This is probably a very stupid question, but I'll ask anyway.

[JowGaWolf]

I think those who know that their lineage is solid, don't feel much need to bicker and argue about it.

While it is far from perfect, it does act as something of a quality control in TMA when the instructional lineage is known.

If I'm teaching Jow Ga and I tell you that my teacher was Ip Ching but I can't do any WC, then right there red flags should go up. The first red flag should be from me not mentioning a Jow Ga Sifu and the second one should be for not knowing Wing Chun.

I had prospective student contact me yesterday and I gave my lineage so that he could verify that we were a legitimate school. Sort of like "don't believe me?" Go ask my sifu and my sifu's sifu. "Still don't believe me? " then go check with the main school in Maryland. When that lineage isn't there like the guy starting his FTF organization, then you are pretty much at the mercy of what he's telling you in terms of FTF, especially if the person is new to martial arts and fighting.

 

[punisher73]

According to Gichin Funakoshi (in his memoirs) Karate on Okinawa originally had two styles. One was harder, more effective, and required more strength, so better suited to bigger men. The other was softer, and a better fit for slighter men. By his estimation, during his lifetime the two merged into a combination, so it may be that Karate at one time was either significantly harder than we currently see or significantly softer.

I am familiar with the quote. IMO and the opinion of other scholars, this quote was basically just sniping at the Naha based styles. He was basically saying that their karate was unrefined and required brute force, while their karate was more refined and required more skill and finesse.

 

[punisher73]

As to the original topic. One key thing is that the Okinawans changed and adapted what they liked with kung fu they had seen and turned it into their own cultural art with their own way of doing things. They liked certain aspects and emphasized those things and made it into a completely different art form. It was either Chojun Miyagi or Kanryo Higaonna who went on record saying that they changed the open hands to closed hands because of the okinawan preference for punching. There were also influences from other countries that they traded with like Siam in okinawan karate.

It doesn't look like kung fu, because it isn't. But, you can see certain movement patterns and those influences in there still.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I am familiar with the quote. IMO and the opinion of other scholars, this quote was basically just sniping at the Naha based styles. He was basically saying that their karate was unrefined and required brute force, while their karate was more refined and required more skill and finesse.

Interesting. That wasn't actually the impression I got when reading it. He seemed to have an appreciation for the style he referred to as being better for bigger men, and actually refers to it as more effective.