Common Myths

[Quick Sand]

Hey guys, looking for some help here.

I'm trying to make a list of some of the common (completely groundless) myths out there about martial arts in general. So far I've thought of:

"Black belt is the highest rank possible in all martial arts."
"All martial arts have origins in Asia and that area of the world."
"Only young fit people can join martial arts."

I'm writing short explainations about why the statements aren't true and putting it in a project.

What other myths can you guys think of?

Thanks for any help. :asian:

 

[yilisifu]

Back in the 40's and 50's, it was believed that you had to kill a man (with your bare hands) to achieve black belt rank.

Really!

 

[Disco]

Check this web site for additional Martial Arts Myths.
www.streetselfdefense.com

This is not meant to be an endorsement of the site, just a venue for some information.:shrug:

 

[tarabos]

god...let's see, these should be HELPFUL to people i think, not just some style bashing "mcdojo" revealing thread.

i'd say...

the fact that there are very many different martial arts, and different styles and associations within those arts, not just the select popular ones the most people know of..."Karate," TKD, etc...

 

[pesilat]

Originally posted by Quick Sand
Hey guys, looking for some help here.

I'm trying to make a list of some of the common (completely groundless) myths out there about martial arts in general. So far I've thought of:

"Black belt is the highest rank possible in all martial arts."
"All martial arts have origins in Asia and that area of the world."
"Only young fit people can join martial arts."

I'm writing short explainations about why the statements aren't true and putting it in a project.

What other myths can you guys think of?

Thanks for any help. :asian:

And, of course, "black belts have to register their hands as lethal weapons."

Mike

 

[Roland]

...you know, for those lethal hands of yours, once you get you black belt!





Damn, you must have just beat me to the punch, lol.
Good one.

 

[GouRonin]

My @ss is lethal after a few bowls of chili and my BJJ instructor will attest to that.

 

[Yari]

A myth was to catch a sword with your bare hands for your black belt grading.

Another one was that all the girls would love you when you got your black belt (or maybe that was just my own idea?).......


/Yari

 

[theletch1]

I remember hearing when I was a kid that in order to toughen up your arms, hands and such that bones were broken repeatedly and reset in a "special" way.

If you want myths just ask some of the ninjutsu guys what they have to put up with!!

 

[James Kovacich]

Originally posted by tarabos
god...let's see, these should be HELPFUL to people i think, not just some style bashing "mcdojo" revealing thread.

i'd say...

the fact that there are very many different martial arts, and different styles and associations within those arts, not just the select popular ones the most people know of..."Karate," TKD, etc...

Thats not a myth. Evolution is inevitable, if there is substance they will remain present, if not they will dissapear as quick as they came like all the ninja schools of the "80's.

A myth, which some schools I've heard still claim to do is that to earn a black belt, you have to beat 3 blackbelts of your peers, sometimes one on one and sometimes all 3 of them at once. And some even say to earn a 1st black you have to beat even higher ranked black belts. Must of been some crappy black belts.

Common sense, IF they really were black belts and continued to train, MAYBE one of them would be beaten by the upcoming brown belt.

 

[James Kovacich]

Originally posted by Roland
...you know, for those lethal hands of yours, once you get you black belt!





Damn, you must have just beat me to the punch, lol.
Good one.

A guy I know still believes that one!

 

[Nightingale]

well, the myth I hear a lot is:

"You can't do karate! You're a girl!"

 

[sweeper]

hmm.. well if a brown belt keeps fighting a black belt eventualy he will beat him. But I can't see a brown beating 3 blacks..

 

[Kirk]

My instructor had to fight black belts, 12 different fights, one 2 on
1, to get his black belt. He didn't have to win though. Sounds a
lot like being jumped into a gang if ya ask me.

Incidentally, Pat Burleson was his teacher .. I hear he was
STRICT!

 

[pesilat]

Originally posted by Kirk
My instructor had to fight black belts, 12 different fights, one 2 on
1, to get his black belt. He didn't have to win though. Sounds a
lot like being jumped into a gang if ya ask me.

Incidentally, Pat Burleson was his teacher .. I hear he was
STRICT!

Yup. This is what my instructor does. We didn't have to win, just had to do our best. And it was at the very end of the test, after we're already wiped out physically and mentally.

More a show of "heart" than anything else.

Mike

 

[chufeng]

And, of course, "black belts have to register their hands as lethal weapons."

I knew a guy who used to carry a card in his wallet saying his hands were registered...His teacher took care of all of the paperwork, of course...wonder how much he had to pay for that?

Of course, even back then, I knew he was full of crap.

chufeng

 

[Master of Blades]

Originally posted by nightingale8472
well, the myth I hear a lot is:

"You can't do karate! You're a girl!"

Thats not a myth.....thats an ******* :shrug:

 

[Jill666]

Originally posted by yilisifu
Back in the 40's and 50's, it was believed that you had to kill a man (with your bare hands) to achieve black belt rank.

Really!

:erg: You didn't have to?! *mutters*

 

[pesilat]

Oh yeah ... and all the alleged "death matches" between various masters.

This is a common one in the FMA, at least. Though from what I understand, these were actually challenge fights with no protective gear where death was a distinct possibility. Few (if any) were actually "fights to the death." But that's how a lot of the younger generations have chosen to interpret the term (or, in some cases, I'm sure, it's how the older generations propogated the term).

Mike

 

[Kirk]

hehehe .. {doing my best Old Disgruntled Hunchback Man voice:}

"In my day, we dipped our hands in glue, then in nails
and had to fight for our black belts that way. We didn't have
pads, or mats, the floor was covered in broken bottles and thumb
tacks, and hot fiery coals, and we were damned glad to have it!"