess i would have found it funny if any mcdojo "karate" master came on T.V. defeating 4 guys at once without being hit. I also find any chance to take humor in Karate practitioners....

**FatBastard** · 02-06-2003, 06:02 PM

O.K., I have to jump in on this one. I didn’t start taking BJJ as a means of defending myself in a fight. Frankly, I’m 25 and NEVER had to resort to violence to resolve a dispute, drunken bar argument, etc. (Ironic considering I’ve been a bouncer for over a year now.)

I did however start taking BJJ to physically better myself. Basically, I got sick of sitting around. Now, imagine that you literally had to “sit around” your entire life. I think that Karate is a wonderful opportunity for someone to physically better themselves and becomes a gateway for other physical activities such as weightlifting.

There also necessarily arises a social aspect to ones life. He didn’t take Karate as a home study, therefore he was forced to establish a relationship with at least the other people training with him. Hence he metaphorically “got off of his ass” and did something.

Besides, weather or not he is an effective fighter is irrelevant. I’m sure there are thousands of people out there that train in MA that could get their buts kicked by some bum off of the street.

**crouton** · 02-06-2003, 06:23 PM

well I think it is good that he got out and took an interest in something, now wether or not he is a "master karate fighter" and can defend against 4 people is another story. I dont think someone paraylized can just go into a class and take up karate. The art has to be tailored to that indiviual, since they cant do certain things and also there balance is not the same as a normal person. I do think that a paraylized person can do very well in an art and learn to defend themselves. I personally know a parapalygic who studies in arnis and does extremly well. He carries a folding knife clipped to his seat behind his leg, you would never know it was there. I have trained with him and seen him train with others. It is very hard to try and get close to him to attack him or "kick his wheelchair over", without getting serverely cut. He is very dedicated and good at what he does.

**Kirves** · 02-06-2003, 06:49 PM

One thing I have found thought provoking; I know a person who got paralyzed from waist down. He found some light and joy into his life by starting karate after that. I know another person, a karateka, who got paralyzed from waist down in a karate demonstration. He never practiced karate since.

**MrPoopy** · 02-06-2003, 11:04 PM

i played football in front of my house with a kid who had down sindrom (spelling?). he saw me and my friend playing and wanted to join in, i had no problem with it, so it started to become a regular thing.... if that kid was put on TV for his amazing football skils i would think its funny to. his mom got a little clingy though, pushed me away....but thats another story.

It probly meant something to the guy that you and your friend let him join in. Maybe it meant something to the handicapped guy that he was able to overcome his disablity and accomplish something in martial arts.

**Scott Kano** · 02-06-2003, 11:55 PM

Good on him, its obvious that Karate has made him who he is and he loves it. I say good on ya mate u deserve it.

But I dont see how a guy can play football with no legs, as the whole idea of football is kicking with the legs unless they were artificial ones?

**Kingston** · 02-07-2003, 12:58 AM

Originally posted by Scott Kano
Good on him, its obvious that Karate has made him who he is and he loves it. I say good on ya mate u deserve it.

But I dont see how a guy can play football with no legs, as the whole idea of football is kicking with the legs unless they were artificial ones?

it was american football....not soccer.

he hobbled using his arms, seemed to be keeping up pretty well.....i think it was only junior high football though, but it was contact.

**Kingston** · 02-07-2003, 01:08 AM

Originally posted by MrPoopy

It probly meant something to the guy that you and your friend let him join in. Maybe it meant something to the handicapped guy that he was able to overcome his disablity and accomplish something in martial arts.

they both got alot out of those things.....

Just strange how they market these types of people

I havn't been impressed with any Karate demo's iv seen on TV.

Did anyone see any of those shows? The whole thing seemed kind of pointless.

Bri Thai · 02-07-2003, 04:39 PM

I wonder if the Karate guy you laugh at so much had better spelling and grammar than you.

Maybe the Downs Syndrome boy has too, you prick. I think his mother may have got the impression your interest in him was unhealthy. Maybe you should pay for it if you can't get a girlfriend?

**Kingston** · 02-07-2003, 04:49 PM

Originally posted by Bri Thai
I wonder if the Karate guy you laugh at so much had better spelling and grammar than you.

Maybe the Downs Syndrome boy has too, you prick. I think his mother may have got the impression your interest in him was unhealthy. Maybe you should pay for it if you can't get a girlfriend?

lol this is a new low for you bri thai, i thought it couldn't get any worse after the steroids threads......i guess it just did.

once again bri, dont post when your high......it makes you sound trollish.

**Kingston** · 02-07-2003, 05:03 PM

perhaps a topic like this is better reserved for the company of friends. I guess i can understand why some people can misunderstand my intention.

Bri i probaly have had more possitive interaction with the "dissabled" then you have, and im still much younger then you......Im just not biased in my sence of humor.

Bri, im glad you took it upon yourself to comment on my grammar, whats next, making fun of my name? Its strange you think you know me, youve never met me.... continue with your prejudice comments Bri. The scary thing is, your a cop.