Martial Art Urban Legends...

[satans.barber]

Carradine may, at the time, not have been a very skilled practitioner, but what he did in terms of promoting martial arts and getting people intersted in taking them up though film was invaluble, IMHO; he must be credited for that :asian:

Ian.

 

[rmcrobertson]

Um..I guess. And I've often said that we'd all be better off if all martial arts students had to watch the pilot of, "Kung Fu..."

But he didn't write it. And personally, I think that his combo of fakery, sanctimonious "spirituality," and the rest is harmful...

Or to quote what's-er-name: "Kung Fu? Isn't that Chinese for, "Hey! That guy doesn't look Chinese!"

It's Orientalism, in Edward Said's sense. I always thought that the guys in the background in the Shaolin scenes were far better representations of the arts than Carradine ever was...

 

[OULobo]

Originally posted by rmcrobertson
Um..I guess. And I've often said that we'd all be better off if all martial arts students had to watch the pilot of, "Kung Fu..."

But he didn't write it. And personally, I think that his combo of fakery, sanctimonious "spirituality," and the rest is harmful...

Or to quote what's-er-name: "Kung Fu? Isn't that Chinese for, "Hey! That guy doesn't look Chinese!"

It's Orientalism, in Edward Said's sense. I always thought that the guys in the background in the Shaolin scenes were far better representations of the arts than Carradine ever was...

I always thought Kung-Fu was Chinese for "I'm gonna kick your ***!" or was it "You killed my father, now we must fight". I never was good at linguistics.

 

[kenpo_cory]

Originally posted by rmcrobertson
Oh, carry me home to die, Mother.

Carradine a "martial arts master?" The guy whose lame-o book I've flipped through? Who couldn't even throw a convincing side-kick on TV? Who got busted at least twice zooming around in a Ferrari, coked to the proverbial gills?

I guess redemption is always possible...but a master? Cmahn.

Next, you'll be telling me that Jan-Michael Vincent really has Airwolf hidden out behind whatever hovel he presently occupies...

I never said he was master of anything. I said he has been studying kung fu ever since the series went off the air sometime in the 70's. Does studying a particular martial art style for over 30 years make you a master? You tell me. BTW, I got this information on A&E's biography, they did a special on him.

 

[Cruentus]

History Channel, A&E, Discovery, etc.; all have good documentries, but I have caught them all in many embelishments too.

Personally, I don't know much about David Carridine, but I have heard many not-so-good things about his psuedo spirituality.

My motto is this: never believe any movie start who tells you he's a master; run screaming from any martial artist who starts telling you about their time in Special Forces/the CIA.

LOL
:rofl:

 

[kenpo_cory]

Originally posted by PAUL
History Channel, A&E, Discovery, etc.; all have good documentries, but I have caught them all in many embelishments too.

Personally, I don't know much about David Carridine, but I have heard many not-so-good things about his psuedo spirituality.



LOL
:rofl:

Yeah, i don't know much about him either, and I agree with you on those channels. I've seen shows like, "The worlds deadliest martial arts" that I personally thought was crap.

 

[theletch1]

Yeah, i don't know much about him either, and I agree with you on those channels. I've seen shows like, "The worlds deadliest martial arts" that I personally thought was crap.

What?! You mean Capoiera isn't the worlds most deadly art? Oh, Nooooooo! The shows done on these channels are usually done by hollywood producers and guys that do documentaries for a living, not martial artists. It's a good place to watch for an introduction to different MAs so long as you don't take everything on faith (like everything else in life).

 

[kenpo_cory]

Originally posted by theletch1
What?! You mean Capoiera isn't the worlds most deadly art? Oh, Nooooooo!

No way man, I think it's drunken boxing

 

[theletch1]

No way man, I think it's drunken boxing

It wasn't a bar fight, honey! Really! We were training in drunken boxing.

 

[D.Cobb]

Originally posted by rmcrobertson
Oh, carry me home to die, Mother.

Carradine a "martial arts master?" The guy whose lame-o book I've flipped through? Who couldn't even throw a convincing side-kick on TV? Who got busted at least twice zooming around in a Ferrari, coked to the proverbial gills?

I guess redemption is always possible...but a master? Cmahn.

Next, you'll be telling me that Jan-Michael Vincent really has Airwolf hidden out behind whatever hovel he presently occupies...

My motto is this: never believe any movie start who tells you he's a master; run screaming from any martial artist who starts telling you about their time in Special Forces/the CIA.

P.S. I was watching an "Angel," rerun last night...as proof that demonic intervention must be real, they mentioned Steven Seagal's movie career...

PPS: Oh...my other nomination for an entertaining myth--Richard Marcenko.

Or as Chuck Norris once said, "He is as good a martial artist, as I am an actor"

--Dave

 

[D.Cobb]

Originally posted by PAUL
No complaints...yet!

Sorry Paul, wrong Paul. If you notice, the quote in my message was directed at Shotmanuk. His name is Paul too.

--Dave
:asian:

 

[D.Cobb]

Originally posted by Kroy
I used to hear about some Kung Fu stylist could retract their testicles up inside for protection.:btg: Not that I ever believed it.

Actually, I read somewhere that Sumotori do it before a match....
Might be bogus, does anyone know?

--Dave

:asian:

 

[theletch1]

Actually, I read somewhere that Sumotori do it before a match....

Dunno, heard the same thing about Bruce Lee though.

 

[WhiteTiger]

Originally posted by rmcrobertson
24. Kids can't be real martial artists, and can't "really," deserve their ranks.
25. Kids don't need to be taught that if they have to physically confront an adult, their training should aim them towards getting loose, running, and screaming for help (yes, I actually saw an exhibition in which two young girls "took out," two grown men, then flounced back close and grabbed their book-bags away before turning their backs and sauntering slowly away).

I must say in most cases I agree with 24. There are always exceptions to any rule, in my expierience about 1 in 500 kids under the age of 12 are worth teaching any MA, the rest are just fooling themselves.

My favorite myths are -
Blackbelts are MA experts
All blackbelts are good fighters
Martial Arts is not about fighting

 

[Cruentus]

Originally posted by D.Cobb
Sorry Paul, wrong Paul. If you notice, the quote in my message was directed at Shotmanuk. His name is Paul too.

--Dave
:asian:

That's fine...you hate me...

 

[rmcrobertson]

Well, what's the percentage of adults who are really worth teaching, by the criteria that seem to be being used?

No, kids can't realistically defend themselves against full grown adults, in the sense of being able to kick their asses. However, there are other senses of self-defense...and it'd probably be better to just admit that if silly adults can be martial artists, so can kids...then, you can argue about whether or not they're good martial artists.

Personally, I think that a ten year old who can keep their eyes open, run when they have to, block and punch and kick decently, behave themselves on and off the mat, has learned a very big chunk of "real," martial arts. I'd rather see that then these kids on ESPN, with their helicopter kicks and their aluminum sais and their fake ki-ais, any day in the week...

 

[pknox]

Originally posted by rmcrobertson
Personally, I think that a ten year old who can keep their eyes open, run when they have to, block and punch and kick decently, behave themselves on and off the mat, has learned a very big chunk of "real," martial arts. I'd rather see that then these kids on ESPN, with their helicopter kicks and their aluminum sais and their fake ki-ais, any day in the week...

I agree wholeheartedly. I would also like to see a higher percentage of adults behave as you mentioned as well.

 

[Randy Strausbaugh]

Originally posted by rmcrobertson
I'd rather see that then these kids on ESPN, with their helicopter kicks and their aluminum sais and their fake ki-ais, any day in the week...

Amen.

 

[D.Cobb]

Originally posted by PAUL
That's fine...you hate me...

Dammit, I didn't realise, I was that obvious.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

--Dave

 

[TheRustyOne]

Originally posted by Jay Bell

2. Registering yourself as a concealed (or any other kind) of weapon upon achieving a perticular rank. ( )

I've heard that one before...at first, I was unsure whether or not to believe it...but now I don't.