Karate US Open.......

[Dream Time]

U.S. Open ISKA World Martial Arts Championships – The Premiere Open Sport Karate Tournament Event

first of all,I am not a martial artist and I don't know too much about it
I know there are some martial art people in this forum,
I'd like to hear some opinions


I just saw this show on TV...
watching people breaking bricks,baseball bats and other stuffs
I saw those anger on the faces of the competitors,and they shout,
it is like WWF,
where is the 'peace of mind'?? isn't it taught in martial arts? :?

and whats the point of breaking those things,why people want to see it?
I think Bruce Lee once said something like..there is no point of breaking boards,because those boards won't hit you back

 

[janimagee]

isn`t the shouting ki-ai. ? when there`s a tie in a match, then they weigh the guys and the heavy guy loses, and also the number of bricks/boards they break also has something to so with the final score. It`s a matter of centering power and concentration, it`s not just about breaking things. mind over matter.

 

[Budderfly]

I'm in martial arts and the reason we "shout" is to channel energy into our applications. It also helps you from not getting tired as fast because you are fully exhaling.

Though some people are more extreme and yell like they're tigers. Everyone has their own style.

I also don't see the point of board breaking. Though it does teach you to apply your kicks and punches with accuracy, but there is no reason why a held target (foam, paddle, shield) couldn't do the same thing.

 

[Mandylion]

Ah, Dream Time, you have stumbled across the mass marketed version of the martial arts - lots of flash in the pan, handing out belts and sewing as many flashy patches on their uniforms as possible.

I'm sure may martial artists do use the breaking bricks, boards, bats, what have you, as a part of their serious training, but it often winds up looking cheapy and showy (often it is). Martial arts have very much become a business - schools have to attract and retain students and some use rather petty tactics to achieve financial stability. These methods include breaking things (very showy, very impressive) and promoting in rank very quickly. Many schools exploit the name and image of an art, and many people are not all that qualified. Before www.e-budo.com went down, it was an amazing resource to look at the darker side of the martial arts business as well as finding good teachers and checking out their backgrounds (which you should always do - there are a lot of people that make stuff up simply because it is so hard to check via a third party and because so many students are willing to suspend belief to "learn" something they really don't have a good understanding of past TV/movies/manga).

I'm not saying all modern martial arts schools or events are full of con artists and underqualified teachers, but there is enough that around that one has to be very careful when choosing a school or joining a group. I don't know anything about the group behind the link you posted, but just because it might be national doesn't mean it is really any good either - buyer beware.

 

[Budderfly]

There's good dojo's and then there are McDojo's.

The following transcript helps to paint a better picture of what a McDojo is;

*******************************

A big sign greets the customers.

It says "McDojo窶冱 Over 99 Million Promotions Served!"

Instructor: Welcome to McDojo窶冱! How may I promote you today?

Customer: I would like a Black Belt, please. Super sized if possible窶ｦ I've had a few too many hamburgers lately.

Instructor: Would you like a stripe with that?

Customer: Hmmm窶ｦsure窶ｦwhy not. I haven窶冲 had one in a long time.

Instructor: What about a title?

Customer: Do you have any Grand Masters?

Instructor: Why yes窶ｦhundreds in fact. That's our most popular title!

Customer: Excellent. I will take one of those. How long will it take?

Intructor: Well, it used to take a lifetime to prepare one of these, and only the most devoted could afford the sacrifice. But now we have them pre-packaged in almost every style. A few old holdouts wouldn窶冲 give us their style's recipe. But we have some guys working on that right now.

Customer: Well those three in the poster look good. I窶冤l take those, and don't skimp on the patches! I love pretty patches.

Instructor: Ok sir窶ｦComing right up.

5 minutes and 20 customers later...

Instructor: Here you go sir.

Customer: Umm窶ｦI think there is a mistake. I paid for a red stripe. That窶冱 a white one.

Instructor: The board of directors decided that the traditional red stripes reminds them too much of blood. They don窶冲 want to project a bad image.

Customer: But red is the color you have used since you opened so many years ago! Everyone I knew grew up on red stripes! It窶冱 traditional to have them with the Grand Master Combo.

Instructor: There窶冱 nothing I can do sir窶ｦOh sir, you owe us an extra fee for the stripe upgrade to white.

Customer: Okay that窶冱 it. Let me speak to whoever runs this place.

Great Great Grand Master Pan Zie: I am the one you seek. What do you wish to know?

Customer: Why can窶冲 I get a red strip with my black belt?

Great Great Grandmaster Pan Zie: Red was no longer cost effective for our traditional training paradigm.

Customer: So you're saying red costs too much to make?

Great Great Grandmaster Pan Zie: Your insights do you well, young Grasshopper. But you would do well to keep these secrets窶ｦsecret.

Customer: But you charge more for the white even though it costs less to make!

Great Great Grandmaster Pan Zie: I am sorry窶ｦthere are many more contracts and promotions I have to dispense.

Customer: That窶冱 it! I've had enough of you guys. I am going to take my business to Burger Kwon!

 

[Mandylion]

Well played, Budderfly, well played indeed.

 

[topi]

Ive trained in Kickboxing for 10years now (yep I stated at 5, although I was mainly running around like a loon)

I havnt entered many tournaments because I dont feel the need to prove myself to anybody, I know what I can do.

The board break etc. has been a valued part of my training, it may appear easy, but it takes accurecy and alot of power in the right place, at the right time.

And im a shouty person when im fighting, mainly to get my breathing right, but it also encourages myself to hit harder and faster.