Martial Arts Thread

slice'n'dice

I'd amend that to "if the reason sifu gives for why you do this are pragmatic or scientific, it's not mystical."

Random rambling.

Is there such thing as "the best martial art?" Hell no.

However, some martial arts are more practical and continuously evolving in principles.

Many of the traditional martial arts have long lost the context in which they were used, and trained in. Modern self-defence (say Krav Maga) is in no way different from how karate is supposed to be used (very quickly and brutally). It has evolved into a sport due to very deliberate political moves. Essentially, the modern combatives are keeping in mind the real danger its users can face, while the old ones have moved on or have stayed put in the ritualised training methods, forgetting the application. There are exceptions of course.

Speaking about Krav Maga, I'm writing a fanfic with a main character who is a mixed martial artist who uses Krav Maga, Muay Thai and literal energy that is Charlie Atlas Superpower. Is there a website that can give me cliff notes for each style?

This might be useful

A concise and helpful illustration of boxing guards.◊

Captain America vs Winter Solder: Behind the scene moment.

God, Sebastian Stan is so adorable in that gif.

edited 6th May '16 8:11:31 PM by dRoy

What does everybody think of that martial arts movie Blood and Bone? The choreography looks pretty slick.

It's definitely a movie made with fight scenes in mind. In other words, it doesn't really need a plot, which is okay. It's like a Scott Adkins movie.

It has some good looking fight scenes. It is reminiscent of Kung Fu/Martial Art Blaxploitation films of the 70's and 80's made for the modern era. It looks like a lower budget film but it has pretty good looking fight choreography. Kind of reminds of Ong Bak in that regard.

Say, is it just me or does the kid at 1:22 has an unusually good form?

It's like he's the only one whose actor actually learned karate.

I'd guess that he's a student of a martial art of some kind, or at least an athlete for sure, because he's very fast and carries himself well. You can also see him at around 1:02, and I'm pretty sure he was Johnny's last opponent before facing Daniel in the finals.

Tae Kwon Do
Almost 14 years.
Not that am very good at it.

"Snake style" kung fu fight.

You know, am I the only one who thinks that snake style...would actually make a great grappling style? I mean, wrestling and BJJ have grapplers keeping their body low, strike by lunging, and coil themselves around the opponent. Well, large, python-like snake, that is.

Difficult to say. In terms of groundwork, only the Monkey style has survived to tell it's tale in the form of Master Hisham. Barring wrestling styles of course.

Snake style is primarily concerned with striking vital areas with conditioned fingers. So it would mix well with grappling from something else.

Something always bugged me about the Karate Kid movie - Daniel-san should have been disqualified for illegal contact to the face in his final bout with Evil Cobra-Kai Kid. He gets away with it because he's the designated hero.

Not the kind of lesson you want to be teaching impressionable young kids, and there's been millions of them that have watched that movie and started martial arts afterwards.

Depends on the rules of the competition, as he was allowed to strike the head (and sweep the leg). The issue comes from the force, and in most cases he would be disqualified, but it would depend on the particulars of the tournament. Few decades back, "reasonable force" was not in the rules. There were some photos from old karate tournaments in a former dojo of mine, and it looked like pure violence.

They were told in the rules for the tournament that contact to the face wasn't allowed. At least I'm pretty sure that's what the big African American referee told everyone in that scene where he laid down the law.

I think in Kyokushin kicks to the head are perfectly legal, but punches are not, which is something that is normal in full contact matches (don't know why). Then again, it's a movie that is pretty sloppy about that and we have no idea of the particulars.

Edit: Seems like TV Tropes answered that in headscratchers

edited 24th May '16 8:06:07 AM by TerminusEst

I've always thought face contact in karate was perfectly legal as long as it is with feet.

Extra points if you manage to land this

It's one of those moves that have high chance of failing miserably, but if you pull it off you become the biggest badass in the arena.

A Contemporary Chinese Master’s Search for Ancient Martial Virtue

Interesting to read and I can definitely see the desire to pursue the philosophical side that may have accompanied some of the martial arts. Aside from the woo in the article not a bad thing at all.