Does the Olympics harm the martial arts?

[Patrick Skerry]

In the Olympics Tae Kwon Do was reduced to mainly kicking since the Olympic referees rarely score for punches, and Olympic judo contains several variations you may or may not agree (see judo/jujutsu forum). Becoming an Olympic event may be prestigious, but does it do egregious harm to your martial art?

Would it be wiser for Kendo, Ju-jutsu, Kung-fu, Karate or any Eastern martial art to stay out of the Olympics?

 

[Michael Billings]

Interesting question.

My wife, who has never seen TKD, was shocked while watching this year's event. She has seen my students spar, some JKD and MMA, and taken boxing. The bouncing, almost chest banging, did not appear to her as any kind of Martial Art, but a game of tag, with really limited rules.

My TKD training was in the mid 70's, 3 years of it, and there was no bouncing, and no "tag" at all! I had difficulty explaining the "rules" to her, and why TKD has developed from a self-defense art (arguably), to a "sport," that is way removed from reality.

Well, don't ask a Kenpo guy this question, especially not one who comes from a hard style TKD system several decades ago. I see this shift as a great promotion for the art, but a horrible decline in what I perceive the art's effectivness to be. So it is a mixed blessing for TKD, and a poor reflection of the rest of the martial arts community.

-Michael

 

[Kane]

In the Olympics Tae Kwon Do was reduced to mainly kicking since the Olympic referees rarely score for punches, and Olympic judo contains several variations you may or may not agree (see judo/jujutsu forum). Becoming an Olympic event may be prestigious, but does it do egregious harm to your martial art?

Would it be wiser for Kendo, Ju-jutsu, Kung-fu, Karate or any Eastern martial art to stay out of the Olympics?

I think the only threat these arts being in the Olympics are the arts ONLY being regarded as sport and not fighting system art.

I think they need to add a little more combat sports like kendo or ju jitsu because sports don’t always go for the realm of entertainment.

 

[Zepp]

We discuss this ad infinitum in the Tae Kwon Do forum. I think most of us agree that, yes, Olympic TKD has hurt TKD as a martial art.

Which is kind of odd when you think about it. No one really complains about Olympic boxing hurting boxing overall, or Greco-Roman wrestling going downhill from being in the Olympics. Maybe it's just because these western martial arts-turned-sports have a longer tradition of being thought of as sports.

 

[Patrick Skerry]

We discuss this ad infinitum in the Tae Kwon Do forum. I think most of us agree that, yes, Olympic TKD has hurt TKD as a martial art.

Which is kind of odd when you think about it. No one really complains about Olympic boxing hurting boxing overall, or Greco-Roman wrestling going downhill from being in the Olympics. Maybe it's just because these western martial arts-turned-sports have a longer tradition of being thought of as sports.

I think its because the Olympics originally developed from western combative sports (running, relay, javelin, boxing, wrestling, etc.) but cannot conform itself to the Eastern martial arts being non-sportive in nature? (Did I say that right?)

 

[TigerWoman]

Taekwondo in the Olympics has been changed and almost tailor-made for that venue. I was not impressed either. I think the rules should be changed further, so that setup and stalling do not continue. Like football, toss a coin or something to be the aggressor but just a series of penalizations led to very dull matches. If they were fighting at their black belt tests, I imagine there would have been considerably more action. But it remains this point system, so then it stays this chess match. I doubt it would look much different for any other system who has to compete by points. Caution would probably rule there also.

As for Mr. Billings prior comment, Olympic TKD is not representative of traditional Taekwondo that remains a hard and effective self-defense art for those of us that still practice it. There is no point sparring in the dojang. And this subject HAS been beaten to death in the Taekwondo forum. TW

 

[terryl965]

1st we must remember this is what Korea wanted so they could gain popularity in the sporting world. 2nd this is not what all TKD schools teach just the sport aspect there are still traditional schools out there, just need to look for them. 3rd and most important in Olympic TKD there are rules just like boxing, and any sport competition right or wrong this is what the Olympic committee wanted. Last but not any less important is the fact that western civilazation wants the sport of TKD, the mom and pop syndrome to see there kids with medals and patches coming out of there uniforms, money is a motivating machine for most newbies in the so called TKD world, us old timers just keep finding the cracks to get enough student to keep the doors open for real training... GOD BLESS AMERICA

 

[Patrick Skerry]

Taekwondo in the Olympics has been changed and almost tailor-made for that venue. I was not impressed either. I think the rules should be changed further, so that setup and stalling do not continue. Like football, toss a coin or something to be the aggressor but just a series of penalizations led to very dull matches. If they were fighting at their black belt tests, I imagine there would have been considerably more action. But it remains this point system, so then it stays this chess match. I doubt it would look much different for any other system who has to compete by points. Caution would probably rule there also.

As for Mr. Billings prior comment, Olympic TKD is not representative of traditional Taekwondo that remains a hard and effective self-defense art for those of us that still practice it. There is no point sparring in the dojang. And this subject HAS been beaten to death in the Taekwondo forum. TW

I'm sorry if this is a repetition for the TKD people, I did not know Olympic TKD was being discussed, but I would like to know from you is what advice would you give to the martial art practitioners which art is not yet an Olympic event?

Would you want kendo in the Olympics or aikido as an Olympic event? Based on what I see happening to judo, and you for TKD, I would warn them off.

So what would you say to a fellow martial arts traveller about their style going into the Olympics?

 

[terryl965]

I'm sorry if this is a repetition for the TKD people, I did not know Olympic TKD was being discussed, but I would like to know from you is what advice would you give to the martial art practitioners which art is not yet an Olympic event?

Would you want kendo in the Olympics or aikido as an Olympic event? Based on what I see happening to judo, and you for TKD, I would warn them off.

So what would you say to a fellow martial arts traveller about their style going into the Olympics?

STAY OUT TOO MANY RULES< TAKES AWAY FROM TRADITION!!!!!!!

 

[Patrick Skerry]

In the Olympics Tae Kwon Do was reduced to mainly kicking since the Olympic referees rarely score for punches, and Olympic judo contains several variations you may or may not agree (see judo/jujutsu forum). Becoming an Olympic event may be prestigious, but does it do egregious harm to your martial art?

Would it be wiser for Kendo, Ju-jutsu, Kung-fu, Karate or any Eastern martial art to stay out of the Olympics?

I found a website from a British Judo association which expressed similar sentiments towards Judo and the Olympics:

The article is entitled: Judo Is Dying

http://www.budo-kan.freeserve.co.uk/letters.htm

 

[Sin]

i really can't blame them for not wanting to be compltly hardcore...cause when your in the olymipics you get promotional deals like weaties and Nike...so the true reason for there light contact is because they are to rich to get hurt seriously...turning into the NBA or MLB

 

[KenpoNoChikara]

Good question. It does seem that Tae Kwon Do has been reduced to just a sport instead of a fighting system in the Olympics...

 

[Baytor]

In my opinion, it has to do less with the fact that the event (sport/MA) is in the olympics so much as the rules the event is conducted by. The martial art is changed from what is was to make it as efficient as possible for the new set of rules. This can have a profound effect, as we can see in olympic TKD.

So, I would say that the olympics can harm martial arts. On the other hand, they can also help promote them. I guess it really depends on making sure that it isn't changed into something that is almost unrecognizable from what it should be.

 

[8253]

I watched some of it(mainly TKD and GR Wrestling), and to be truthful, from what i did see. If you saw one "fight" you seen them all. They were all the same. The question i really thought about while watching it was, would this work on the street? I came to my conclusion of these types of sport arts are not fighting arts. I do not believe that the Olympics harm the martial arts, due to the fact that they are not true fighting arts. It is sport arts based on point sparing. A Martial Art does not teach point fighting for something that is aplicable in a fight.

 

[TonyM.]

Yes. Any association with organized crime is detrimental to the martial arts.

 

[Zepp]

Yes. Any association with organized crime is detrimental to the martial arts.

Organized crime? :idunno:

 

[DeLamar.J]

There is nothing wrong with olympic TKD. Yes it is unrealistic, but so is every other sport, even boxing, ju jitsu, and judo. Hey look at mike tyson, why arent they shin kicking him or taking him down so he cant use his punches, why arent the ju jitsu guys biting like a realistic fight, wh arent the judo guys punching and kicking thats unrealistic. Get my point?
TKD is a kicking match, as boxing is a punching match, there is nothing wrong with either one.

 

[TonyM.]

Better bring your visa card, bankamericard, italian bank of america card.

 

[Patrick Skerry]

This is true of anything out there with a referee and judges and rules. There are no rules in a street fight, so some of the toughtest ring fighters can get beat-up in a street fight. A mugger with a knife and gun really doesn't care if you have a black belt or a gold medal in the olympics in either Judo or TKD, or if your old, sick, or lame; he's still has a good chance of beating you under any situation.

But the Olympics seem detrimental to the martial arts in my observation, and I was wondering what would happen to other martial arts if they get accepted as an Olympic event.

There is nothing wrong with olympic TKD. Yes it is unrealistic, but so is every other sport, even boxing, ju jitsu, and judo. Hey look at mike tyson, why arent they shin kicking him or taking him down so he cant use his punches, why arent the ju jitsu guys biting like a realistic fight, wh arent the judo guys punching and kicking thats unrealistic. Get my point?
TKD is a kicking match, as boxing is a punching match, there is nothing wrong with either one.

 

[Escrima Demon]

Anything martial arts the Olympics touches turns to ****. They ruined the shooting events, archery, pentathalon, Sword Craft, etc, etc. decades ago with over regulation to "equalize" competititors.

Why use Bell Curving with the best atheletes the world has to offer????

WTF??????? :barf:

After watching two olympiads ago when that Russian chick skating took a dive, got up and continued, and won a GOLD, while on painkillers, I gave up wasting my time watching............

Politics and the very obvious favoritism /corruption of the judges have ruined it.


McDojo + McOlympiad = A Joke


rant mode off