Everything works for someone

[Kenpoguy123]

I know often in martial arts when someone talks about a move or a combination someone will say oh that's useless it doesn't work. But I think every single move in any martial art can work for someone.

For example in kenpo there are techniques that I simply can't work as well as others and I know I'd never use them. But someone else in the club can do that technique really well so it works for them. But I'd say oh that technique doesn't work but it does.

I think saying something doesn't work is silly because the people who made the different styles of martial arts knew what they were doing. Everything works for someone but if it doesn't work for you then don't use it there's plenty more moves you can use. But you should always practice the moves you think are useless. An analogy I like is a carpenter won't use every single tool on every job he does. He may only use one tool every 7 months so he could say that tool is useless but when it comes to the situation where he needs that tool it won't be useless then. Also you should always keep your tools sharp because if a carpenter doesn't keep his tools sharp when he needs it it won't work as well and he'll need to sharpen it right there which would waste time. Same for martial arts.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Everything does not work for someone, though. There are supposed techniques out there which no on can make work because they're physically impossible.

I agree that some body types are better-suited to some techniques and some to others.

If a technique can be demonstrated to work, then I say great. Just because I can't seem to master it doesn't render it automatically invalid.

 

[Flying Crane]

Yeah, not everything. I'm an ex-Kenpo guy (Tracy method), since you brought up that example. There is plenty in there that will never work in a real altercation, I don't care who is trying to pull it off. Some things are just bad ideas, plain and simple. Looked good on paper, but should have never seen the light of day.

But to your point, yeah just because you can't use something doesn't mean others cannot, and vice-versa.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Yeah, not everything. I'm an ex-Kenpo guy (Tracy method), since you brought up that example. There is plenty in there that will never work in a real altercation, I don't care who is trying to pull it off. Some things are just bad ideas, plain and simple. Looked good on paper, but should have never seen the light of day.

But to your point, yeah just because you can't use something doesn't mean others cannot, and vice-versa.

Nothing against your teacher, or anyone's teacher, but sometimes the guy teaching doesn't know the material. A very common mistake, I see, in kenpo, is the pendulum hammer fist. There is no such move. It's crap, I say, Crrrrrrrrrrrrap! (roll the tongue with those R's)

 

[Flying Crane]

Nothing against your teacher, or anyone's teacher, but sometimes the guy teaching doesn't know the material. A very common mistake, I see, in kenpo, is the pendulum hammer fist. There is no such move. It's crap, I say, Crrrrrrrrrrrrap! (roll the tongue with those R's)

yes, true, and still, some of that stuff is junk, pure and simple.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

yes, true, and still, some of that stuff is junk, pure and simple.

The way it was explained to me, beyond the different techs for different body styles/style of fighting, was that some of it is taught specifically to either teach concepts, or to get your body used to moving in certain ways, rather than having a direct application. People disagree with this, but most of the 'junk' appears to fall in that category when I look closely at it.

 

[zanaffar]

Every legitimate technique based in reality and grounded in fact, not magic, and trained with correct methodology works for someone.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Every legitimate technique based in reality and grounded in fact, not magic, and trained with correct methodology works for someone.

The fantasy based techniques work too, just for fantasy characters. For instance, the kamehameha wave works just fine for Goku, but any of us would probably have difficulty with it.

The important thing is to keep fantasy with fantasy and reality with reality.

 

[Flying Crane]

The way it was explained to me, beyond the different techs for different body styles/style of fighting, was that some of it is taught specifically to either teach concepts, or to get your body used to moving in certain ways, rather than having a direct application. People disagree with this, but most of the 'junk' appears to fall in that category when I look closely at it.

Sure, I'm familiar with that notion, but if that was truly the intention, I think it's a poor way to go about it, or at least it is an approach that does not work for me.

I didn't intend to get onto a Kenpo-bashing episode, but I think there is some relevance there.

 

[Steve]

The key isn't the techniques. It's the way the techniques are trained. If you train well, yiu will be able to separate the wheat from the chaff.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Sure, I'm familiar with that notion, but if that was truly the intention, I think it's a poor way to go about it, or at least it is an approach that does not work for me.

I didn't intend to get onto a Kenpo-bashing episode, but I think there is some relevance there.

It's worked for me, others I know it doesn't. Not a bad approach, IMO, but one most people aren't used to.

And I didn't think you did. There are a lot of seemingly useless moves in the various kenpo styles/lineages, so it fits well with this thread.