Martial Arts & Fighting Forms | Asian American Poll

MARTIAL ARTS & FIGHTING FORMS
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:13:03 PM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

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WHAT YOU SAY

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To all people who want a no nonsense form of self defence that is about survival in real life threatening situations without all the hoopla moves used by alot of martial arts then Krav Maga is the way to go. It was developed by the Israeli special forces to use against close quarter combat involving knives, bats rocks whatever. There are no rules, its about stopping your threat with the simplest and most effective moves.
oz asian Sunday, December 08, 2002 at 08:34:35 (PST) [203.29.131.3]

India vs. China. Who cares who influenced martial arts more? This is all silly squabble. "My style is the best style, etc." Also silly squabble. Unless you have real to-the-death, no-holds-barred televised fights with martial artists from around the globe, no one will ever know what the "best" fighting style is. UFC don't cut it, it is artificial. Many of the greatest martial artists are hidden away in quiet places like monasteries, they don't look for fights. Bruce Lee is no where close to being the best of all time. There are stories of 80 year old men that could easily kill any of the Gracies. It also is widely known that Taekwondo as it is currently taught is really only good for sport and being showy. Try it on the street and you will likely get killed. Karate and Kungfu are far more practical fighting styles.
Rip Van Winkle Saturday, December 07, 2002 at 00:31:33 (PST) [151.197.236.129]

"Yes, Japanese Budo is number one, Mr, Suzuki" Before our hero goes into the Japanese Dojo and kicks all their asses. Note from the movie "Chinese Connection", Hero is Bruce the man Lee and if you are a true martial artist you will realize that he fights them their way. Like using a Nunchuck on their legs because Karate people fight barefooted thus all of them fall down in pain or when the Karate guy does his one two punch on Bruce, Bruce calmly punches him in the balls or the typical Karate move of grabbing an opponent and then tripping him and then stomp on him with his feet, Bruce rolls away and kicks him back from the ground.

Its the same thing about TKD it is the biggest (True!) but the (Best?)in the world? Figures again it was a post from a certain Seoul Korean or a HungGil Ren. Like again nothing else exist in the world of martial arts other than TeakwonDoo. Talk about Nationalism again! Especially in the martial arts. I just love the closed minded attitude which prevails nowadays.

Actually, TKD mostly came from Japanese Shotokan. The Koreans which mostly specialized in the kicking art basically incorporated it into their version of karate. The reason for the kicking is that the ultimate insult would be to kick someone in the face with your dirty barefoot. Combine that with Shotokan and you get TKD.

The nice thing again that AC mentioned is that TKD is always evolving as a martial art. Someday they will probably modify TKD where it will probably resemble Northern Shaolin Kung-Fu which is basically fluid relaxed karate but hopefully with less the artsy fartsy moves of Northern Kung-fu.

The current style that I am studying is the internal styles of Tai-chi, Hsing-I and Pa-kua. These are not the Wushu degenerative styles which look pretty and are non-functional. It is more or less pretty close to the original in flavor where there is form practices as well as sparring.

My sifu's sifu was one of the last remaining Boxers from the Boxer's Rebellion where they did have real Kung-fu skills. My sifu had to modify some of the forms to suit it for most people because it was too hard to do. Meaning that you had to be pretty athletic to do it. Even so the forms that I practise requires one to move non-stop which is typical of Chinese Kung-fu styles from beginning to end, sometimes as many as 300 moves. There is no stop and go as you see in Karate or TKD. No one two or even three moves that I've seen the most in succession in most styles of karate and the all famous "KIAP" at the end. No, it was move move move as many blows you can do then stop. Which again incidentally is the real way martial arts form should be practised. Remember you train as you fight. Just like a western boxer who continously moves when he trains no stop and go - just move and hit.

Actually most of the forms that I studied required one to get the basic forms down and for the advanced forms it was a simple matter of incorporating more moves or strikes into the form since the footwork was still the same.

Another aspect that I like about the style that I was doing was that I could put any weapon in the same empty-hand form and make it into a weapons form. Without learning another weapons form unlike most kung-fu systems where you have to practise another form just for weapons.

The real application of the forms training was to just move. It was also a more interesting way to do all your strikes than just standing there and doing drills.

The goal was to develop instrinsics or fluidity in moving the body. Like being a huge human whip using the whole body to do the job while at the same time being relaxed, non-emotional and non-committed. Finding ways to wind up the body and then releasing it as a effective strike or finding the optimum way to move without being stuck.

I still consider myself as a apprentice but each day I find out more and more about this art. In other forms of martial arts you do its form and then its over. A better art makes you think and discover it for yourself. Not everything is given to you and inorder to advance in the martial arts, you have to constantly open up your mind to new possiblities and methods.

I'm not saying that what I've learned is the best but I can say that it has pointed me to the truth about the real martial arts more so than some others. At the same time, I've been also cross checking with other martial arts and also learning as well on my own to discover more about the truth of real martial arts.
Mar-nut Friday, December 06, 2002 at 22:07:47 (PST) [209.245.8.13]

To Boston, USA

Tae Kwon Do the better art than Kung Fu and Karate?
Hardly!
I guarantee you that if a Tae Kwon Do master entered an Ultimate Fighting Championship, he'd get his ass whooped across the floor.

As one Ultimate fighter said, "Show me a guy that kicks high, and I'll show you a guy with his butt on the floor."
The high kicks, jumping sidekicks, and drop kicks exhibited in Tae Kwon Do are useless in all but points-scoring fight competitions.
Pride Fan Friday, December 06, 2002 at 20:15:37 (PST) [24.90.246.177]

noname,

check out stuff like Indian Kalaripayat, it recently gained popularity. Because it had been limited to one or a few castes it had to be rediscovered.

No doubt, Kalaripayat IS a martial art which has at least as many secrets as Chinese martial arts.

Of course, it's only the formal exercises (breathing techniques and whatever) which are (nearly) identical. Applications are different from each other by nature. Because Chinese have shorter legs than Koreans, Africans or Indians, Chinese prefer lower kicks, if Chinese use kicks at all.
rediscover Friday, December 06, 2002 at 16:28:34 (PST) [62.158.89.199]

In my opinion, Vietnam has the richest background of martial arts in the world. Many styles are practiced in Vietnam. Chinese styles, Japanese styles, and the native styles are among the biggest influence. With many Chinese people living in Vietnam and Vietnam�s history with China, they brought their kungfu with them. Some Vietnamese kung fu became vietnamized. During the Japanese occupation of Vietnam in world war II, many Japanese styles became popular. Even before WWII many Vietnamese traveled to Japan and brought back judo and aikido. During the Vietnam war, South Korean Units brought Taekwondo. In fact when Tae Kwon Do became international, it started in Vietnam first. In addition, there are also Vietnamese kick-boxing, Vietnamese stick fighting, and traditional Vietnamese martial arts (the purest being Binh Dinh, or also known as viet vo dao, a generic term like kung fu). Viet vo dao is also known to be associated with Vovinam. Vovinam is known for its flying scissor kick techniques which originated from defeating the Mongol invasions.

Many Vietnamese masters practice several styles. Actually, there is a style called cuong nhu founded by a Viet who combined hard and soft techniques from Shotokan Karate, tai chi, aikido, judo, wing chun, vovinam, and boxing. It�s interesting because the beginners start out learning hard techniques, then as the practicioner advances soft techniques are learned. Anyways, just giving my thoughts on martial arts in Vietnam. Traditional Viet styles of course are popular in Vietnam. Chinese and Japanese styles are very popular. Tae Kwon Do is really popular among Viets too. Martial arts are just popular in Vietnam. Why? Probably because Vietnamese love martial arts. Also, Vietnam�s location in Asia is probably why there is a strong presence of different styles of martial arts as well.
noname Friday, December 06, 2002 at 11:43:09 (PST) [67.39.11.21]

joe,

I don't believe that ALL martial arts in asia originated from india. Shaolin Kung fu had been influenced by an indian monk, but I'm positive that countries like korea and japan developed there own martial arts. All martial arts may have had influences on each other, but to say that india is the soul creator of martial arts is not right. This is my opinion though.

and from what i've heard, only one indian monk influenced shaolin by teaching excerices NOT kung fu. A billion people in China developed kung fu into what it is today and some people say kung fu is indian because of one indian monk? that doesnt sound right to me. Plus many sub styles of kung fu like pa kua and tai chi use chinese principles and philosphy and are founded by Chinese.
noname Friday, December 06, 2002 at 11:20:16 (PST) [67.39.11.21]

joe,

That's only Shao lin Kung Fu. There were other forms of Kung Fu before the shao lin style.
AC Dropout Friday, December 06, 2002 at 10:31:12 (PST) [24.136.115.189]

actually it's common knowledge that all martial arts originated with indian monks in India. Though like Buddhism, the origin of martial arts is almost always associated with China.
joe Friday, December 06, 2002 at 03:48:59 (PST) [128.220.229.224]

Why the heck do people keep saying chinese kung fu is indian? that's crap. sure some indian monk influenced kung fu but that doesnt mean its indian. The Chinese are the ones who developed kung fu. The indian monk that came to these shaolin monestaries taught the chinese monks breathing excerises and drills that's all. The Chinese monks are the ones that took that and applied it to their martial arts. So some people need to get it straight. Besides the Chinese are the ones who developed it into what it is now along with all its different styles NOT indians! anyways, just had to say that. I'm really interested in all martial arts in east asia. tae kwon do, kung fu, karate, jujistu, viet vo dao... its all good.
noname Thursday, December 05, 2002 at 13:24:53 (PST) [67.39.11.21]

boston, massachusetts,

Modern Tae Kwon Do is a unification of at least 5 schools (Kwans in Korean). That is common knowledge. It is also pretty common knowledge that what westerners call karate, Tae kwon do, kung fu and all other asian marital art originate on the mainland of what is now China.

I'll let you continue your "this is better than that" argument with the remainder of the posters on the board
AC Dropout Wednesday, December 04, 2002 at 10:10:57 (PST) [24.136.115.189]

"Taekwondo arrived from Korean art called "Taekkyon". Which it has side kick, shoulder kick, axe-kick, front kick, jump front kick, knee strike etc."

Have YOU ever seen a Taekkyon demonstration??! Taekwondo certainly includes some Taekkyon elements, but so do most Northern Chinese arts, either. Such practices like "horse stance" which dominate modern martial arts are all from India. What the Chinese claim to be theirs is Indian!
?? Tuesday, December 03, 2002 at 15:10:42 (PST) [193.159.24.111]

To Ac Dropout and MarNut!!

First, you both are nuts!!
Second, Taekwondo arrived from KungFu??
Is there scientific proven fact??
Third, Taekwondo arrived from Korean art called "Taekkyon". Which it has side kick, shoulder kick, axe-kick, front kick, jump front kick, knee strike etc.

Please, if you don't have strong evidence stop this argument. Simply, Taekwondo is better art than KungFu and Karate. Just admit it!! End of arguement.

From Boston, USA.
boston, massachusetts bostonseoul@hotmail.com Tuesday, December 03, 2002 at 04:42:39 (PST) [210.117.67.216]

Mar-nut,

TKD and Wushu all derived from Kungfu.

TKD is a merger of 5 Kungfu schools and was supposed to be used as a simplified style for the korean military. The sport aspect of it is even more recent development. Which is why if you study TKD you will know that the kicks used in forms, have almost no resembalance to the sparring kicks techniques.

30 years ago TKD sparring only had front kicks, side kicks, and flying side kicks.

Now in TKD sparring there are 45 degree roundhouse, back kicks, spin kicks, ax kicks. You rarely see a side kick, flying side kick, front kicks in sparring competition. So the evolution of TKD sparring is still on-going. Back when I was competitor there was the "ice-kick" (combination front leg side kick follow by back leg ax in one hop) that was the most advance kick in competition. Who know where sparring will be in the next 10 years.

As for Wushu. You have to understand to prevent another Boxer rebellion. The Communist government basically banned formal kung fu matches. But of course you can snuff out kung fu in China. So it developed Wu Shu, which is a combination of old school kung fu forms, old school Chinese Opera forms, and old school gymnastics. It is not meant for sparring. But even the sport of Wushu is evolving. Speed is now the most important thing in wushu competition now. You can barely see any of the stances they are doing now. Even Jet Li the famous wushu champion, now international movie star, complains about where wushu is going. But that is a fact of life.

To be totally honest the evolution of martial art will always happen.
AC Dropout Monday, December 02, 2002 at 08:49:21 (PST) [24.136.115.189]

Marnut, i must say u have plenty to talk about.
Well, just wanted to ask you what style of kung-fu do you study?
if you really know about the history of chinese martial arts you might not respect me for MY style.
I started with TKD and pak-mei kung-fu. I quit pak-mei because when you're young u get bored easily.
I now learn Pak-Mei as my sole style but we also do a lot of kicks manely from TKD.

so which style do you do?
are there any others who study kung-fu and what style of kung-fu do u do?
JTUK Sunday, December 01, 2002 at 15:20:35 (PST) [62.31.224.1]

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