Martial arts discussion thread

[GoktimusPrime]

I've tried every argument with my sensei about chi. I've tried the "Lets spar you use chi energy and I use physical force", I've tried the "If chi is a form of energy then there should be a scale of measurement". Everytime I bring up the myths he just pulls rank and changes the subject.

Of course he won't accept your challenge! Chi powers don't work on people who:
A. Don't hold their tongue and toes in the correct position.
B. Are skeptical.

Chi power attacks are extremely powerful against true believers who have their tongue and toes in the exact position! Cos what kind of random street thug doesn't walk around with a steadfast belief in chi attacks and their body parts all in the correct alignment?!

So then they are banging these boards on the corner of the stage and nothing is happening. So I just went the full "Oh noes! Whats wrong? You could break dem before but not now WTF?!" After about 2 minutes of this (Sensei was doing weapon kata demonstrations during all this) I explained the physics to the kids and showed them the grain of the board and amazingly they were able to break them... I'm not sure if it was because I showed them about breaking with the grain or if their chi energy had recharged after breaking the boards earlier?... It was probably the latter

They probably had the wrong side of their buttocks clenched.

[Bartrim]

Ha!

I've mentioned before about the "no belt, no respect" problem we have had in our dojo where some of the Muay Thai and MMA guys just want to get in and show how tough they are and have openly said they don't care about the traditional aspects. They now have to do kata at their gradings.

[GoktimusPrime]

...not that belts or gradings are remotely traditional (katas are traditional though ). And while the grading/belt system might sift out some of the thugs, it won't filter them all out. I've personally come across two people Karateka - one was a brown belt who was nearly on his black belt, and the other had acquired his black belt as a child. Both are very angry and violent people who, IMHO, should never have been given martial arts training (but they have because they've been very patient and persistent in their training).

In my personal observation, I find that the belt/grading system really tests a student's patience rather than their ethics. People who drop out aren't necessarily people who are thugs, but just people who have become dissatisfied with the training, or for whatever other reason have chosen to stop training. Now of course, a lot of people with poor attitudes also happen to be impatient, but as my experience has shown me, there are also angry/violent people who are willing to be patient and wait it out.

A far better way to sort students out is just to rely on instructor's discretion. When you train with people regularly you get to know their personalities. You yourself know who are the respectful and who are the disrespectful students in your Dojo. You don't need any belt/grades to tell you that! Just by talking with them and watching how they train, you can see what kind of person they are -- you get to see their personalities and attitudes. As if you need to put ALL of your students through rigorous gradings to tell who the jerks are.

Quite frankly, schools should just approach students with the inappropriate attitude and either expel them, or modify their training so that they're not learning any new techniques for hurting people. Disrespectful and irresponsible people who are trained in martial arts only serve to tarnish the reputation of all martial artists in the community (let alone bringing disrepute to your school).

[Bidoofdude]

This isn't really martial arts, but I've been training myself in agility and maintaining silence while moving.
I've managed to sneak up on a few of my family.

[Kazza]

This isn't really martial arts, but I've been training myself in agility and maintaining silence while moving.
I've managed to sneak up on a few of my family.

That's the premise to any good old slasher movie.

[Sinnertwin]

That's the premise to any good old slasher movie.

This isn't really martial arts, but I've been training myself in agility and maintaining silence while moving.
I've managed to sneak up on a few of my family.

If you can do it in your TC costume, you will have reached enlightenment.

[GoktimusPrime]

If you can do it in your TC costume, you will have reached enlightenment.

lololololololol

[Bidoofdude]

If you can do it in your TC costume, you will have reached enlightenment.

I hope so...


(And let it be known I am not exactly good at Shuriken. I did get one excellent throw though.)

[GoktimusPrime]

Meh... who needs Shuriken when your Thundercracker costume will have arm-mounted machine guns?

[Bidoofdude]

Nah. Just the null rays. (Probably won't be finished in a week though)