Stars and their Styles

[Drunken Master]

Just like most who train in the martial arts I like to watch the movies. But I was just wondering if people could enlighten me on the styles uses by the stars.

For example I know;

Bruce Lee created Jeet Kun Do
Chuck Norris trained primarily in Karate

Can anyone enlighten me on the others greats.

 

[Mantis Leg]

Both of the martialists you've named studied multiple arts. Bruce started his training in traditional Win Chun in Yip Man's school(though one of Yip's disciples did most of the teachind, can't remember his name).

Chuck started in Tae Kwan Do while in Korea serving in the military.

These men later studied other arts adding more to their knowledge of the principles of fighting. After years of forging their individual styles they both started their own "styles."

Now of course this is just my opinion but I think this is crap. Martial arts has been around for thousands of years. There is nothing "new" out there. It has all been done before. I won't argue that some schools of martial arts don't bring the students deep into the principles, but there are schools out there that are "complete." I guess its all a matter of luck in choosing the right one. Why waste your time studying a fragment of what an art truly is?

It's a shame that a person can come from China and call himself a master, start a school, and get lots of students. Every six months the "master" goes back to China, ostensibly to visit family. In reality he's getting training(maybe at THE Temple) then coming back over here to teach what he's learned!

Of course not everyone is a sham, but some certainly are. All I'm trying to say in a rambling way is to do your research. A small, unheard of art may be a real treasure.

Mantis




:soapbox: :asian:

 

[Cthulhu]

Originally posted by Drunken Master

Just like most who train in the martial arts I like to watch the movies. But I was just wondering if people could enlighten me on the styles uses by the stars.

For example I know;

Bruce Lee created Jeet Kun Do
Chuck Norris trained primarily in Karate

Can anyone enlighten me on the others greats.

Bruce Lee had several years of formal training in Wing Chun before returning to the US in his late teens. Eventually, he created what would be known as JKD.

I believe Chuck Norris studied Tang Soo Do when in Korea.

If you'd like to know the systems studied by other film and TV personalities, it may help if you gave a short list of who you're interested in.

Cthulhu

 

[fist of fury]

Originally posted by Mantis Leg

Both of the martialists you've named studied multiple arts. Bruce started his training in traditional Win Chun in Yip Man's school(though one of Yip's disciples did most of the teachind, can't remember his name).

If memory serves it was Wong Sheung Lueng and William Cheung that did most of the teaching.

 

[Kirk]

Go to this website . There's an impressive list of action film,
and m.a. film celebrities, with a bio link for them. Most of them
tell you what style(s) they're trained in.

 

[fist of fury]

cool website even though they list Billy Blanks

 

[deadhand31]

I checked Chuck's website. He has studied karate, but his main art is TKD. One of his milestones is that he was the first caucasian to be certified as an 8th degree by the kukkiwon.

Come on Chuck! make it to 9th!

 

[fist of fury]

Originally posted by deadhand31

I checked Chuck's website. He has studied karate, but his main art is TKD. One of his milestones is that he was the first caucasian to be certified as an 8th degree by the kukkiwon.

Come on Chuck! make it to 9th!

wow I didn't know he was that high up.

 

[Drunken Master]

Does anyone know just how old Chuck is and what he is actually up to these days.

 

[Cthulhu]

Chuck Norris bio info:

Birth Date: March 10, 1940 in Ryan, Oklahoma, USA
Birth Name: Carlos Ray Norris

Seems I was wrong about TSD. I could have sworn he was a TSD guy. Whooooops.

Cthulhu

 

[Kirk]

I listened to an interview with Chuck Norris on Howard Stern
about a year ago. A caller asked what styles he had a b.b.
in, and TSD was one of them .. If I remember correctly, he said
5th deg. At that time, he had a brown in BJJ.

 

[fist of fury]

I always understood it to be Tang soo do also.

 

[arnisador]

You'll find more on Chuck Norris in this thread:
http://www.martialtalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=964

He has founded his own system, Chun Kuk Do. His base art is Tang Soo Do.

 

[kickyou]

Chuck Norris was made an honorary Master in Tae Kwon-Do by General Choi. That is ITF Tae Kwon-Do I did not know he was in the WTF.If so I wonder why General Choi would give him an "Honorary" title and not just acknowledge him as a master.

 

[Kirk]

Originally posted by kickyou

Chuck Norris was made an honorary Master in Tae Kwon-Do by General Choi. That is ITF Tae Kwon-Do I did not know he was in the WTF.If so I wonder why General Choi would give him an "Honorary" title and not just acknowledge him as a master.

Maybe because he's promoting his own art now. No idea, I'm
just theorizing.

 

[Rob_Broad]

On of the biggets names for working with the stars for their movies is Pat Johnson, he was the center referee in the Final fight in the Karate Kid. He trains many of the top starts for their roles that involve martial arts.

 

[Drunken Master]

Originally posted by kickyou

Chuck Norris was made an honorary Master in Tae Kwon-Do by General Choi. That is ITF Tae Kwon-Do I did not know he was in the WTF.If so I wonder why General Choi would give him an "Honorary" title and not just acknowledge him as a master.

What does everyone think people being awarded honorary titles? Recently we spoke ot Elvis Presley and his honorary 8th dan kempo.

 

[Cthulhu]

Norris possible got the honorary title since TSD is fundamentally different than TKD in many aspects. Also, I believe the forms are different.

Looks like I was right about the TSD after all.

I never particularly got into Norris's career as an actor; however, I've ALWAYS respected him as a martial artist.

Cthulhu

 

[arnisador]

I dislike the honorary rank/titles as a rule. To occasionally give an honorary black belt to a Governor or Senator or something is one thing, but I've seen people give them to every high-ranking black belt they see.

I am reminded of the (former?) practice of some Ivy League colleges to give a masters' degree to all their tenured faculty so if a faculty member ever does something for which they become famous the college can claim them as an alumnus.

 

[TangSooGuy]

Chuck Norris' first instructor was Jae Chul Shin, who taught martial arts to American Air Force Personnel at Osan Air Force base in Korea.

Chuck Norris encouraged Jae C. Shin to come to the US in 1968.

Grandmaster Jae C. Shin is President of the World Tang Soo Do Association. ( www.wtsda.com ), which he founded in November of 1982.

I believe that he mentioned at one of our black belt Clinics that he taught Norris until either 3rd or 4th Dan in TSD, but I can't remember exactly. Eventually Norris got into the movies and training in other styles, and founded his own system. He now runs the United Fighting Arts Federation. ( www.ufaf.org ).