Martial Arts & Fighting Forms | Asian American Poll

MARTIAL ARTS & FIGHTING FORMS
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:13:07 PM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

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WHAT YOU SAY

[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]

"Perhaps they will be better than the Chinese one day..."

The fighting form may indeed surpass the Chinese, but it is not as much to the Russian culture as kung fu is to Chinese.
TSJ Eric@KristinKreuk.net Monday, October 14, 2002 at 00:47:24 (PDT) [67.116.230.186]

"why most Asians don't like martial arts":

...because they aren't needed by (lazy) civilized people. But martial arts are loved by people in need. In Russia, the Caucasus and the Middle East. The big masters will have to wait with passing their arts to the next generation until China will be at war again.

Russians seem to be eager in martial arts at the moment. Check out their sites about the new Russian esoteric path of martial arts if you understand their language. Perhaps they will be better than the Chinese one day...
rare stuff Friday, October 11, 2002 at 07:57:20 (PDT) [193.159.24.78]

"I found another article you should read and it talks about how most asians don't like martial arts and like baseball instead:

http://www.columbia.edu/itc/journalism/gissler/anthology/paskin.html"

This article doesn't really discuss why Chinese don't like martials art, but rather how blacks love it. It's also a bit dated. We discussed this awhile back on this forum. Blacks are so into kung fu. Just look at that old Jeru the Damaja video. Wu-Tang's entire get up is based on Chinese kung fu.

It's interesting how they mention that Japanese samurai movies are mostly for the artsy fartsy, high brow white audiences. I guess white America admires the Japanese culture more, since it is apparently more civil. Blacks relate to Chinese culture because it is more of an "every man for himself," "you chop off one of my arms, I chop off two of yours" mentality. Chinese phrases and characters are more symbolic as well. Allen Iverson has the word "loyalty" on his neck, which is totally sick. Marcus Camby's tat doesn't actually make any sense.

I don't know about NYC, but a lot of Chinese out here in the Bay love kung fu. It is not just Chinese kung fu either. It is all martial arts, such as kickboxing and grappling. I think the UFC and Pride being so popular has a lot to do with it. In the old days, the only place where you would see kung fu fighting is in the movies, which obviously isn't real. However, now that they have all these fighting tournaments on TV, kids can see first hand what bad asses these dudes really are, and they want to imitate them.
TSJ Eric@KristinKreuk.net Thursday, October 10, 2002 at 12:31:11 (PDT) [165.247.210.123]

I think Thai Boxing or also known as Muay Thai is probably one of the best close full contact martial arts.
Astralius Wednesday, October 09, 2002 at 13:49:35 (PDT) [213.41.184.154]

I thought you guys would like it.

For those who don't get it, you either don't do martial arts or you are indeed don't have a sense of humor. You have to do it in order to know about it.

I found another article you should read and it talks about how most asians don't like martial arts and like baseball instead:

http://www.columbia.edu/itc/journalism/gissler/anthology/paskin.html

Personally I don't know why most Asians don't like martial arts. I think it is also the bad image that it has especially if only the gangs are the only ones using it. But given the oppression us Asians face everyday we should all should learn more about an important piece of culture for us.

Kung-fu or martial arts has given me alot and more than just the ability to defend yourself but also taught me many lessons that most fields of study neglect. I can obtain philosophy, culture, art, religion, medicine, health and many other benefits.

Just because you find some asian punks taking it for their gang doesn't mean you have to join them. Most of them eventually get out of the gang due to boredom or because they could get killed and those who stay with it are either stupid or pathological.

Martial arts can be used for good or bad and it is up to you as a Kung-man or martial artist to follow the light.

Other thing about Asia is that it is true that most natives there don't practise Kung-fu either. They may have Wu-shu or watered-down Tai-Chi there which tries to pass for the real thing but it is not. Most of the people there are only using it as an exercise which is no better that moving your arms around. If they had done anything real the Chinese gov't will lock them up like those Qigong guys.

Therefore the Real Kung-fu is not going to be practiced in the open because it is still concealed and practiced in the backlots or residences of the Sifu. Real Kung-fu exist but only by invitation only. Meaning your Sifu refers to another sifu. It is still done from one Chinese sifu to another. No Whites, Blacks or Hispanics or other Non-chinese practioners. There might be some non-chinese sifus there but it is still primarly done from Chinese to Chinese. If these Chinese Kung-fu masters can't find any worthy Chinese disciples then they would die with there secrets than give it out to any Dick and Harry. Why? Because the real kung-fu is dangerous to teach and to use. Your sifu is responsible for your actions should anything happen.

I'm currently finishing up on my system that I'm studying and unforturnately my real sifu had to leave for personal reasons and I had to practise with his student who happens to be white. No offense to him but he is a white guy and white guys can't do kung-fu. Because of him I had sprained ankle and a rib kick done on me because he wasn't skillfull enough to move with. Needless to say I got back to him with a groin kick when he forgot to block it.

Oh well I should be done with it in about a year or so and hopefully by then I'll get the blessing of my Real Sifu to start teaching it.
Mar-nut Friday, September 27, 2002 at 14:48:12 (PDT) [199.174.230.162]

Think I am bruce lee?

I AM BRUCE LEE
SOG Thursday, September 26, 2002 at 14:38:36 (PDT) [216.239.163.210]

TSJ,

Go to a park at around 5am next time and you will see ballroom dance, kungfu, and a soy milk vendor in China.

I guess it all depends on the kung fu school in the USA. There are some kung fu school in NYC with real Shaolin Monks in them. I'm pretty sure a heavy dose of ethics and morality are taught in the classes as well. I doubt those monks will be struting on the streets anytime soon asking for protection money.
AC Dropout Thursday, September 26, 2002 at 11:32:02 (PDT) [24.90.98.143]

Pretty funny stuff. :)
Apache Driver Thursday, September 26, 2002 at 07:44:01 (PDT) [67.84.132.190]

I disagree with the "You Think You are Bruce Lee IF you:" article. Bruce lee doesn't do half of that stuff. He doesn't wear always wears Gi's on the street, or karate Belts. he wears shoes,
D Thursday, September 26, 2002 at 01:53:51 (PDT) [130.212.120.6]

"Chinese Sifu would be very disappointed if their students join a gang. That is why many sifu do not teach sparring skills to their students until they are out of highschool."

AC and LKT,

I think kung fu schools themselves are a gang. Like I said before, they extort money from restaurants, they strut around like they are bad, they challenge rival schools, and they already have a name and uniform. They are instantly recognizable on the streets. It's just like with anything in life. Everyone wants recognition on the streets, so the baddest studio, with the most kick ass mofos is the one that has the best rep. Your fellow students become your siblings. Your sifu becomes your father. You would do anything for them.

Hey, also, AC. As you know, I just got back home from China, and I thought I would see more people practicing kung fu there, but the only people I saw doing anything were military personnel. Maybe I went to the wrong parts. I know southern Chinese revere martial arts a lot moreso than northerners, but I at least thought I would see something.
TSJ Eric@KristinKreuk.net Wednesday, September 25, 2002 at 14:38:27 (PDT) [209.162.48.39]

You Think You are Bruce Lee IF you:

1.You find yourself casually standing in a cat stance.
2.You trip, go into a roll and come up in a fighting stance.
3.You answer your boss Ussss.
4.You put your hands together in a martial arts bow position (one hand open the other closed) after grace at the dinner table.
5. You tie your bathrobe belt in a square knot. Then check to make sure the ends are exactly even.
6.You accept change from the cashier using a perfect knife hand with the thumb carefully tucked in.
7.Every time you handle a screwdriver or razor knife, etc., you just can't help changing grip from hammer to reverse to flip over to dagger grip etc
8.When you're outside doing landscaping/gardening you "practice" with all the neat weapons.
9.The first word out of your parrot's mouth is KIAI! and you teach your cat how to free spar.
10.You shut the refrigerator door with a side thrust kick.
11.You shop for clothes based on whether you can kick in them.
12.The only clothes you'll wear are gi's.
13.The books on your night stand are by authors like Gichin Funakoshi, Hirokazu Kanazawa and Musashi Miyamoto.
14.The Twelve Days of Christmas becomes: one boxing bag, two boxing gloves, three shin pads (includes an extra pad for the one you'll inevitably lose), four Tokaido gi's, five rolls of adhesive tape.... twelve cases of Tiger Balm.
15.You look for a place to live based on the amount of practice space it provides.
16.You refuse to wear shoes.
17.You say to the salesman in the men's store, "Nice pants, but I don't think I can kick in them."
18.You go to the shoe store to try on shoes and instead of walking or jogging around the store, you practice pivoting, sweeps, stances and kicks.
You hit your head on a low doorway or ceiling and kick it in anger and damage it.
19.You're practicing your arm blocks while driving down the highway, notice someone in another car staring at you, and suddenly turn your block into vigorously fanning away an imaginary fly.
20.You use various strikes to turn lights off and on.
21.You don your clothing with kicks, thrusts, and punches.
22.You open and close doors with spinning kicks.
23.You find yourself idly doing iaido and kenjitsu moves with the plastic knives at the fast food place.
24.You can't walk by anybody else from your school without casually exchanging a flurry of mock strikes and kicks.
25.You haven't gotten over the phase of seeing everybody walking around with a blanket of little red cross-hairs on all their vital spots.
26.You leap to your feet and shriek with indignation while watching "Kung Fu", "Walker, Texas Ranger", "Renegade" and "Highlander" at home.
27.You deliberately go to see martial arts movies in the theater so you can leap to your feet and shriek with indignation during the movie, out in the parking lot, and with all your friends the next time you're at class.
28.You find yourself practicing bo staff techniques in miniature with your pencil during dull meetings.
29.You try to back fist the correct floor button on the inside of the elevator, based on your memory of the button's location, before you get in far enough to see it.
30.You notice you never stand with your arms crossed or your hands in your pockets.
31.You tend to keep at least one flavor of martial arts weapon close at hand by your bed when you sleep.
32.You buy shoes either because they're particularly flexible or have steel toes.
33.You have at least one fantasy where you are a martial arts hero and end the fight by saying something so cool that you make Arnold Schwarzenegger and Clint Eastwood look like nervous chatterboxes.
34.You have begun to master the reflex to commit a very messy homicide when, directly after someone finds out you practice martial arts, they immediately ask "Are you a Black Belt ???"
35.You have the urge to bow every time you enter or leave a room.
36.You accidentally call your favorite professors "Sensei".
37.You find yourself practicing stances while standing in lines.
38.You bow going into and out of the bathroom.
39.You don't use any tools while splitting firewood.
40.You are introduced to someone and you bow to greet them.
41.You see some wood or concrete, even things like stools or tables, and get excited while you picture just how you would go about breaking it. Then you get funny looks as you feel it and give it a look of hard concentration, then maybe measure off a few times.
Mar-nut Tuesday, September 24, 2002 at 15:57:50 (PDT) [199.174.224.42]

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