Olympic Combat Sports

[Steve]

Have to be honest, I'm really confused at the complaints in the USA about the Olympics coverage. On TV, I'm getting like 10 hours of Olympics content from USA and NBC on the DVR, along with about 8 hours of Canadian coverage from CBC, every day.

But there are other options as well for getting, I think, everything you want. As @Monkey Turned Wolf mentioned, everything is available in its entirety on the NBCOlympics.com website. So, you can hook a laptop or desktop computer to your TV. If you want something more permanent, you can buy a NUC or similar device. Xbox has a browser, though I haven't tried it, so you might be able to pick up the videos that way (if you have an Xbox).

Also, don't forget that most smartphones can cast video to a smart TV, google chromecast, apple TV or something like that. So, for example, I could watch the videos on my TV by streaming them through my phones. I just tried it and it worked great.

I hope this is helpful. You have options, and if you don't want to miss the badminton finals, I get it.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

My son in law is currently in the US, with racehorses (watch for the Godolphin colours, they've already won the Derby, the Irish Derby and a few more. 😀) he's also worked in the US, he says however bad you think UK television watching the American stuff will make you think ours is brilliant, yeah there's some far here but it's good quality that lol and then the Blue Planet type programmes, the Dr. Brian Cox ones, etc. etc.

From what I've seen of BBC programming, I'd have to agree. We have some decent entertainment at times, but....

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Have to be honest, I'm really confused at the complaints in the USA about the Olympics coverage. On TV, I'm getting like 10 hours of Olympics content from USA and NBC on the DVR, along with about 8 hours of Canadian coverage from CBC, every day.

But there are other options as well for getting, I think, everything you want. As @Monkey Turned Wolf mentioned, everything is available in its entirety on the NBCOlympics.com website. So, you can hook a laptop or desktop computer to your TV. If you want something more permanent, you can buy a NUC or similar device. Xbox has a browser, though I haven't tried it, so you might be able to pick up the videos that way (if you have an Xbox).

Also, don't forget that most smartphones can cast video to a smart TV, google chromecast, apple TV or something like that. So, for example, I could watch the videos on my TV by streaming them through my phones. I just tried it and it worked great.

I hope this is helpful. You have options, and if you don't want to miss the badminton finals, I get it.

While I haven't tried, I suspect I could even go directly to NBC's Olympics site and stream directly on my TV, with no other device needed.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

While I haven't tried, I suspect I could even go directly to NBC's Olympics site and stream directly on my TV, with no other device needed.

If you've got an internet widget, almost definitely. I know that my dad's tv has a widget directly for the olympics which lists everything and allows him to play them. Not fully sure how it works since I haven't had a reason to play around with it.

 

[Steve]

While I haven't tried, I suspect I could even go directly to NBC's Olympics site and stream directly on my TV, with no other device needed.

Well, I mean, if you have a TV that is so fancy...

 

[Steve]

If you've got an internet widget, almost definitely. I know that my dad's tv has a widget directly for the olympics which lists everything and allows him to play them. Not fully sure how it works since I haven't had a reason to play around with it.

The salient point here is that it's there if you want it. We are smart, creative people who want to watch our niche sports. And we will not be denied. I have a black belt in creative workaround-fu.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

What are the sources for the kata used in the Olympic karate competition? I don’t recognize any of the kata names from the discussions in the Karate sub forums here.

 

[Steve]

What are the sources for the kata used in the Olympic karate competition? I don’t recognize any of the kata names from the discussions in the Karate sub forums here.

Very curious about this myself. Also curious about the yelling. Is that good yelling? I got the impression from comments about XMA that yelling and crazy intensity was NOT a good thing. But these guys seemed quite intense and also quite loud.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Very curious about this myself. Also curious about the yelling. Is that good yelling? I got the impression from comments about XMA that yelling and crazy intensity was NOT a good thing. But these guys seemed quite intense and also quite loud.

Depends. I think most traditional MA teach/practice some version of the Kiap. But there is a fine (and poorly defined) line between kiap and silliness.

 

[Steve]

Depends. I think most traditional MA teach/practice some version of the Kiap. But there is a fine (and poorly defined) line between kiap and silliness.

My play by play of Olympic Kata:

Scowl...
Bow...
Scowl.
pause
punchpunch... pause....
punchkickpunch... turn...
kickturnpunchpunch... turn...
punchelbowpunch...lookleft...
PUNCHLEFT!!
BAAAHaaaaiiiiaaaaai...iiaiii...yahhhhh...
pause
pause
pause
Slowly... look... right... then... turn... right...
pause...
punchpunch... pause....
punchkickpunch... turn...
kickturnpunchpunch... turn...
punchelbowpunch...lookright...
PUNCHRIGHT!!
BAAAHaaaaiiiiaaaaai...iiaiii...yahhhhh...

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Depends. I think most traditional MA teach/practice some version of the Kiap. But there is a fine (and poorly defined) line between kiap and silliness.

There seems to be a distinction between a functional kiap/kiai/shout/whatever you want to call it and a performance scream.

The functional shout (as I’ve learned it in Muay Thai and observed it other TMA) is a simple one syllable exclamation made in time with the strike. The performance version, which seems to be de rigueur for the competition kata circuit, seems more like something from a Hollywood scene: HEEYAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!! I wonder if competitors who are mute or suffering from laryngitis are penalized in scoring for their inability to scream continuously.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I enjoy watching the karate kumite more than the TKD matches, but I’m confused about how they judge which strikes as scoring.

 

[Dirty Dog]

There seems to be a distinction between a functional kiap/kiai/shout/whatever you want to call it and a performance scream.

The functional shout (as I’ve learned it in Muay Thai and observed it other TMA) is a simple one syllable exclamation made in time with the strike. The performance version, which seems to be de rigueur for the competition kata circuit, seems more like something from a Hollywood scene: HEEYAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!! I wonder if competitors who are mute or suffering from laryngitis are penalized in scoring for their inability to scream continuously.

That pretty well matches my own experience.

I think there are at least two different ways to view kata.
If it's viewed as a teaching tool, then the functional shout is what you'd expect.
If it's viewed as performance art, then the Hollywood shout would be seen.
I don't think the Olympics should be considered performance art.

One difficulty I can see with the Olympic games is that of finding judges. Unless the kata competition is limited to practitioners of the same form set (and it is not) it's going to be quite difficult to find judges that are intimately familiar with the subtle details. Especially since something that is nominally the same kata in style A and B probably isn't taught exactly the same. This is the same problem encountered in forms competition in open tournaments all the time. So showmanship and performance art become bigger factors.

 

[Buka]

Karate: Women's Kata & Men's 67kg Kumite: Elimination Round

Karate makes its Olympic debut with elimination rounds in the women's kata and men's kumite 67kg disciplines.

stream.nbcolympics.com

Karate: Women's Kata; Women's 55kg & Men's 67kg Kumite: Semis/Final

The first-ever Olympic medals for karate are awarded in women's kata, men's kumite 67kg and women's kumite 55kg.

stream.nbcolympics.com

The two videos above are like 10 hours of Karate. You're welcome!

Thanks Steve.

I watched that for twenty minutes or so....then got "timed out" and lost the site. (I have no idea what happened)

I have questions, though. I saw orange belts and blue belts. Are there belt divisions in Olympic Karate competition? I figure there must be or there wouldn't be orange and blue belts competing.
Is that correct?

Please, anybody help me understand this.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Thanks Steve.

I watched that for twenty minutes or so....then got "timed out" and lost the site. (I have no idea what happened)

I have questions, though. I saw orange belts and blue belts. Are there belt divisions in Olympic Karate competition? I figure there must be or there wouldn't be orange and blue belts competing.
Is that correct?

Please, anybody help me understand this.

It looked red and blue to me, though could be wrong. But it's just a way to differentiate the opponents; not a sign of their actual ranks. I assume that they're all black belts.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Thanks Steve.

I watched that for twenty minutes or so....then got "timed out" and lost the site. (I have no idea what happened)

I have questions, though. I saw orange belts and blue belts. Are there belt divisions in Olympic Karate competition? I figure there must be or there wouldn't be orange and blue belts competing.
Is that correct?

Please, anybody help me understand this.

It's just a way to distinguish the players for the judges.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Thanks Steve.

I watched that for twenty minutes or so....then got "timed out" and lost the site. (I have no idea what happened)

I have questions, though. I saw orange belts and blue belts. Are there belt divisions in Olympic Karate competition? I figure there must be or there wouldn't be orange and blue belts competing.
Is that correct?

Please, anybody help me understand this.

I believe the commentary said that the belt color was just indicative of the competition pools that the athletes were placed in, not their rank.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I don't think the Olympics should be considered performance art.

It seems to me that once you start practicing kata for competition, then it becomes a performance art. If you're using it as a tool for developing certain martial skills or attributes, then its effectiveness is more to do with your internal attention to whichever particular aspect you are trying to improve in that particular point in time. That means the external appearance of the practice might vary from day to day based on what you are focusing for your own development and the scoring of external judges will very likely not reflect how well you were using the kata as a tool to improve your understanding of the art in that moment.

 

[isshinryuronin]

I saw orange belts and blue belts.

This is the new way, old man. WKF (and others?) requires one competitor to wear a blue belt (with matching gloves and booties - how chic!) and the other one red, regardless of rank. This coordinated ensemble is, I'm sure, to look nice for audiences and for spectators to more easily differentiate the combatants. Judges' flags are accordingly blue and red.

Gone is scrap of red cloth wrapped around one's belt, while the other guy goes unadorned. So gauche and bohemian!

I’m confused about how they judge which strikes as scoring.

Once upon a time, you hit or kicked the guy a good shot, most anywhere, and didn't break anything or make the other guy bleed too much, you got a point. All the fun and excitement is disappearing. Ahh, life (and kumite) was once so simple.

 

[Dirty Dog]

It seems to me that once you start practicing kata for competition, then it becomes a performance art. If you're using it as a tool for developing certain martial skills or attributes, then its effectiveness is more to do with your internal attention to whichever particular aspect you are trying to improve in that particular point in time. That means the external appearance of the practice might vary from day to day based on what you are focusing for your own development and the scoring of external judges will very likely not reflect how well you were using the kata as a tool to improve your understanding of the art in that moment.

I think it depends on how the competition is judged.
In an open tourney, such as the Olympics, I doubt it's ever going to be possible to have a panel of judges with equal familiarity of every form from every system represented. Hence, performance art.

One of the metrics we use to decide if a student is ready to test and promote is their ranking within their belt rank. The closer you are to being #1 in your rank, the closer you are to being tested. You can move up in the rankings one of two ways. If the people above you are promoted, obviously you're moving up. But students can also challenge those above them. The forms done for those challenges are judged by people who know all the tiny, subtle, intimate details of how we want the form executed. Not performance art. And the Hollywood shout will lower your score.