tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377354642754058446.post8582950441648228327..comments2023-09-10T00:54:55.369-07:00Comments on Fear an Iarthair: Well, What Did You Expect?Man of the Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691063580228409415noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377354642754058446.post-35174226540434472782009-06-22T10:08:14.221-07:002009-06-22T10:08:14.221-07:00I'm not sure that I would disagree with a whol...I'm not sure that I would disagree with a whole lot of that. It's not that I object to Taekwon-do <i>per se</i>, or sport karate <i>per se</i>, it's more that it strikes me as sad that, having deliberately marketed TKD and sport karate to children, karateka are now looking to some MMA fighter to rescue our reputation. And, too, I have always had an objection to sport karate being marketed as a self-defense art, a practice engaged in (perhaps unwittingly) by far too many schools, TKD perhaps more than others.<br /><br />If people want to do sport karate, fine; that's their business and more power to them. I would--as long as I'm wishing--just prefer that people not get it confused with the real thing.Man of the Westhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03691063580228409415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377354642754058446.post-50732775744698858122009-06-22T09:18:18.967-07:002009-06-22T09:18:18.967-07:00Without getting into a discourse of what a martial...Without getting into a discourse of what a martial art is. I would remind you that one must look into the purpose of the art. The level of self defense needed by children is often not much more than a need for awareness of the world around them and a need for conflict avoidance. Most who do TKD do not look for what some stylist would call a martial art. They are looking for a sport and extracurricular activity. Most parents do not want their kids exposed to the true nature of fighting. The art (TKD) serves a purpose and provides an entrance to the world of martial arts for many who go on to other styles and teachers in their lives. <br /><br />I study and teach Filipino and indo-chinese martial arts, and I can tell you that even in Manila there are more TDK schools than FMA schools. Many Filipinos do not even know that their culture has a martial art. This relates to the times when public chalaenges, death matches and dojo vs. dojo fights that often left the participants either dead or scared for life, were commonplace. What parent would want to send their child to such a place where knives and machetes were the norm. It wasn’t until the birth of the “modern” styles that placed an emphasis on stick to stick contact during training that the systems began to experience rebirth. Now even “sport escrima” is being taught in the middle schools across the country. <br /><br />You should watch the Machida fight. You might be surprised, I was. Kenpo and traditional karates are great systems, but they have their limitations too. Your thoughts of TKD may mirror some of mine of several karate schools who appear to fight one armed men. Does it diminish the art of Kenpo or karate? No not in the least. Not everyone receives complete training. Some training was not ment for the masses. Not every black belt has the same skill set. If an instructor has what you’re looking for then great, if not keep on looking. The state of martial arts in the Tulsa area is not much of my concern. It hasn’t made a difference in my training, and won’t make a difference in my student’s. I am just happy that I have a real teacher, real arts, and real family. And I know how lucky I am.<br /><br />Guro K<br />Tulsa Arnis ClubGuro Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17882043486122609242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377354642754058446.post-86287037772876481092009-06-19T19:22:54.812-07:002009-06-19T19:22:54.812-07:00I'll take all the compliments I can get, DR. ...I'll take all the compliments I can get, DR. <br /><br />I agree: Kenpo is good stuff, at least if you can find a good teacher. Here in the Tulsa area, you are taking your chances. One fellow--the guy who, long ago, used to run the local "Tracy's Karate" franchise, IIRC--is actually pretty good, but I believe he's moved to Tahlequah and only teaches a handful. There's another local guy (who shall remain nameless) who, in my opinion, lies so much that it's a miracle he remembers his own name. I doubt seriously he knows much kenpo at all, but he thinks he's the bee's knees, founded his own system an' all that.<br /><br />The big problem for most would-be serious martial artists in this area is that almost every school and club you can easily find is devoted to sport karate. It's for that reason I've put so many links to local martial arts organizations in my sidebar. I hope that someone finds them useful.Man of the Westhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03691063580228409415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8377354642754058446.post-61342665226154400382009-06-19T07:36:53.483-07:002009-06-19T07:36:53.483-07:00Well my friend, I am in total agreement with you o...Well my friend, I am in total agreement with you on this post. I too was a TKD guy, second Dan. The best thing TKD did was get students used to hard slamming contact. But you are right, the self-defense skills degraded when the international organizations got TKD into the Olympics. It was a great base for training, but anybody interested in really learning martial arts needs to move out of TKD at some point, if only to Hapkido, for instance. <br /> Your Kenpo is the way to go, I did Kenpo to third Dan. Now I'm older, and softening things up with the Chinese Internal stuff. <br />Good post.Dojo Rathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12057645566330892415noreply@blogger.com