Question about Style Creation

Blindside

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Now, during a Kenpo class, I've taught a flow drill from Arnis, but I make sure the people know the difference. :) I don't pass something as Kenpo if it isn't.

I do the same, but if that drill becomes incorporated into the regular curricullum, when does it cease to be a arnis drill and become a kenpo drill? It may have its roots in another art, but so do alot of things in kenpo, but now its all "kenpo."

If I add a puter kepala or silat leg press takedown to the end of a tech, does it really become silat, or is just an illustration of push/pull mechanics or the use of a knee check? Me, I'd still call it kenpo, it just shows a bit of variation from the one generation before, and if that variation gets big enough, it seems to make sense to make it a new "style."
 

Ironcrane

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Whatever it is that you're doing, enjoy it and continue to work on and develope it. Just don't decide that since you've come up with somethng new that you need to have nine gold sitched stripes on your belt.:)
Daniel

*Snaps fingers*
And for a moment I was thinking about getting one of those thrones that need six people to carry, and a banner that reads "Behold, the God of Ninjinhaikutofu Karatedo-Ryu!"
 

fenglong

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I'm curious, and yea, I know I'm probably opening a huge can of worms here...

What makes a person who studies an art, (doesn't matter what the art is) suddenly (or not as the case may be I dunno) decide... "You know, I need to rename this with me as the new founder and create a new(ish) style!"

It happens in a lot of arts, and (to be generic about it) suddenly Karate is "Aki-Karate" under Founder and Master Joe, or "Tae Kwon Do" becomes "Combative TKD Concept Styles" or somthing similar under founder and master Tina.

Is this an Ego thing? A money thing? Do they just think they have a better understanding?

And bear in mind, I'm not neccessarily talking a guy with who blends some stuff he/she feel effective and opens a school with a generic name like Combat Concepts or somthing along those lines and says we teach a blend of Kickboxing, Bjj, and Feestyle Karate; I mean someone who say studies somthing specific, like say Bujinkan or Genbukan and then forms "Dragon-Ryu Ninjutsu"... or who Studies Kempo under any of the Various Kempo systems and then opens "JoeJack's Western Kempo" as a seperate but "valid" style.

Back in the ages before firearms would get popular and affordable, MA knowledge was precious knowledge as it was a sort of life insurance against criminals such as robbers, highwaymen, marauders or the troops of some local tyrant. Families would often cultivate their own styles (you can still see the naming method in Chinese styles for example) which involved their own opinions, experiences and testing methods. It is nothing new random people, for whatever reason, create their own MA styles, it just seems new to narrow-minded people who educate by Jersey Shore, learn MA by Jackie Chan movies and practice it by fighting over meaningless crap in internet forums.
 

oaktree

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If a person creates an effective art awesome.
Usually the person has a deep level
Of understand in a previous art and
Usually creates something along the lines
Of said art they studied. Since we are on
A forum its difficult to see your art
Without video which allows others to critique
It which of course would allow you to fix
The flaws. All we have on internet forums
Are arguments that support or against logical
Creation and effectiveness in martial arts.
Some are more blunt than others in their critiques.
 

Carol

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*Snaps fingers*
And for a moment I was thinking about getting one of those thrones that need six people to carry, and a banner that reads "Behold, the God of Ninjinhaikutofu Karatedo-Ryu!"

And the rest of us can chant in unison "I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by six" :rofl:

(Sorry Ironcrane...couldn't...resist...obvious...punchline :D)
 

Gnarlie

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Back in the ages before firearms would get popular and affordable, MA knowledge was precious knowledge as it was a sort of life insurance against criminals such as robbers, highwaymen, marauders or the troops of some local tyrant. Families would often cultivate their own styles (you can still see the naming method in Chinese styles for example) which involved their own opinions, experiences and testing methods.

That's a fair point.

It is nothing new random people, for whatever reason, create their own MA styles, it just seems new to narrow-minded people who educate by Jersey Shore, learn MA by Jackie Chan movies and practice it by fighting over meaningless crap in internet forums.

That part detracts from your credibility.

Redeemed by Carol's great punchline - although more than 2 years between feed line and punchline is pushing the comic timing envelope somewhat, that's still very good.
 

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