What's in a name?

[Posiview]

Do you think the name of a martial art effects the number of people who start training in that art?

The names of certain arts sound cool (I hate that word, but it's quite apt!): you have Kung Fu, Jeet Kune Do, Wing Chun, Tae-Kwon-Do, Ninjutsu, Muay Tai and Tang Soo Do, which have are very cool and mystic sounding; then, on the other hand, you have Judo, Hapkido, Karate, Aikido and Kempo.

I mean NO disrespect to any of the arts named above. My question refers specifically to the NAME of the martial arts. Of course, my opinions of ‘coolness’ are subjective.

On a similar vein, have any martial arts changed their name? I’m not referring to martial arts that have branched off from another, but martial arts that have changed their name but remained the same martial art?

 

[Quick Sand]

The name affected the number of people training in my association when it was first starting out. Our Grandmaster came back from Korea in the mid 1950's and wanted to teach Tae Kwon Do but when he tried to advertise it and tell people nobody had ever heard of it and had no interest. They didn't know is was a martial art or anything.

Since most people had heard of Karate and used that as a general term for martial arts, he called it a Karate association and then when people came he explained the what he taught was actually another style called Tae Kwon Do. He had to use a name people had heard of in order to get them interested in coming. They still haven't officially changed the name of the association even though these days most people have heard of Tae Kwon Do.

I'm sure it would probably cost a lot to try and change the name on everything now.

 

[tshadowchaser]

Sikaran is a good example of a name people have no idea if its a food, a store, a fat food, a casket factory, or what. If I put up martial art or foot fighting school, or "kick butt take names later school of defence" i would attract people faster.
Yes some names attact people to come in others (if not well known ) do not

 

[7starmantis]

Originally posted by Posiview
The names of certain arts sound cool (I hate that word, but it's quite apt!): you have Kung Fu, Jeet Kune Do, Wing Chun, Tae-Kwon-Do, Ninjutsu, Muay Tai and Tang Soo Do, which have are very cool and mystic sounding; then, on the other hand, you have Judo, Hapkido, Karate, Aikido and Kempo.

I think the names sound "cool" because you have heard them for so long and associated them with things you think to be "cool".
Whats that old adage, "A rose by any other name smells just as sweet."

7sm

 

[Thesemindz]

Hey! What's not cool about the name kenpo? Kenpo is super cool! My mom says so, and she's the coolest! I think anybody who doesn't think kenpo isn't cool isn't cool, so there!

-Rob

 

[DeLamar.J]

Originally posted by Posiview
Do you think the name of a martial art effects the number of people who start training in that art?

The names of certain arts sound cool (I hate that word, but it's quite apt!): you have Kung Fu, Jeet Kune Do, Wing Chun, Tae-Kwon-Do, Ninjutsu, Muay Tai and Tang Soo Do, which have are very cool and mystic sounding; then, on the other hand, you have Judo, Hapkido, Karate, Aikido and Kempo.

I mean NO disrespect to any of the arts named above. My question refers specifically to the NAME of the martial arts. Of course, my opinions of ‘coolness’ are subjective.

On a similar vein, have any martial arts changed their name? I’m not referring to martial arts that have branched off from another, but martial arts that have changed their name but remained the same martial art?

Yea, because alot of people just want to look cool and get a tough rep instead of actually learning to fight.

 

[kroh]

One of the funny things about a subject like this is that the people you are dealing with, on the average, want to know something exotic and interesting rather than something they can see on the street every day.

A prime example of this is in the Phillipines. They have an enormous amount of martial arts with a beautiful cultural heritage attached, steeped in either Christian or Muslim beliefs. These fighting styles are as effective as they are interesting to watch. And they are virtually unheard of by the average Philipino citizen. A former room mate of mine grew up there and said that if you go up to most people and ask them about Arnis... (presuming that you speak Tagalog) they look at you and say ," I dunno." Karate is more widely known because it is more popular and refined ( my roomies words not mine). They see it as exotic because their stuff has always been around. It could be right in front of them and they would rather look 1/2 a mile down the road to the popular Karate school.


The other thing I find funny about this topic and how people love to be exotic is that if you translate the meanings of these "cool" words into english... Kenpo= sword or fist method depending on how it is written, Kung Fu= hard work, human effort...etc , you would not drawnearly as many students. "I study at the Hard work martial arts school." AS many schools are businesses today... I guess exotic is here to stay.

Thanx for the minute...
WalT

 

[OULobo]

Originally posted by kroh
A former room mate of mine grew up there and said that if you go up to most people and ask them about Arnis... (presuming that you speak Tagalog) they look at you and say ," I dunno." Karate is more widely known because it is more popular and refined ( my roomies words not mine). They see it as exotic because their stuff has always been around. It could be right in front of them and they would rather look 1/2 a mile down the road to the popular Karate school.

WalT

Sounds like boxing in the U.S.

 

[kroh]

Very true...

And if you were to ask some one in the US INCLUDING martial arts type folks...

I bet not a one could recomend a good Boxing gym. But they can all tell you where the local McDojo is on the corner right next to the starbucks.

The name... much like the art it represents ...is all subject to a public that is all about appearance. It also shows how the country is really more or less a safe place. If you had the choice of studying something called Wah Lum Kung Fu ( martial art) or something called Viper Fighting arts ( progressive fighting that works RIGHT NOW - insert rambo music here)....

the choice might be less about name and more about need...Does the person live in a nice safe Burb or the worst ghetto of the worst part of town...

all depends on preference I guess..

Thanx for the minute

WalT

 

[jkn75]

I've noticed this with Kuk Sool Won. The general public doesn't know what it is, so they tend to avoid it if it's taught in a gym or club setting. However the store front schools tend to do very well because of drve by or phone book interest.