is this really martial arts?

[matthewkemp]

some of you may have heard of Matt Emig, i came across him browsing the net.

http://www.geocities.com/matthewemig/

if you look at his website you will see that he is a champion at weapons forms to music and doing fancy flying kicks
i have nothing against him but in my opinion this is not what martial arts is really about.
what do you guys think?

N.B he also says he does TKD but is affiliated with a karate organisation(read his profile) which makes no sense lol

matt

[ipscshooter]

I've never heard of "kempo tae kwon do".

The term "karate" is often used here in the U.S. as a generic term. The "Paul Mitchell National Karate Team" does kata events on ESPN2. (Isn't Paul Mitchell a brand of hair care product?) The shows usually appear after midnight... ISKA and NASKA events look more like gymnastics competitions to me. And, I've seen some of the kata stuff at local tournaments as well, full of acrobatic maneuvers that don't look even remotely "martial". They usually call it something like "Modified Tae Kwon Do." Ridiculous. My son has gone out and performed a virtually flawless traditional kata, and then some gymnast comes in, does a couple cartwheels and back flips, and wins the trophy.

[Szczepankiewicz]

If you close your eyes and listen.... it sounds like Gay Chinese Porn.

The dude is definitely talented. But it looks more like gymnastics than anything else.

[matthewkemp]

I've never heard of "kempo tae kwon do".

The term "karate" is often used here in the U.S. as a generic term. The "Paul Mitchell National Karate Team" does kata events on ESPN2. (Isn't Paul Mitchell a brand of hair care product?) The shows usually appear after midnight... ISKA and NASKA events look more like gymnastics competitions to me. And, I've seen some of the kata stuff at local tournaments as well, full of acrobatic maneuvers that don't look even remotely "martial". They usually call it something like "Modified Tae Kwon Do." Ridiculous. My son has gone out and performed a virtually flawless traditional kata, and then some gymnast comes in, does a couple cartwheels and back flips, and wins the trophy.

i completly agree, i am all for them doing what they do but i think it should be set aside from martial arts as we know them. if someone who could handle themselves started a fight with one of those acrobat/martial artists, and they tried to do one of their fancy 720 kicks or whatever, the minute they touched the ground they would get a good kicking.
its fancy but probably not effective

[m.artist]

wow....i don't know who that is or the style.....but it looked good to me ...good job whoever that is

[MichiganTKD]

Is this martial arts?

if you click on the United States Martial Arts Association website (www.mararts.org ) and go to Black Belt Members, you will find a whole list of people practicing questionable styles they supposedly founded. Naturally, this gives them the right to list themselves as Grandmasters and 10th Dans.
All I can say in response: Thank God this is the United States, where any idiot has the freedom to pull b.s. like this.

[IPON]

I think that is one of the huys from the XMA -crap that was on the discovery channel. Instead of extreme MAs it should be regressive MAs

http://www.xmarevolution.com/

[Spookey]

WHat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

QUESTION,

I've heard of Kempo and Taekwon-Do! However, they have nothing in common (other than being MA's)...WHat the Hell is Kempo Taekwando...(that i sthe style he holds a BB in (??????)

Spookey

[IPON]

QUESTION,

I've heard of Kempo and Taekwon-Do! However, they have nothing in common (other than being MA's)...WHat the Hell is Kempo Taekwando...(that i sthe style he holds a BB in (??????)

Spookey

I was thinking that as well...that'e like kosher porkchops they just don't belong together