Comments on: Karate vs. Kung Fu, Part 2

By: Wim

Wim — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:46:59 +0000

Carolynn: As they say in my country: to each his own.

By: Carolynn Koloto

Carolynn Koloto — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 20:02:28 +0000

I love the photo Wim and the Blog. So it all boils down to which is better black or white, green or brown. It is a personal thing thats what it is whats best for you. There is no shoe that fits all here. Even harder, faster, better, stronger doesn’t fit for all some people want to become softer, slower, still better, but not necessarily stronger and some just don’t.

By: Ferran

Ferran — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:49:34 +0000

Yes. However, I’m not saying about doing things different (at least, this is not my focus) as much as I’m talking about different POVs about the very same move.

For example: after my former years in something they called Jujutsu (sic) I have a very hard time punching the face. I can do hammerfists. I can also do hacksaws. And the idea came from a video on Combat Sanshou –and, further, with some Bob O’s seminar–. It integrates perfectly in my way of doing things and has no problems with my system. It is, in fact, there (could show you the kata, for example), but most people simply prefer to puch. Have tested it, showed it to my seniors and OK’ed it by peer review. It would have been much harder to see it on my standard path.

Ovbiously, the similarities between my two examples in the previous post are few, but: Proper frontal structure, pushing from the dantien, winning the certerline, distance… It wouldn’t work with other styles, probably, but both are quite frontal. If we ever meet I can show you the points. Some of them are more mindset than anything.

Also, being longer in the forest does not guarantee success: ATA is my counterexample. Yeah, OK, that’s a bog, not a forest.

By: Wim

Wim — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:30:34 +0000

Ferran: The insights are great but can also be misleading. It’s the whole “seeing only part of the elephant” thing when you look into a new art, or one you don’t have much training in. Been there, done that.

By: Wim

Wim — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:28:05 +0000

Shane: Some food for thought, thanks. I’ll get back to you on the whole competition thing in another post.

By: Wim

Wim — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:26:44 +0000

@Bob: Your instructor makes total sense! I still leave comment on but moderate them. I’ll publish them all, the good, bad and ugly except when they’re just some dude spouting profanity or insults. I don’t give those guys the satisfaction of reading their words on my page. And I enjoy deleting their comments and blocking them from page.
Another thing is this: I’ve met loads of really interesting people on the internet. Via my sites, this blog, other blogs, youtube, etc. Closing comments down would prohibit that. So I tkae the bad with the good that also comes along.

By: Ferran

Ferran — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:43:34 +0000

Hum…

I’ve seen some weird comments on youtube. One of them was leaving a karate practitioner as a clueless beginner dressed as a black belt. I think it was a video of Morio Higaonna.

OTOH, having a good background is important. However, I’ve had unexpected insights between kajukenbo and kenjutsu, two wildly different arts. And I don’t know either that much (technically, I first met them some 15 years ago, but just started seriously 2-3 years ago). Same think with my very brief experiences with Bob O.’s silat. Sometimes, even –maybe specially– in the beginning, it’s good to see things from the outside. Among other things, you might avoid some “Oh, shit, I have to retrain my last 15 years doing this movement; now I see”. Might. Some.

Keep well