"US Open" Karate Competition. BS!!!!!!!!!

[Phorest]

I'm watching this garbage on ESPN2 right now. Good lord this is terrible. People are using katana with bright purple hakama and flipping around the stage, yelling and screaming....twirling the sword and LETTING GO to get "bonus points". This is making me feel ill just to watch it. It looks more like a gymnastics competiton with plastic swords than any sort of actual martial art. Dare I make a reference to Rick Tews? Dont know if anyone remembers that.....but this is even worse. They're doing freakin' gymnastics rolls to MUSIC. TECHNO MUSIC.

Martial Arts in the US are just completely ridiculous these days. The fact that people are out there actually learning and practicing this sh** just sickens me.

Blarg.

Oh...and that was just the "sword" competitors. You should see the bo, kama, and nunchaku competitors. They spend more time doing gymnastics moves than any sort of actual weapon handling. They apparently take themselves very seriously also. Ugggggh remind me to never turn on ESPN2 again.

[etherknot]

I'm watching this garbage on ESPN2 right now.

Wow! I saw this listed in the on-line TV guide and thought, "maybe that might be interesting to watch!". Of course I got called away to a friends birthday dinner so of course I totally didn't see it. From what you've said I think it's probably a good thing that I didn't. :D

Though I do wish more Kendo/Naginata competitions were broadcast on US TV. Heck, I'd be thrilled to see Sumo on national TV.

[Phorest]

Yeah...and it was all sponsored by Paul Mitchell too. Freaking hilarious. I wish they'd put an actual Kendo match or yeah, even some Sumo on TV.

Be glad you didn't witness this....it was terrible. The guy who won in the Mens Bo division used a bright silver metallic bo, purple hakama with big gold stripes at the bottom, and a white gi.

I'm gonna look around the web and see if I can find some pics.

[Phorest]

Ahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!! :shocked:

They DO have a website. http://www.usopen-karate.com/

And I found the guy with the purple hakama! Couldn't find pics of any of the sword competitors tho.

http://www.usopen-karate.com/upload/image_gallery/51thumbnail.jpg

[etherknot]

Yeah...and it was all sponsored by Paul Mitchell too.
WHAT!?! :confused: Ok that's just silly! I mean; until they develop some kind of new hair gel that immediately springs back into shape after you take off your men it's a pointless sponsorship wouldn't you agree? :)


Freaking hilarious. I wish they'd put an actual Kendo match or yeah, even some Sumo on TV.

Can you just imagine the terrible colour commentary by anchors though? uugh. I still get queasy when I hear that announcer in the National Geographic special say "sheeenaiiiis"


Be glad you didn't witness this....it was terrible. The guy who won in the Mens Bo division used a bright silver metallic bo, purple hakama with big gold stripes at the bottom, and a white gi.

Sounds very silly. What do you want to bet that it will probably air again? :D

[etherknot]

Ahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!! :shocked:

They DO have a website. http://www.usopen-karate.com/

And I found the guy with the purple hakama! Couldn't find pics of any of the sword competitors tho.

http://www.usopen-karate.com/upload/image_gallery/51thumbnail.jpg


Oh man! The only thing I can say is... there are no pleats so is it really a hakama? Cause it looks like some big Ukranian pantaloons or something.

I am getting a pretty good giggle reading the website. Under the FAQ section:

Q:*How can I register to compete and buy spectator tickets?

So you have to register to compete to buy the spectator tickets? :)
Brutal carnage would ensue I am certain. New meaning to the term: "nosebleed seating".

[emitbrownne]

..I found the guy with the purple hakama! Couldn't find pics of any of the sword competitors tho.

http://www.usopen-karate.com/upload/image_gallery/51thumbnail.jpg

oh my gawd.... oh my gawd..... OH MY GAWD!!!
*falls to floor and tries to pull out own eyes* :ditsy:

(Actually I like the colour... its just the silver grey trim... so last season :) )

[samurai999]

Did u guys see the sponsers? Paul Mitchell?? I will quit kendo if my dojo gets sponsered by a company that makes hair care products!!!!

This is not a championships, this is more of a diplay of dance routines with the shell of martial arts put on it to me. I thought it was a gymnastics floor routine until I saw this girl with a chromed out sickle and black gi on the floor. *sheesh*

Tim

Edit- Now that I think of it, did anybody see the Hyakuman contest that was broadcast a few years back on Japanese TV? That guy who was playing was crazy! He had a dark shield on his men so u couldn't see his eyes, a silver men and gi. His hakama was silver with red and orange flames coming out of it. But that guy was no slouch! He/she/it was good!!!

[dorkusxmaximus]

Those competitions on espn are crap, except for K-1 ^_^. It's all about fancy moves with no real self-defense capabilities. It looks more like flashy wushu moves to me. Mainstream America just likes to see flashy things.

[mingshi]

Krappy Karate Katana Kamae (photos) (http://www.e-budo.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12982)

More fun from the neighbourhood. Not to be read when having lunch :D
I like America.

[Ben F.]

I too had the misfortune to view this spectacle. The guy that did the "sword pattern" with his black hakama with white striping inside the pleats on the front for a zebra like pattern, absofarkingloutely blew me away.

My eyes!...my eyes!!

[mochi_pig]

I saw the sumo championships a couple of months ago on ESPN2. It just happened to be on the television while I was jogging on a treadmill at the health club. It was kind of boring though, I don't know what the rules for sumo are.

[aru-ma]

This is probably the only time I'm glad I don't have ESPN2, usually I get angry because I can't see NHL coverage.


. Mainstream America just likes to see flashy things.

They like it when someone flashes them things :) j/k.

It so obvious though, the mainstream, dare I say western, public prefers to look at stuff like that over kendo, iaido, jodo, etc. just ask anyone which one they liked better, the sword work in star wars episode 1 or 4 (I know episode 4 wasn't exactly kendo but that's the colosest I can find on top of my head).

[samurai999]

The guy in the 5th pic down in the balck gi has his hands backwards? *ugh* Wow, this is truly all show no go.

oh ya dm, i have heard of wushu and seems like everybodys into it. wats it like?

Tim

[dorkusxmaximus]

The guy in the 5th pic down in the balck gi has his hands backwards? *ugh* Wow, this is truly all show no go.

oh ya dm, i have heard of wushu and seems like everybodys into it. wats it like?

Tim

Ohhh Wushu is very very fancy-looking. Imagine what those karate practitioners did on espn2, but add Chinese weapons and a lot more acrobatic moves. They're pretty darn flexible. I saw some wushu guy at some "kata competition" on espn throwing what looks like baby powder around. The judges loved it! They awarded him first place, Timmy boy. I also heard that wushu is in the Olympic games now. There's like two versions of wushu, a combative version and one for showing off. It's nice to watch that stuff once and a while.

[dorkusxmaximus]

This is probably the only time I'm glad I don't have ESPN2, usually I get angry because I can't see NHL coverage.



They like it when someone flashes them things :) j/k.

It so obvious though, the mainstream, dare I say western, public prefers to look at stuff like that over kendo, iaido, jodo, etc. just ask anyone which one they liked better, the sword work in star wars episode 1 or 4 (I know episode 4 wasn't exactly kendo but that's the colosest I can find on top of my head).

They'll put kendo on-screen, but they'll make a few modifications to it. I hope you like seeing kicks and jodo sticks being used.

[aru-ma]

They'll put kendo on-screen, but they'll make a few modifications to it. I hope you like seeing kicks and jodo sticks being used.

kicks and jodo sticks in kendo? ha ha ha.... not even remotely amusing, If ESPN does something like that I'll be praying for those people to rot in hell, oh wait they have, just look at the "US karate competition" thread.

[Jerry Wellbrock]

Why are we always so quick to downplay or critize somthing that is different than what we do? Perhaps traditional martial arts are not for everyone. I personally have never seen this event but I have seen many other competitions that are completely different than my training in Traditional Japanese Budo. I have no doubt that many of these competitors are exceptional athletes and many of them train harder and put in more time than many of us can or do. Does this make them a lesser person because we choose to train in something different than they do? I have learned over the years to never misjudge an opponent and I have also learned not to judge others as human beings. I believe that somewhere in our training we are suppose to be striving to become better persons along with better martial artists. Tolerance and acceptance are difficult traits to develope but they may help us to enjoy things that are different rather than be upset or disappointed when we see them. Best Wishes to all who read this no matter where or how you train. :old_man:

[dorkusxmaximus]

Personally, I'm not downplaying any martial arts whatsoever. I have alot of respect of those who have different disciplines. What I don't respect is the bastardization of the martial arts by these show-offs on espn2. If a person goes into something, they should do it for themselves and not to get some "OHHHs" and "AHHHs" or praises from complete strangers.

[R A Sosnowski]

Jerry,


Why are we always so quick to downplay or critize somthing that is different than what we do? Perhaps traditional martial arts are not for everyone. I personally have never seen this event but I have seen many other competitions that are completely different than my training in Traditional Japanese Budo. I have no doubt that many of these competitors are exceptional athletes and many of them train harder and put in more time than many of us can or do. Does this make them a lesser person because we choose to train in something different than they do? I have learned over the years to never misjudge an opponent and I have also learned not to judge others as human beings. I believe that somewhere in our training we are suppose to be striving to become better persons along with better martial artists. Tolerance and acceptance are difficult traits to develope but they may help us to enjoy things that are different rather than be upset or disappointed when we see them. Best Wishes to all who read this no matter where or how you train. :old_man:

Your heart's in the right place, but there are times when you have got to be a "Hard Bastard (TM)" when your line of tolerance is crossed. :D

Let me quote a paragraph from a presentation I made in Guelph, Ontario, in 1999, called Creativity in the Martial Arts – A Personal Odyssey (Position Paper Abastacts - Guelph School of Japanese Sword Arts 1999 (http://www.uoguelph.ca/~iaido/gsjsa99papers.htm)):

"I will use two made-up terms to highlight the abuses of creativity. The first is “cinema-do” or “eiga-do,” the “way of the movie.” How many people do you know who have been deluded into believing that the martial arts as portrayed in movies (starring martial artists such as the late Bruce Lee, Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Chuck Norris or Steven Siegal to name a few) was the real thing in spite of the choreography, props, special-effects, stunt-doubles, unusual camera angles, and other cinematic magic? Cinema-do is simply for entertainment. The Japanese have long recognized the need for combat entertainment in chambara (stage swordsmanship) for instance, but it would never be mistaken for kenjutsu (sword techniques). The second term is a take-off on cinema-do, that is, “theater-do” or “engeki-do” – flashy moves and effects that wow the crowds (as in modern wushu), but whose martial content is nil or even counter-productive. Now I am not knocking either the movies or theater – I enjoy being entertained on occasion; however, I dislike it when movie and theater performances are mistaken for martial arts."

The bottom line is that traditionally and classically trained martial artists do not want to be associated with televised eiga-do and engeki-do. And this is the crap that we as instructors have put up with from a general public who believe that TV is a reflection of reality. :rolleyes:

I have a strong streak of "truth in advertising" in me; if ESPN or anyone else wants to broadcast this stuff as "martial entertainment," then I have no problem with it. But DON'T call it martial arts, because the only thing martial about it is the name. :mad:

[R A Sosnowski]

In the late 1980's and the early 1990's, as a (Korean) Karate instructor, I was a tournament judge at local open tournaments. So-called "creative weapons kata" were drek then, and are still drek now IMO.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Thanks, Raymond. My feelings exactly. Let's not confuse intolerance with high standards.

[Phorest]

wait wait..drek? :confused2

[aru-ma]

drek? what's that supposed to mean :puzzled:

[R A Sosnowski]

Drek - a pejorative term from Russian, presumably shared among the other Slovic languages, literally meaning excrement.

I am known to use it on occasions to show my extreme displeasure without resorting to vulgar speech. ;)

HTH.

[R A Sosnowski]

Drek - a pejorative term from Russian, presumably shared among the other Slovic languages, literally meaning excrement.

I am known to use it on occasions to show my extreme displeasure without resorting to vulgar speech. ;)

HTH.

Sorry for the misinformation -- it's a Yiddish term with Germanic roots, also spelled "dreck." I was thinking of an old friend who was very fond of the term, a Russian-American who also spoke Yiddish.

[Kato777]

I'm watching this garbage on ESPN2 right now. Good lord this is terrible. People are using katana with bright purple hakama and flipping around the stage, yelling and screaming....twirling the sword and LETTING GO to get "bonus points". This is making me feel ill just to watch it. It looks more like a gymnastics competiton with plastic swords than any sort of actual martial art. Dare I make a reference to Rick Tews? Dont know if anyone remembers that.....but this is even worse. They're doing freakin' gymnastics rolls to MUSIC. TECHNO MUSIC.

Martial Arts in the US are just completely ridiculous these days. The fact that people are out there actually learning and practicing this sh** just sickens me.

Blarg.

Oh...and that was just the "sword" competitors. You should see the bo, kama, and nunchaku competitors. They spend more time doing gymnastics moves than any sort of actual weapon handling. They apparently take themselves very seriously also. Ugggggh remind me to never turn on ESPN2 again.

New:
Okay, let's talk fukmooks, you all know nothing about what's been going on in the martial arts world do you? Apparently not. First, Sportkarate is becoming one of the most popular aspects of martial arts today, how do I know? BECAUSE I DO SPORT KARATE AND PLACES LIKE ESPN ARE SHOWING THESE EVENTS, YOU DON'T SEE YOUR SPECIAL LITTLE KENDO ON ESPN DO YOU??!! Doing the same old moves from days of old is freakin boring, that's why, myself as have many others started throwing "tricks" with our creative forms.
Second, don't talk shit about what you don't know, I personally have studied numerous martial arts systems INCLUDING KENDO!! (which I find quite boring actually). I've studied Takewondo, Karate, Jiu Jitsu, Kick-boxing, Judo, Krav Maga and Wushu to name a few. I also do gymnastics. Out of all these I've stuck with only Kick-boxing and Krav Maga (true fighting styles), Taekwondo and gymnastics (which go hand in hand for Sport Karate), and Wushu (the hardest martial art of all).
Thirdly, Wushu, the hardest martial art I've ever done and has ever been. You guys obviously don't understand it because you diss it like you know everything about it, SHUT THE HELL UP!! You guys don't know crap about it, you wouldn't last one session in a Wushu class, it takes the most endurance, strength, speed, accuracy and timing of any martial art ever, period. Learn something.
So, what have we learned today? You are all idiots, why? Because you are all stuck in your own little "Kendo" worlds and can't open up to the bigger picture, you are all actually frightened of this movement towards this martial arts revolution because it will suck business from you like hobo's after a ham sandwich. So...SIT DOWN, SHUT UP, AND FUK YA'LL...by the way, can any of you do a sport karate and Wushu basic known as an...aerial? I'd be amazed. Screw ya, I'm out.

[Old Warrior]

Kato

But would you tell us how you really feel? And, thank you for sharing.

[xvikingx]

Thats the thing troll... I mean Kato; Kendo, unlike what you do, is not a business. Did you learn self-controll in wushu too? or just aerials?

[AlexM]

Wow... yes, but what do you really think?

Thanks for demonstrating why what you do is not budo.

I just hope you come back to see our responses to your little tantrum... It's alright, we'll be kinder when talking to you mental defectives from now on (and by mental defectives I mean those people like yourself that can't seem to make a coherent argument despite writing an entire paragraph of text... and with such grotesque language in too).

Gymnastics is not a martial art... someone find this kid a copy of that poster for GYMTAKA.

Anyway... since this thread has been reborn... I caught a glimps of some ESPN2/Paul Mitchell sponsored martial arts competition on the local sports channel. My observations:

1. Paul Mitchell is a natural sponsor given the amount of guys sporting mullets at these things.

2. Patches on dogi just look silly.

3. They had a brick breaking competition that was just painfull to watch. Now I don't doubt that breaking bricks requires some kind of training and concentration (although I can't fathom why someone would choose to test his skills by breaking anything besides his opponent's spirit). However, the competition seemed to be composed of rather portly gentlemen that obviously used their weight and girth to crack bricks. That ain't even close to being budo in my opinion.

4. Why are guys doing flips constantly? Haven't we outgrown this facination with gymastics since the 1980s?

5. Why is the martial arts world prelevant in popular culture still stuck in the 1980s??? I want to know!

6. It was incredibly boring to watch. I couldn't help but think that I'll have to try to get the local sports network to show the finals of the All-Japan tournament (and get a job as both analyst and annoucer). Anything has got to better than what I saw. I mean c'mon! Gigantic southerners in mullets breaking bricks while wearing corporate logos (I'm not kidding) on their gi is not enternaining. Seeing two cops go at each other with bamboo sticks IS entertaining.

BTW, Does anyone know why people seem obsessed with this brick/wooden planck breaking thing? What's the point?

[xvikingx]

BTW, Does anyone know why people seem obsessed with this brick/wooden planck breaking thing? What's the point?

You don't know?! :scared: Get out of your kendo world, man! It's training the hand to break through another mans breast plate, so you can rip his heart out.

People that think their kendo experience was "boring", usually say so because they didn't bogu on the first day and found out they don't get to play with real swords. (reality is a bitch huh?) So they sign up for Rick Tews school of "Martial Science" (whatever that is), so they can be completely irresponsable. Don't you just hate the old fuddy-duddy sensei that stresses discipline? Always holding me back; I'll never learn an aerial.

BTW: Isn't wushu the Chinese equivalent to sport chambara?

[Neil Gendzwill]

Isn't wushu the Chinese equivalent to sport chambara?
I've had this argument before and now Jenny's going to get on my case - wushu is chinese for martial arts, I think the kanji are the same as either budo or bujutsu. So in broad terms it means any martial arts. But what it usually means is competition acrobatic martial performance, which I don't think of as martial arts - it's gymnastics that looks like martial arts. The practisioners are extremely skilled, but they're performers, not fighters.

[xvikingx]

I've had this argument before and now Jenny's going to get on my case - wushu is chinese for martial arts, I think the kanji are the same as either budo or bujutsu. So in broad terms it means any martial arts. But what it usually means is competition acrobatic martial performance, which I don't think of as martial arts - it's gymnastics that looks like martial arts. The practisioners are extremely skilled, but they're performers, not fighters.

Thanks. The kanji is the same as bujutsu. I remember seeing a demonstration with a tin sword and spear; it looked like a fight scene from the Kung-fu action flicks.

[AlexM]

Seriously, who started this whole break the plank thing?

Why is it so impressive when people hit a stationary object with their fist?

Explain this to me!

Maybe I'll go try to ask on e-budo... there have to be some people who do that kind of thing there.

[Raiza]

It certainly wasn't the Shotokan people who started the board thing, and they don't do it either in traditional practise. The founder of Shotokan, Funakoshi-sensei, wasn't too thrilled with it. Not all karate practitioners are into hitting targets that can't hit back.

[Kato777]

Again, you all missed the point. Yes Kendo is not a business, but you usually run a business to teach it. Also, my orginal complaint was the fact that you mighty mouse masters seem to know everything about martial arts. I myself used to think the same way, one martial art was the best...I was dead wrong. There is no best martial art. However, through my study in numerous styles I've grown to like some more than others, but the fact is that my facts are based on experience whalst yours are nothing more than uneducated, unexperienced and untrue statements based on your emotions and love for your style. The US open and many other international tournaments don't focus on one martial art, they are a collection of the top athletes in each field, and yes...they DO have traditional forms at the competitions, but since that doesn't appeal to the public they show the more intense and "showy" creative forms on ESPN along with power breaking (who I will agree sport the terrible fashion sense of a mullet most of the time) creative breaking, team forms and so on. If you are all Kendo masters or Budo or whatever...then maybe you should look at other styles and forms of martial arts as equals and judge them with an educated eye, instead of thoughtless prejudice of something that you have no comprehension of.

P.S. I stated that I do gymnastics not because it's a martial art c0ckpipe, but because I broaden my horizons and push my body to the limits any way possible.

[mingshi]

Dude, if you can't say something is a martial art just because you named it KARATE, while all you do it punching bricks... This is not super-human-power-show. There are millions of better Karate to watch, which are much closer to our debate when you really want to pull out the argument of "my art, your art, whose better?"

Everything looks fancy to someone who don't know what we are doing. But there is a fine line between what should be considered martial arts, and what shouldn't.

Oh yeah. We DON'T usually run a business to teach it. AFAIK the majority of us are only paying for sharing the venue renting cost.

P.s. Wushu is, as Neil re-stated, the equivalent term for "martial arts" in the Chinese language, and share the same kanji as Budo. There is another term, Guoshu, or "national art", which refers to martial arts that come from Mainland China. But that includes everything from there, i.e. Taichi, Wing Chun, Nan Chun, Ba Gua, Hsing I, etc. etc.

...not sure if anyone consider sports chambara as a martial art...?

[xvikingx]

Again, you all missed the point.

No we get it Kato, it's just that no one is going to take you serious because of the way you talk to others on the forum.

Mingshi: I would hardly consider sports chambara a martial art (uhg, I hate that word). It looks like what those RPG guys do in the woods, dressed up like elves & what have you. Actually I am kind of curious now... Is there some kind of curriculum for chambara or do they just buy the equipment and go beat each other with padded sticks?

[dorkusxmaximus]

Kato777,
I'm not putting down any martial art whatsoever. I think most of the people in this forum have an open mind to other martial arts. IF they claim to be know-it-alls, or state that one martial art is superior than the other. I'll chew them out myself. So what if kendo isn't shown on ESPN. Do you think I'd really give a damn? It's shown on tv in Korea and Japan. Do you know why though? That's because it's well known! I honestly didn't like that crap on ESPN (my peference), but hey it's what people want to see, right? The mainstream totally eats up this shit. Some of them probably think it's real. Good for them. It's their business. I personally like watching wushu. I have total respect for those pracitioners in China that put so much effort into their training. That's why they're the best in the wushu world.

Just like you, I broadened my horizons and pushed my limits learning kendo. It might be montonous to you, but there was something that was different eveytime I learned more about it. There was something that made me stay that other martial arts I took before didn't. Maybe it was my money-hungry Sensei, or it wasn't that much of a challenge to me. Who knows why I quit? The thing is that I still kept what I learned with me. I see a lot of things with an open-mind thanks to my former teachers. I still have a right though to say what's on my mind . I say it as I see it. Just like how you went off about kendo.

[AlexM]

I'm sorry to revive this thread but... I caught even more of that Paul Mitchell sponsored stuff on the local sports channel...

It still hurts my eyes!!!!

"Weapons" competition. Some guy was even using a katana... twirling it around, throwing it, catching it. Interesting zebra-like hakama: outside black with alternating colored pleats... With all the flipping around it had a positively hypnotic (and vomitive) effect.

But the faces these people make... the anger! the passion! the burst blood vessels on their foreheads!
These people need to have someone tell them that trick isn't to make it hard (with a facial expression more akin to severe constipation rather than anything else), but to make it look easy (that serene expression that comes over Tsumura-sensei's face right before he smacks the side of your head...). These guys need to lighten up a bit too. Good lord, they make Gray Davis look suave and relaxed (that one is for all the Californians out there and they're new overlord.. I mean governor).

A special note about the commentators: (these were local sports people) They literally said that the competitors would lose points for not being artistic enough. Miyazaki's men in motion is artistic, flipping a katana around like it's a cheerleader's baton is not.
Morons. These are the same guys that do the commentating for the Absolute fighting contests... Morons.

Three words: Team Paul Mitchell

I needed that rant... :)

[Kato777]

....You are a complete idiot and I'm sorry that you just are to idiotic to understand that...moron.

[AlexM]

No stop... thou art the master of rhetoric... thine barbs do pierceth mine flesh... OH! How they sting! The pain! I prayeth for the sweet release of death. Take me from this mortal coil Oh Reaper of Souls!

Hold back thine further volley of insults and jabs! Mine body is far to weak to receive!

I bow to the superior combatant! Thine tongue is like a sharp rapier, cutting mine flesh to shreads with such precision and accuracy... Oh the pain of it all!
.
.
.
.
I'll now put that in terms you can understand: I know you are but what am I?

[dorkusxmaximus]

Alex, isn't that the same comment you got from other fellow forum members? How long do want them to continue calling you names? I just hope that you know you had that coming.

[AlexM]

When I am called a moron or idiot by certain people I take it as a badge of honour!

One cannot hope to please everyone all the time. That's just being maleable to the point of ridiculousness. If I had pissed off a vast majority of people on these boards I suppose I would be concerned and would ask myself why... But I doubt that's the case quite frankly. It would be a bad sign if my posts generated nothing at all.

The only sure way not to bother anyone is to stay silent. But then, if you're going to that you may as well crawl into a hole a die.

I have been called a moron or idiot (or worse) by... Kato, kurukuru (He doesn't mean it! He's just a big softie at heart... :D), Hai_hai, Confound... who else??? I can't seem to remember... That's only 4 people... although I'm sure countless others have thought it. I've only pissed off 4 people, how disappointing...

[Neil Gendzwill]

I've only pissed off 4 people, how disappointing...
Take heart, Alex. You've managed to minorly irritate me at least twice.

[AlexM]

Take heart, Alex. You've managed to minorly irritate me at least twice.

WHOOHOO!!!!

Partial victory! Partial victory!

I suppose I could say something nasty about Saskatchewan in order to up the ante... but that would require me to actually write Saskatchewan more than a twice...

[Raiza]

Methinks Alex is finding things a bit slow in graduate poli-sci land...

See you Sunday, Alex, and best of luck at the tournament. Unless, of course, you have to face me in team matches. Sato-san is back and looking pretty good after his Achilles partial rupture in February and will be competing along with his buddies from Japan. We've got three people visiting from Japan so about 11 coming from our dojo. Friday training, then early morning to Toronto to train with Kimura-sensei in the afternoon then tourney on Sunday and drive back home right after.

I'm going to be so dead on Monday.

[samurai999]

New:
Okay, let's talk fukmooks, you all know nothing about what's been going on in the martial arts world do you? Apparently not. First, Sportkarate is becoming one of the most popular aspects of martial arts today, how do I know? BECAUSE I DO SPORT KARATE AND PLACES LIKE ESPN ARE SHOWING THESE EVENTS, YOU DON'T SEE YOUR SPECIAL LITTLE KENDO ON ESPN DO YOU??!! Doing the same old moves from days of old is freakin boring, that's why, myself as have many others started throwing "tricks" with our creative forms.

Personally, I don't give a rats ass. Popular? To whom? The people who want to make money off it and are ooo'ed and ahhh'ed by "mystifying, electrifying" moves? And you are damn right. I DON'T see and I DON'T wanna see any kendo on ESPN unless no profiteering is involved. Next, creating new forms is part of every martial art including kendo, but where does it all come from you ask? THE BASICS. The basics you see from ancient times. The "freaking boring" stuff you talk about. How long have you been doing "martial arts"? With out that, there would be no "paul mitchell" sponsered matches or wushu. To me those martial arts competitions on ESPN2 are just another gymnastics competition and nothing more. And by the way, I've only seen one martial arts "competition" on ESPN and that was months ago.

[/QUOTE]Second, don't talk shit about what you don't know, I personally have studied numerous martial arts systems INCLUDING KENDO!! (which I find quite boring actually). I've studied Takewondo, Karate, Jiu Jitsu, Kick-boxing, Judo, Krav Maga and Wushu to name a few. I also do gymnastics. Out of all these I've stuck with only Kick-boxing and Krav Maga (true fighting styles), Taekwondo and gymnastics (which go hand in hand for Sport Karate), and Wushu (the hardest martial art of all).[/QUOTE]


So in other words, depending on how long you've been doing "martial arts", you either are a master at each "martial art system" or you have no clue what you want to do. Go create/learn your own fancy schmancy martial art and keep out of ours. I'd like to learn how long you've done kendo. I doubt that long if you've only "studied it". Quoting you, "don't talk shit about what you don't know". Of course you are entitled to your opinions about kendo and WE are entitled to our opinions of YOUR opinion.


[/QUOTE]Thirdly, Wushu, the hardest martial art I've ever done and has ever been. You guys obviously don't understand it because you diss it like you know everything about it, SHUT THE HELL UP!! You guys don't know crap about it, you wouldn't last one session in a Wushu class, it takes the most endurance, strength, speed, accuracy and timing of any martial art ever, period. Learn something. [/QUOTE]


Well come to our class and we'll TEACH you something. 2 min of REAL kakari-geiko is just as hard on you as it will be in any martial art. You really haven't practiced kendo before, have you? Maybe I won't last one session in a Wushu class, but will you last through ours?


[/QUOTE]So, what have we learned today? You are all idiots, why? Because you are all stuck in your own little "Kendo" worlds and can't open up to the bigger picture, you are all actually frightened of this movement towards this martial arts revolution because it will suck business from you like hobo's after a ham sandwich. So...SIT DOWN, SHUT UP, AND FUK YA'LL...by the way, can any of you do a sport karate and Wushu basic known as an...aerial? I'd be amazed. Screw ya, I'm out. [/QUOTE]


I have learned that you are a troll that can't really talk your own side in a civilized manner and I don't give a rats ass about doing an "aerial". And of course if you haven't learned already, kendo is not about "business". Frightened? No way. Humored? yup.

Tim

[ALI G]

along with power breaking (who I will agree sport the terrible fashion sense of a mullet most of the time) creative breaking, team forms and so on.

Whyz doez all dem peepz lookz like Joe Dirt????????????????????????????

Berry Nice....Butt Booooaaaardz dont hit back...................mannnnnnnnnn............


P.S. I stated that I do gymnastics not because it's a martial art c0ckpipe, but because I broaden my horizons and push my body to the limits any way possible.

Whilez Wearingz Tightz....................

[Tipsykitty]

*groan* You know I used to do shotokan for many years, then moved where they didnt have it. As i had more time on my hands i was looking for martial arts in the area. <no kendo in town and i was looking for a place in my local town first>..
Its a bit sad how things have become lately. Seems the only choices of places in the area for martial arts are dojos that are homes to 8 yr old black belts, dojos where you make your own moves to gain a belt rank, or places where the people frequently get injured. 2nd class at one dojo was put against a person 7 ranks higher and was told to try to block his punches and attack him. That would be fine if we were evenly matched, but for someone out of shape to be taking full blown hits to the body with no protection is a bit harsh. Yet i digress... I finally have the time now to pursue a Kendo, granted i drive almost 2 hours each way to get there, but its worth it. Just seems to me that most martial arts schools are in it for money now and are complete sell outs. Maybe ive become jaded on that.

<rambles on about nothing in particular>

[Kyros Nighle]

i am a shotokan karate do practicioner since i was 5, now im 17 and i yet cant understand how those guys can call those fancy moves they do "karate"
(seeing as "karate-do" means presisely "the path of the empty hand")

but what i think its true too, is that NONE of the people of this forums, has the right to cool "stupid" (to restrain myself of the usage of other adjectives) a said martial art if they have never practiced themselves.

though i do not sympatize with "free katas" i must say that what they do is respectable and i find silly to critize something if we have not personally experienced that very thing witch we are making fun of.

now about wushu, i practised it for like 2 months........and i gotta tell you its the most f****ng difficult thing ive ever done. i tried the twin broadswod style, and its like: just imagine learning nito, but with two equaly lenghted shinais, so you have to be ambidexterous have an excelent footwork, and be prepared to do all those difficult nito moves, but with both swords not just one (the short s for blocking, the long strickes, in twin style you do both with both, so foot work is more complicated too) and thats just one of the styles that they show you.........
besides you have to be incredibly elastic, the wushu masters do some stuff that i had only seen in street fighter and games like those.