we as martial artists

[Hwa Rang]

Or what, you'll use your 99% uneffective martial arts on me?

[Broadsword2004]

Don't call god a "he," cuz it is of no sex if it even exists.

As for martial arts and ineffectiveness, I'd say more like 20% of martial arts are B.S. Jeez, the only "martial arts" that we've come to know as bullshit oftentimes are what, karate, taekwondo, certain Chinese martial arts, aikido, some forms of Capoeira, judo, and all the other woo-hoo-hwop-when-fong-shee-fa-weng-fan-foo-dee-do --- named martial arts out there that are nothing more than mixtures of the above pretty much.

The classical weapon fighting arts aren't B.S, those just are pretty much worthless these days because no one fights using staffs, big swords, shields, spears/lances, throwing stars, etc......but in the old days of fighting, they did, and those arts are just preserved by practitioners of them today.

The extensive martial arts of the Phillippines, which are so vast and varied that they alone could fill an entire encyclopedia, aren't B.S. at all. The Filipino fighting systems are, for one thing, designed to counter a lot of foreign arts, such as the Japanese arts, because the Japanese were oftentimes invading the Phillippines. Also, they have full sword and shield fighting arts, the best knife-fighting arts in existence, biting and gouging arts, kicking and boxing arts, arts like karate with the strikes, hell they have the same weapons as karate even, as well as lots more, they have the most advanced stick-fighting, they have grappling, etc.......they have everything if you look hard enough. The Filipino martial arts are some of the best in the world.

The European arts are also pretty extensive, although not as well known these days. You're not telling me though that the sword arts and lancing arts utilized by knights were B.S. at all. Knights trained extensively in empty-handed fighting as well. They had boxing, wrestling, and grappling arts that can rival all the other jujitsus and such out there, they just aren't nearly as well known these days due to the popularization of the Asian arts.

The traditional European fencing was very effective if you were a nobleman and needed to fend off robbers as you walked home, or for settling duels, though it was more from the times when men thought they had to fight fair.

Brazilian Capoeira caused so many uprisings in Brazil that it was literally banned. Now people knock Capoeira, but real Capoeira has to be pretty effective if it could cause effective uprisings and give the people martial abilities to counter soldiers and guards. Remember, real fighting Capoeira and the flowery acrobatic Capoeira, while often both practiced by people, are still different. The flowery one evolved a lot later, too, I believe.

The Africans have martial arts as well.

The Greeks had the Pankration art, which was a Greek art of boxing, kicking, and wrestling (I believe), as well as reg. boxing, and the Romans, who also used Pankration, also had wrestling and boxing.

In my opinion, 90% of the martial arts schools out there probably teach B.S., but 90% of the arts themselves are highly, highly effective. Taekwondo and karate, and crappy versions of Chinese arts, and such, have somehow dominated this country though and you get dufus people who sign up for classes and thus never learn anything, really.

And even TKD and karate are effective arts, if trained properly.

Remember, martial arts the world over evolved because people had to learn to fight. I think it was only the Greeks who never actually trained sword fighting, but instead just ran out and started "winging it." The Greeks loved the lance, but thought the sword was a sissy's weapon (or so I've read), so unlike the Romans and most other cultures, they never trained themselves in using the sword. Maybe that is a common mis-conception though, I dunno, so correct me if I'm wrong there.

[Sportgrappler]

It's annoying

Most martial arts don't even work as advertised, so it's rediculous. People think you're tough and violent but you spend most of your time fighting air in katas or imitating animals.

Thank God Judo has a "gentlemen's" stigma about it (I don't know why) and BJJ is close enough to wrestling that I just tell people I wrestle. I can just say I'm doing a sport and that's it. I get far less lip.

But then when someone associates BJJ with the UFC... that's when I try to become the gray man and fade out of the conversation.

It doesn't help that I'm 210 lbs and have a muscular build.

[jubaji]

BJJ is close enough to wrestling that I just tell people I wrestle. .

Ah, so many people hiding behind the glamour of 'rasslin'!

[Sportgrappler]

Yeah, 'rasslin'!

Then they think I wear a "sniglet" (as this little red haired chick I once knew called it) and roll around with other guys and sweat on them.

Then I tell them that we wear blue and/or write pajamas, like in judo.

Then they ask, "oh, they wear blue in judo?"

Then I tell them not to worry about it...

[jubaji]

Yeah, 'rasslin'!

Then they think I wear a "sniglet" (as this little red haired chick I once knew called it) and roll around with other guys and sweat on them.

D

Wait a minute. You don't sweat in bjj? I knew you guys were cool!

[Tom Yum]

People think you're tough and violent but you spend most of your time fighting air in katas or imitating animals.

You mean, all this time I spent doing stiff blocks and performing a 360 jump spin kick followed by a double monkey fist strike to the knee caps doesn't work.

jusjokin'. Its good for fitness and coordination though. I'm sure such moves have some martial history behind them, maybe not combat history though.

But then when someone associates BJJ with the UFC... that's when I try to become the gray man and fade out of the conversation. It doesn't help that I'm 210 lbs and have a muscular build.

Yep. If you do muay thai or box, tell them its cardio kickboxing. If you do jujitsu, you tell them wrestling. If you do NHB, tell them you occasionally play rugby.

LOL...I know exactly what you mean except I'm not bulky and any definition that i have can be concealed under most clothes.

[Sportgrappler]

It's the darndest thing. When I was a student and a bouncer, looking/being tough was a good thing. Having cauliflour ear looked like you had paid your dues and were now "officially potent" so to speak.

Now, in the professional world, it's the opposite.

Oh, as for sweating - the difference I was trying to describe is the slimy, dripping sweat, skin-on-skin sliding around of not wearing a gi. This, compared with the amount of sweat that wearing all that cotton soaks up. To non-practicioners (spelling?) there is a significant enough cosmetic difference that they get a far different sense of judo being gentlemanly (go figure) and wrestling being somehow dirty or gross.

As for practicing katas, well, if it helps you, that's great. Shadow boxing can help boxers a lot. It can be a means to an end (effective fighting). But as for being an end in and of itself, that's just lame.

I'm sorry, but fighting is fighting. If one wants to be an artist and develop your health, discipline, and balance and all that, which are certainly laudable goals, then go do yoga, ballet (which incurs more injuries than BJJ, by the way - that's a topic for another thread, though), triathelon, or the like. Those activities are wonderful for the body.

Trying to dance around and look tough is disguisting and inane for the simple two reasons that it is a way of glamourizing violence, which is morally sick and wrong, and is a way of decreasing someone's fighting effectiveness while filling them up with a false sense of potency. That's a disservice to any student.

But that's just me.

[jubaji]

Oh, as for sweating - the difference I was trying to describe is the slimy, dripping sweat, skin-on-skin sliding around of not wearing a gi. This, compared with the amount of sweat that wearing all that cotton soaks up. To non-practicioners (spelling?) there is a significant enough cosmetic difference that they get a far different sense of judo being gentlemanly (go figure) and wrestling being somehow dirty or gross.

.

Well, it is with me, but that's just 'cause I never shower.

[Tom Yum]

Well, it is with me, but that's just 'cause I never shower.

Stinky Tofu....

[Broadsword2004]

What is it, the Feminist Martial arts Group, that advocates training for women and children aged 12 and under. Martial art training for women I can understand, but WHAT THE !@#%%&*& IS A 12 OR UNDER KID GONNA DO IN A FIGHT AGAINST AN ATTACKER!?! The attacker could probably lift up the kid and their legs might not reach them. And if they did hit the guy, the guy'd get mad and run them down and really give them a street-style spanking.

Yeah, I hate hate HATE how so many forms competitors are called martial artists, sheesh, and how so many of these wushu athletes called themselves martial artists, whatever. Martial gymnasts is more the word.

As for ballet, that is a very strenuous art, but basic gymnastics and acrobatics are wonderful for developing the assets that help with fighting (strength, speed, coordination, balance, power, etc...). B-boying is a wonderful art too.

[EmptyneSs]

uncle corny says that 99% of martial arts are useless. i really disagree. i think training in any martial art is better than not having trained at all. in any art u take, u will gain some kinda new skill or new perspective.

also, if u want to know for sure if 99% of martial arts are useless, try pushing around the average joe, then try pushing around someone who has been practicing an art for many years and is dedicated. i think u will see a big difference in how each react.

plus, just cause an art doesnt turn u into a killing machine, it doesnt mean its not effective.diff martial arts have diff goals. alotta people like to put down other arts and proclaim there art is better. the fact is, all arts have something to offer and any training is better than no training.

howver it is true that some martial arts give people a false sense of confidence, but that isnt the arts fault is it? isnt that more the persons fault for not realizing his limits? it is also the teachers fault as well, for a true good teacher would not give his students a false sense of security, but keep things in perspective instead.

[Uncle Corny]

stop pussyfooting around it. you want to get your ass kicked, go yell "die porch monkies" in your local ghetto, and try out your silly martial arts on your opponent. you guys really have to unfuck your way of thinking, and actually use your shit.

[jubaji]

you guys really have to unfuck your way of thinking, and actually use your shit.

Don't overdo it, champ.

[Tom Yum]

go yell "die porch monkies" in your local ghetto, and try out your silly martial arts on your opponent. you guys really have to unfuck your way of thinking, and actually use your shit.

No rational person, martial artist or not would do such a thing. You bring up an extreme and rare situation. The only exception that I can think of is that scene in Lethal Weapon, which allthough very dangerous had a tint of humor.

I don't know much about war & conflict, but I've heard from several different sources that a select group of South Korean soldiers were brought into Vietnam during the Vietnam war. The reason: To train Western soldiers in QC combat and to carry out behind the line missions against the highly skilled vietcong.

These Korean guys were trained in traditional martial arts. Obviously, the focus of their training was on combat, not kata and many are still alive today. Not saying that an 11 year old TKD black belt or soccermom who trained in Hapkido for a few months would be a combat ready fighter, rather that some of those traditional systems are combat tested.